Day 7: Throwdown

"Throwdown" is not my favorite episode. In fact, I'd go so far as saying that this is one of my two least favorite offerings from the first 13. It just doesn't appeal to me, or move me, like some of the others.

It's not because this is a bad or poorly written episode. To me, that's the beauty of the original 13 installments. Looking back, the writing seemed tighter, the dialog richer, and the continuity more cohesive. This is really saying something, since Glee, for all its wonders, has never been known for impeccable continuity. Even in episodes I don't particularly enjoy as a whole, there are memorable moments galore; quotes, references, songs, or simple facial expressions that have me watching again and again. Here, we get Finn's adorable enthusiasm over making up "the best baby name ever", a cheerleader who answers questions with sombreros (and "TO GAME"), Sue throwing students ("Not the children"!), the infectiously non-autotuned "Ride Wit' Me", Kurt's polar bear sweater, and a healthy (?) dose of Kendra.

Honestly, the only thing I REALLY don't like about "Throwdown" is the music. You may not share my sentiments, and that's fine. Isn't that the glory of Glee? Not everything appeals to everyone all the time, which is how it manages to captivate such a diverse audience. It just so happens that I personally don't care for "Hate on Me" or "No Air", and unlike other Glee covers that have grown on me over time, these haven't. Again, this is really saying something about the quality of the earlier episodes. If my biggest complaint is that I didn't like the songs in one (or two) episodes, well, I can live with that.