Grilled Cheesus
Encyclopedia
"Grilled Cheesus" is the third episode of the second season
Glee (season 2)
The second season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired between September 21, 2010 and May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States...

 of the American television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...

, and the 25th episode overall. It was written by Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...

, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and premiered on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...

 network on October 5, 2010. Prior to its broadcast, series co-creator Ryan Murphy predicted the episode would be Glee most controversial, as it focuses on religion and what God means to the members of the glee club. When Burt Hummel
Burt Hummel
Burt Hummel is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Mike O'Malley, and first appeared on Glee in the fourth episode of the first season, "Preggers". Burt was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...

 (Mike O'Malley
Mike O'Malley
Michael Edward "Mike" O'Malley is an American actor and playwright who has appeared in films and television series. He hosted Nickelodeon GUTS, and he starred in the CBS comedy Yes, Dear...

) has a heart attack, the glee club rally around his son Kurt
Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel is a fictional character and one of the male leads in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied at school...

 (Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...

), attempting to support the Hummels through their various faiths. Meanwhile, club co-captain Finn Hudson
Finn Hudson
Finn Hudson is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Cory Monteith, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...

 (Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...

) believes he has found the face of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

 in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Murphy hoped to produce a balanced depiction of religion, and he, Falchuk and series co-creator Ian Brennan
Ian Brennan (writer)
Ian Brennan is a television writer, actor and producer. He is best known for his work on the television show Glee.-Early life:Brennan is the son of John and Charman Brennan. His sister, Sarah Brennan, is one of the founders of in Chicago...

 ensured that there was an equality between pro and anti-religious sentiments expressed. The episode features seven cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

s of songs, each of which charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, marking the series' one-week debut high in the US. Critics disagreed over the appropriateness of the musical performances, with some complaining of the tangential relationship between the numbers and religion, and others appreciating that the Glee versions brought new meaning to the songs.

"Grilled Cheesus" was watched by 11.20 million US viewers, and was the second most watched scripted show of the week among adults aged 18–49. It received mixed reviews, with Colfer and O'Malley receiving critical acclaim, and several reviewers praising Glee for successfully balancing opposing viewpoints. However, other reviewers criticized the episode for its lack of subtlety, and Lisa Respers France of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

 denounced "Grilled Cheesus" as an Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...

-submission showpiece for Colfer.

Plot

When glee club co-captain Finn Hudson believes he has found the face of Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich
Cheese sandwich
A cheese sandwich is a basic sandwich made generally with one or more slices of any kind of cheese on any sort of bread. In addition to the cheese, it may also include pepperoni, lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, pickles and/or condiments such as mustard or mayonnaise...

, he asks for three prayers to be granted: for the school football team to win a game, for his girlfriend Rachel (Lea Michele
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...

) to let him touch her breasts, and for him to be reinstated as quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

. When his first prayer comes true, he asks the glee club to join him in honoring Jesus through song.

Club member Kurt Hummel is devastated when his father Burt suffers a heart attack. His best friend Mercedes
Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and...

 (Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...

) sings Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

's "I Look to You
I Look to You (song)
"I Look to You" is a pop-soul song performed by American R&B-pop recording artist Whitney Houston, from seventh studio album also titled I Look to You...

" to him, hoping he will find strength in faith. However, Kurt reveals that he is an atheist. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
Sue Sylvester
Susan "Sue" Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Sue was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian...

 (Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...

), also an atheist, takes umbrage at the glee club singing religious songs in a public school setting, and has Kurt make a formal complaint. When confronted by guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Portrayed by actress Jayma Mays, Emma has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...

 (Jayma Mays
Jayma Mays
Jayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...

), Sue admits that as a child, she prayed that God would cure her sister Jean (Robin Trocki), who has Down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...

. Her prayers went unanswered, leading her to conclude that God simply does not exist.

Mercedes, Rachel and Quinn
Quinn Fabray
Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is a former cheerleader at the fictional William McKinley High School in...

 (Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Quinn Fabray on the television series Glee.-Early life:Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California. She is the daughter of Mary and Ronald S. Agron, a general...

) pray for Burt, with Rachel singing "Papa, Can You Hear Me?
Papa, Can You Hear Me?
"Papa, Can You Hear Me?" is a 1983 song, performed by Barbra Streisand for the film Yentl. The song was composed by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman....

" from Yentl
Yentl (film)
Yentl is a 1983 romantic musical drama film from United Artists, and directed, co-written, co-produced, and starring Barbra Streisand based on the play of the same name by Leah Napolin and Isaac Bashevis Singer, itself based on Singer's short story, "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy".The dramatic story...

at his bedside. Kurt is resistant, and later at glee club rehearsal sings The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

' "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....

