Glee Season 3 Episode 18 Choke
Rachel hones her skill set as her New York audition draws near. She dedicates every spare moment she has practicing with some help from Finn.
After overhearing Puck telling a Cheerio that he might not graduate, he encourages Puck to obtain his diploma before he starts his dream pool-cleaning business in Los Angeles. The truth is there’s just one thing getting in the way between him and his diploma – the European geography exam. Puck is hopeful that his flirtatious classroom banters with the professor will get him a passing grade.
Coach Roz comes down hard on the glee girls after hearing Santana’s snide comment about Coach Beiste’s black eye. Santana thinks that Beiste was hit by her husband. Roz tells the girls that domestic violence is no laughing matter and that they are stepping out of line. Later, Coach Beiste tells Will, Sue and Roz that her black eye was the result of a punching bag accident while working out.
Kurt is torn about his song choice for his NYADA audition. He is set to perform the “Music of the Night” in Phantom of the Opera, but Kurt thinks the piece is too predictable and safe. He wants a different approach that will set him apart and plans to sing “Not the Boy Next Door” from The Boy from Oz. Rachel objects but Kurt insists that it’s the perfect time to take a risk. Rachel, however, believes in his chances with the Phantom piece.
Meanwhile, Puck continues to flirt with his teacher, claiming that he has a crush on her since the ninth grade. She almost gives in when Puck tries to kiss her but immediately regains her composure. Puck offers to tickle her thighs for a D+ but she firmly insists that she can’t be bribed. Puck storms out of the room while singing “Schools Out” by Alice Cooper. Frustrated, he decides to drop out of school.
While the glee girls get a lecture from Roz, Beiste and Sue, none of them could ever think that their boyfriends would be capable of doing such violence. Sue decides to give them an assignment: they must perform a song that talks about violence against women and make them into songs of female empowerment. Sue thinks this is the only way to get the issue into the girls’ heads.
As the glee girls perform their song assignment, “Cell Block Tango,” Coach Beiste walks out. After the performance, Roz and Sue tell them that their song, which talks about women killing the men in their lives, totally missed the point.
Sue and Roz confront Beiste for walking out and they were shocked when she admits being hit by her husband. Sue tells her that she has to leave the house immediately. Sue consoles Beiste as she breaks down, insisting that she’ll be accompanying her for the night.
Puck, on the other hand, is shocked when his father, whom he hasn’t seen for five years, borrows money from him. He gives his $500 savings for his L.A. move.
Puck tells his glee friends that he doesn’t want to follow his dad’s footsteps. Imagining himself asking his daughter Beth for money one day bounced him back to reality. He is now committed to pass his test and graduate.
Kurt takes the risk by performing “Not the Boy Next Door” during his audition. The NYADA’s infamous Carmen Tibideaux (Whoopi Goldberg) is clearly impressed with Kurt’s performance and his willingness to take such risk.
Backstage, Rachel tells Finn that she doesn’t feel nervous and that she’s confident that she can pass the audition. As she takes the center stage and sings “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” she blows a lyric, and loses her composure. She chokes on her second attempt. Tibideaux refuses to give her another chance and ends the audition.
The glee guys help Puck prepare for his geography test. After giving a correct answer, he leads the pack in their rendition of “The Rain in Spain” from the My Fair Lady musical.
Sue is disappointed that Beiste didn’t stay in her place as agreed, and asks, “What am I going to do with those nine whole chickens?” She tells Sue that she spent the night moving in with her sister.
In the music room, Coach Beiste reveals the truth about her black eye to the glee girls. She tells the girls that she too never imagined that her husband would ever hurt her. But after hearing the girls say that they don’t see their boyfriends commit such a violent act, she realized the hard truth. It really is happening to her. She tells them that they opened her eyes.
The girls apologize to Beiste and ask her to join them in the music room. They gather around and sing her the song “Shake It Out” by Florence + The Machine. What they don’t know is that Beiste has given her husband a second chance and has secretly remained with him.
Kurt consoles Rachel, but she’s too upset to take his words to heart. As Rachel sings “Cry” of Kelly Clarkson, another glee member faces the same bitter disappointment: Puck’s test result was a big red “F.”
Featured Songs
Title Original Artist
“School’s Out” Alice Cooper
“Cell Block Tango” Chicago The Musical
“Not the Boy Next Door” The Boy from Oz
“The Rain in Spain” My Fair Lady
“Cry” Kelly Ckarkson
“Shake It Out” Florence + The Machine
