Glee Season 3 Episode 16 Saturday Night Glee-ver
Will Schuester, who’s searching for inspiration, tells Sue Sylvester he doesn’t know what to do and he feels like he’s out of ideas. Sue informs him that he’s been out of ideas since Madonna Week; she suggests that he could embrace a lazier style of teaching and assign New Directions a famous album. Will reminds the cheerleading coach she did that last year. Sue points out that Rumours Week was a resounding success, and it seemed to solve everyone’s problems, even if only for about five minutes. She then suggests that the New Directions take on not just any album but a soundtrack that defined a generation.
The former rivals both want the glee club to take on the soundtrack to the definitive disco movie, Saturday Night Fever. Will loves that album. Only one problem stands in Will and Sue’s way. When the bowtie-wearing Blaine finds out that the theme for this year’s regionals competition is vintage, he recommends disco (he, Mike, and Brittany start off the disco dancing, to the tune of the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” in his daydream), but all the other kids think disco sucks.
Undaunted, Mr. Schue and Coach Sue join forces and come up with a plan to get the kids into disco. Their plan calls for swag, which the glee club kids love. Will flashes back to the time when Bryan Ryan tried to bribe the glee club with bedazzled jean jackets and when glee club members were excited about getting stuff like mattresses or dinner for two at Breadstix.
Sue says they should give the students something to fight for. Mr. Schue is also wondering what his students are going to do after graduation, particularly Mercedes, Santana and Finn. To inspire the students, Sue and Mr. Schue suggest that the glee club sing songs from Saturday Night Fever and compete for a white customized three-piece suit à la Tony Manero. The kids respond to the bribery, and Blaine and Artie start things off, collaborating with Mr. Schue for “Night Fever.” If anyone could get New Directions to do something they hate, that person would be Sue Sylvester.
The competition is actually a way to get the finalists Mercedes, Santana and Finn to seriously think about life after high school. Mr. Schue pulls them aside to explain that they are to perform a song and share their hopes.
Even though the glee club members probably would’ve flatly refused to have anything with the song when their club was starting out, Mercedes sings the hell out of “Disco Inferno” by The Trammps while she’s flanked by Brittany and Santana. Mercedes admits she wants to be a singer like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston or Aretha Franklin and sing hits that can inspire people. Using his phone, Sam films Mercedes’s performance and later uploads the video to YouTube, where it gets hundreds of views. He believes in her, saying that she just needs to find her way to LA, and he kisses her.
Santana, who simply wishes to be famous, sings Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You” for Saturday Night Glee-ver and sort of gets her wish. She’s confused when everyone seems to be staring at her, and Brittany informs her that everyone’s loving the sex tape of them. With good intentions, Brittany uploaded it to YouTube, spliced with videos of her cat doing chores; she thought it would get Santana on a reality show to help her achieve fame. Brittany and Coach Sue also sent in an application for Santana to a university. Santana receives an acceptance letter and cheerleading scholarship from the university.
The clueless Finn does some soul searching, during which he watches Saturday Night Fever at Mr. Schue’s request, reunites with Rachel (who sings “How Deep Is Your Love?” to him) and tackles the song “More Than a Woman.” He decides to move to New York with his fiancée where he will pursue his dream, which is, surprisingly, to become an actor.
While Kurt discusses college with Mercedes, Wade (Alex from The Glee Project) shows up at McKinley High to tell them that he’s their biggest fan, even though he happens to be a member of Vocal Adrenaline. His goal is to perform at regionals as his alter ego Unique, wearing a dress and heels. He and Vocal Adrenaline get their “Boogie Shoes” on. The song was originally performed by KC and the Sunshine Band.
The ’70s flashback ends with Saturday Night Glee-ver winners Mercedes, Santana and Finn performing “Stayin’ Alive,” in their Tony Manero suits. They’re joined by their friends, including Mr. Schue and Sue Sylvester, who’s visibly pregnant.
Featured Songs
Song Title Original Artist
You Should Be Dancing Bee Gees
Night Fever Bee Gees
Disco Inferno The Trammps
If I Can’t Have You Yvonne Elliman
How Deep Is Your Love? Bee Gees
More Than a Woman Bee Gees
Boogie Shoes KC and the Sunshine Band
Stayin’ Alive Bee Gees