", stating that his faith takes the form of love for his father. He accepts an invitation from Mercedes to attend her church, where the choir sing "Bridge over Troubled Water
Bridge over Troubled Water (song)
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's album of the same name. The single was released on January 26, 1970, though it also appears on the live album Live 1969, released in 2008. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970, and stayed at...

". At the church service, Mercedes asks the congregation to pray for the Hummels.

Finn's remaining prayers also come true. Rachel comes to Finn's house one evening, and in his bedroom she admits that she would prefer to raise her children in the Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...

 faith; she would not be able to have a future with him if he puts his faith in Jesus. Finn agrees that their children would be raised as she chooses, so to confirm her trust and appreciation of him, she allows him to touch the side of her breast as they make-out
Making out
In human sexuality, making out is a sexual euphemism of American origin dating back to at least 1949, and is used synonymously with the terms necking, heavy petting, and hooking up to refer to non-penetrative sex, though "hooking up" is also used in some cultures to imply casual sex.-History:The...

. Later, Finn is also reinstated as quarterback, but it occurs because his replacement Sam Evans
Sam Evans
Sam Evans is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Chord Overstreet, and appeared on Glee starting with the second season premiere episode entitled "Audition", first broadcast on September 21, 2010, and ending with that...

 (Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet is an American actor, singer and musician, best known for his role as Sam Evans on the television series Glee.-Early life:...

) is injured during a game, dislocating his shoulder. Finn feels responsible and confesses his guilt to Emma, who tells him it is unlikely God is communicating specifically with him through a grilled cheese sandwich. A despondent Finn doubts his new-found faith, singing R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...

's "Losing My Religion
Losing My Religion
"Losing My Religion" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. The song was released as the first single from the group's 1991 album Out of Time. Based around a mandolin riff, "Losing My Religion" was an unlikely hit for the group, garnering heavy airplay on radio as well as on MTV due...

".

At Burt's bedside, Kurt tells his still unconscious father that he feels he should have accepted his friends' prayers. As Kurt cries, Burt begins to regain consciousness and is able to squeeze his son's hand. Meanwhile, Sue visits Jean in her residential home and discusses God with her sister. Jean asks Sue if she may pray for her, and Sue accepts. Later, the glee club comes together to sing Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...

's "One of Us
One of Us (Joan Osborne song)
"One of Us" is a song written by Eric Bazilian and originally released by Joan Osborne. Released in March 1995 on the album Relish and produced by Rick Chertoff, it became a top 40 hit in November of that year.- History :...

". Sue watches the performance, but tells Will she will not report him for allowing a religious song. At home, Finn eats the remainder of the grilled cheese sandwich.

Production

"Grilled Cheesus" is intended to begin a season arc depicting the glee club members rallying around those who are subject to bullying and persecution. For Glee second season, Murphy confirmed plans to cast a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 character on the show, expressing desires to keep Glee a "show about inclusiveness". In an interview with TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...

, Murphy said on Christianity, "If we're trying to form a world of inclusiveness, we've got to include that point of view as well." He predicted "Grilled Cheesus" would be the most controversial episode of the series to date, as it depicts the spiritual and emotional importance of God
God in Christianity
In Christianity, God is the eternal being that created and preserves the universe. God is believed by most Christians to be immanent , while others believe the plan of redemption show he will be immanent later...

 to the characters. Murphy aimed to address religion in a "socially responsible" way, and compared "Grilled Cheesus" to topical Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...

 shows of the 1970s. He hoped to produce a balanced depiction of the subject matter, and he, along with co-writers Brennan and Falchuk, checked the script to ensure that for every anti-religious sentiment conveyed, there was a pro-religious one to counter-balance it. The episode references several religions apart from Christianity; Puck and Rachel are both Jewish, Kurt hires an acupuncturist
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....

 who is a Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...

, and makes a reference to the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Flying Spaghetti Monster
The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the deity of the parody religion the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Pastafarianism...

.

Sue's philosophical argument with Emma about religion is the scene that Murphy is "most proud to have been involved with in [his] entire career." Explaining Sue's stance on religion, he stated: "Sue's an atheist, but I love that she doesn't want to be. She and [Kurt] are both saying to the world, 'Prove us wrong: If God is kindness and love, make me believe in God. Murphy felt it would have been easy to have Kurt sing an anti-religious song, but instead chose to have him sing about his faith in love.

O'Malley was a recurring cast member throughout Glee first season
Glee (season 2)
The second season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired between September 21, 2010 and May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States...

