Glee-Cap: Rachel's ‘Laryngitis’ and Puck's New Look Leave Us Speechless

The kids over at Glee sure are full of angst these days. Several of them are feeling inept and unfulfilled. You could even say they are losing their collective voice. While we hate to see our friends down and out, their shifting emotions always ensure a helluva a musical performance is on the way. Mr. Shue requires that all Glee members find a song to represent where they are right now in their lives. Not an easy assignment (but an entertaining one)! Take a look at our favorite moments from “Laryngitis” below.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
The episode begins with a mystery character shaving off his/her hair. A quick camera cut reveals the sheared student is Puck; his signature mohawk fell victim to his mother’s concerns over a possibly cancerous mole on his head. False alarm (thankfully), but the new ‘do leaves Puck suddenly unpopular, so he looks to newly crowned social queen Mercedes to help raise his stock. We’re not OK with Puck using the sincere soulstress for personal gain, but it sure is fun to watch this odd couple spar. "You're top 40, I'm rhythm and blues," Mercedes responds to his courting attempts. The pair however finds a jazzy common ground when they duet on Sammy Davis Jr.'s rendition of "The Lady is a Tramp." P.S. Puck, we think the fully shaved head looks better anyway!

Santana in the Spotlight
Uppity cheerleader Santana usually gets stuck playing the mean girl every week, and while this episode proves no different, at least she gets to sneer through song. A full-on battle of the divas erupts at Glee practice when Santana snaps on Mercedes for her burgeoning relationship with Puck. “The Boy is Mine,” they belt, channeling the 1998 Monica and Brandy hit. Mr. Schuester even has to step in to break the girls up when the confrontation erupts into pushing and shoving. Drama!

Fighting Words
Sue's hatred for the Glee Club comes as no surprise. But during a hallway chat with Kurt, the Cheerios coach snidely remarks, “So you like showtunes! It doesn’t mean you're gay, it just means you’re awful!” Watch it, Sue! Don't you know your demographic?

Tonsil Trouble!
Rachel is suddenly struck with a case of tonsillitis. which makes the diva sound like an awful American Idol audition as she sings Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” Clearly “understudy” is not a word that exists in Rachel’s vocabulary, and she goes all sorts of crazy on her doctor when he suggests she stops singing. “I’m like Tinkerbell,” she says to Finn, “I need applause to live!” Start clapping, Gleeks!

Curtain Up, Light the Lights!
Still upset by the new father-son relationship forming between Finn and his dad, Kurt decides to butch himself up in hopes of winning over his pop. He loses his signature fedoras and flowing scarves in favor of flannel and a new appreciation of John Mellencamp. Always willing to go the distance, he even has a make-out session with Brittany! None of these efforts work though, and Kurt heads center stage to vent with the ultimate 11 o’clock number “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy. Sure, we've seen Kurt belt a gender-bending anthem before (he dueted with Rachel on Wicked’s "Defying Gravity" earlier this season), but this is in a whole new league. As everyone knows, you either got it, or you ain't. And, boys, he's got it! We hope everything continues to come up Kurt.