, and was promoted to a series regular starting in season two. He commented that the episode would be an emotional one, developing the father-son relationship further. Recurring characters who appear in this episode include glee club member Mike Chang
Mike Chang
Michael "Mike" Chang, Jr. is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor and dancer Harry Shum, Jr., and has appeared on Glee since the fourth episode in the first season, "Preggers", first broadcast on September 23, 2009...

 (Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...

), football player Sam Evans, Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba is a Pakistani-American actor. Theba currently has a recurring role as Principal Figgins in the show Glee.-Life and career:Theba became a familiar face in the 1990s when he appeared in various TV shows and commercials in the United States....

), football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones
Dot Jones
Dorothy-Marie "Dot" Jones is an athlete and actress who has had multiple roles in television. She attended California State University, Fresno, where she set records for shot put. Jones is also a 15-time world arm wrestling champion...

), Finn's mother Carole Hudson (Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont
Romy Rosemont is a television actress who has appeared in multiple TV series, including Shark, Grey's Anatomy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Prison Break and Private Practice. She got her break in 2010, playing Carole Hudson in the musical series Glee...

), and Sue's sister Jean Sylvester. An eight-year-old Kurt appears in a series of flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...

 scenes, including his mother's funeral, played by child actor Adam Kolkin.

Music

The episode featured cover versions of Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...

's "Only the Good Die Young
Only The Good Die Young
"Only the Good Die Young" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 pop rock album, The Stranger. The song was controversial for its time, with the lyrics describing a boy who tries to convince a Catholic girl who is a virgin to have sex with him....

", Whitney Houston's "I Look to You", "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" as performed by Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...

 in the musical film Yentl, The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" as covered by T. V. Carpio
T. V. Carpio
-Life and career:Carpio was born in Oklahoma City. She is the daughter of Hong Kong Chinese-Filipina singer Teresa Carpio, with whom she has performed on stage as a backup singer. Her mother has also recorded one of her compositions. Her father is Peter Mui, who co-founded Tungtex Co Ltd, a Hong...

 in the musical film Across the Universe
Across the Universe (film)
Across the Universe is a musical romantic drama film directed by Julie Taymor, produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film's plot is centered around songs by The Beatles. It was released in the United States on October 12, 2007. The script is based on an original...

, R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion", Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Water" as covered by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...

, and Joan Osborne's "One of Us". Monteith said he and series music producer Adam Anders "had a bit of a different idea" about how "Losing My Religion" should be performed. While Anders "always brings the songs in very positive, very upbeat", he felt the song "was expressing a betrayal", and with Finn feeling both betrayal and anger, Monteith wanted his performance to reflect that. All songs performed were released as singles, available for download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...

, and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "One of Us" are included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 4. All singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...

. With seven new entries, it marked the series' one-week debut high in the US. The best performing single was "I Want to Hold Your Hand", which reached number 21 in Canada and 36 in the US. With 69,000 copies sold in the US, it also reached number 15 on the Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...

 chart.

Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...

's Carina Adly MacKenzie commented positively on Michele's "beautiful" rendition of "Papa, Can You Hear Me?", however expressed displeasure that Rachel had cried during her solo in three consecutive episodes, suggesting the producers give her a more uplifting song. She praised Salling's "Only the Good Die Young", which was selected by Lisa de Moraes of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...

as the best performance of the episode, for being the most in-keeping with Glee usual tone. Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

praised "I Want to Hold Your Hand", writing that, "the Beatles' coy flirtation is replaced with a simple, wistful plea that hits just the right note." She commended Riley's vocals on "Bridge over Troubled Water", commenting that Murphy should assign Mercedes more solo performances. Futterman criticized "Losing My Religion", however, observing that Monteith struggled to reach the notes, resulting in a performance "more awkward than inspired."

Anthony Benigno of the Daily News commented positively on the arrangement of Monteith's song, grading the performance "A". His lowest grade went to "Papa, Can You Hear Me?", which he gave a "C". Benigno felt that both Michele and Colfer's solos were damaged by the fact that the songs' only link to the episode's plot were their titles, finding it particularly jarring to hear Kurt singing "I wanna be your man" about his father. The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...

Todd VanDerWerff felt that the music was the worst aspect of the episode, similarly criticizing song selections based on their tangential relationship to religion. He felt that Kurt's performance was the only number which worked even slightly, commenting, "it genuinely grows out of the moment, although the fact that Kurt is singing it to his dad never stops being kind of weird." Both Jessica Derschowitz of CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...

 and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

's Aly Semigran enjoyed that the performance of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" brought new meaning to the song, with Semigran naming it her favourite number of the episode. She felt that "I Look to You" was the episode's weakest song, preferring Riley's "more powerful" rendition of "Bridge over Troubled Water". Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

expressed disappointment in both of Riley's songs, which left her "strangely unmoved". She suggested that, "Mercedes sang admirably, beautifully even, but she didn’t seem truly transported by the music; so we weren't."

Ratings

During its original broadcast, "Grilled Cheesus" was watched by 11.20 million American viewers and attained a 4.6/13 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. Viewership and ratings both decreased from the previous episode, which was watched by 13.51 million viewers and attained a 5.9/17 rating/share. "Grilled Cheesus" was the most watched scripted show for the week of broadcast among adults aged 18–49, and the twenty-second most watched show among all viewers. In Canada, the episode was watched by 1.99 million viewers and was the eleventh most watched show of the week. It was again down on the previous episode, which was watched by 2.46 million viewers, making it the sixth most watched programme of the week. In Australia, "Grilled Cheesus" drew 1.029 million viewers, placing eleventh for the night. In the UK, the episode was watched by 2.502 million viewers (2.175 million on E4, and 327,000 on E4+1), becoming the most watched show on E4 and E4 +1 for the week, and the most watched show on cable for the week.

Critical response

The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

named it as one of his favourite episodes of the series, calling it "not only funny and moving, but incredibly important", both for its religious element and message of tolerance. Stack praised the performances by Colfer and O'Malley, as did USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

Robert Bianco, who deemed the episode a "smart, moving, musical exploration of the power and limits of faith and religion in a democratic society". Bianco commented positively on the way Colfer's singing was used to "dig beneath the archness and anger in Kurt's behavior", calling it "a textbook example of what music can add to drama." Mark Perigard of the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...

went further in his praise, deeming "Grilled Cheesus" "the perfect blend of music, characterization and plot - and easily the most provocative scripted hour in prime-time of the new season." Perigard appreciated the fact there were no easy answers presented, with no characters undergoing religious conversions during the course of the episode. Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....

felt that "Grilled Cheesus" succeeded in balancing opposing viewpoints, resulting in "a nuanced, atypical episode of Glee that was both conflictingly emotional and confidently serious about the topic of religion", and Semigran similarly commended the episode's balance, writing that Falchuk "covered both sides of controversial debate with grace, humor, and most importantly, respect."
Robert Canning of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

 felt that "Grilled Cheesus" was too varied tonally, failing to effectively bring together the "true anguish" of Kurt's storyline and "lunacy" of Finn's. He rated it 7.5/10, signifying a good episode, though his overall opinion was mixed. Canning commented that the Hummel's relationship is "the most affecting" of the show, and praised O'Malley's "outstandingly nuanced" performance as Burt, yet felt that the religious element gave the episode an after school special
After school special
The American Broadcasting Company coined the term after school special in 1972 with a series of made for television movies, usually dealing with controversial or socially relevant issues, that were generally broadcast in the late afternoon and meant to be viewed by school age children, particularly...

 vibe and almost became "over-the-top preachy and self-important". VanDerWerff graded the episode "B-", commenting that he was uncertain whether he genuinely loved it, or was overlooking flaws because it handled the religious element acceptably. VanDerWerff stated that it would be easy to criticize Glee, but while television as a whole does not do earnestness well, Glee at its best, as in "Grilled Cheesus", "revels in just how damn earnest it can be". James Poniewozik of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...

wrote that the episode's premise was "absurdly ambitious", yet felt it was largely successful in being respectful to both atheism and religion. He criticized the musical numbers for detracting from the plot, but appreciated the focus on Kurt and Burt, also naming theirs one of Glee "strongest and most nuanced relationships".

Lisa Respers France of CNN was dismayed that the episode felt forced, like an Emmy submission showpiece for Colfer. She disliked Kurt's angry, "overwrought" reaction to his friends' prayers and the "silly" grilled cheese sandwich subplot, however wished there had been more focus on the "rich, barely tapped vein" of the Sue subplot. The Atlantic Kevin Fallon criticized the episode's lack of subtlety, feeling that in its attempt to be controversial, Glee became a clichéd after school special. Fallon had been excited to see religion and homosexuality tackled on Glee, but was disappointed that the end result was "completely devoid of humor", with dialogue "so stilted, wooden, and earnest that the treatment of the subject was largely ineffective and far too easy to make fun of." Benigno also commented negatively on the lack of subtlety, deeming it Glee "biggest flaw". He commended Lynch's performance as Sue, however, writing: "It's outrageous how good she is despite having only three scenes of screen time."

External links

  • "Grilled Cheesus" at Fox.com
    Fox Broadcasting Company
    Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...

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