'Glee' Season 3, Episode 1 Recap & Song List - 'The Purple Piano Project'

Since New Directions failed to even make the finals at Nationals last season, it makes sense that the premiere episode of season three would be about dashed hopes and dreams. But of course, this is Glee...so there was plenty of talk of being underdogs and rising from the ashes and whatnot. Most of it through a very forced metaphor with three purple pianos.

But that transparency is all part of the "Glee" experience. Take, for example, the self-aware intro that has Tina very clearly spelling out for us who is a senior and who isn't, giving us a quick explanation for the departure of Sam, the phase-out of Lauren, and even the addition of LaMarcus Tinker as Mercedes' new boyfriend, who then disappeared for the rest of the episode. Oh well, I'm sure they'll develop that later.

It seemed that there was even a bit of an apology from the writers, spoken to us through Will: "I let you down last year, lost focus," he says. Season two was admittedly a letdown as compared to season one, and it was definitely unfocused. It was all over the place.

But the promises to return to form are mostly fulfilled here: we get some re-imaginings of classic songs mixed in with showtunes, and the focus was certainly on the core characters. In particular, we got a bit of Finn's uncertainty about his future, Quinn's meltdown into faux punk-dom, and Kurt's efforts to convince Blaine to leave the Warblers and join New Directions.

...Okay, so Blaine isn't necessarily a "core character," but he will be henceforth. I don't think any of the Gleeks out there have any complaints, do they? I don't either, that was a pretty killer rendition of "It's Not Unusual," complete with the Carlton dance.

Even Sue seems renewed in her dedication to her core values...that is, hating the Glee Club's guts. Now that she's running for political office, she needs something to rally against, and she chooses the arts in public schools. It's a twisted (but only slightly) take on the Tea Party, and though Sue is more fun when her hatred is petty and unfounded, it works for now.

That leads Will to make a bit of a character shift. Apparently, this season will be the season of Will Schuester not taking any crap. I'm not sure that will hold up, as Will tends to be more naive than the love child of Kenneth from "30 Rock" and Miranda from "The Tempest." Hey, if they're going to force purple piano metaphors on us, I can force my literary/pop culture analogies all I want.

Will even has to turn down a student from New Directions, as the truly awful Sugar Motta (played nicely by Vanessa Lengies) tries to audition in. Looks like Will is, as Randy Jackson would say, in it to win it. God, I have to stop watching so much Fox television.

While Will is glitterbombing Sue and winning over Emma's heart (or loins?), Rachel and Kurt are getting a dose of reality. First they learn that Julliard doesn't have a musical theater program (du-uuhhhh, guys!), and then they go to some kind of meeting for the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts and find some competition there. I'm a little unclear as to what sort of meeting it was and why it was put on by students, but the intent was clear: give "The Glee Project" contestant Lindsay Pearce her first number as Harmony and introduce her as a competitor to Rachel. She does quite well.

So Rachel and Kurt come to the realization that most high school talents come to...that is, they're not really as great and unique and special as they thought, because it's a biiiiiiiig world out there. But they're not giving up. And they invent a handshake, which was a really nice, honest, funny, refreshing moment.

Things will still be a little shook up for a while: Santana is kicked out until she gets her allegiances in order, and Quinn is still watching from the wings as the rest of New Directions, now officially including Blaine, do their "Hairspray" thang.

Did "Glee" return for season three with a bang? Not really, it's was more of a "meh." But it's a step in the right direction, so my hopes are high for a true return to form this season. Also, thanks for all the cheerleader butt shots.

This week's numbers:

"We Got the Beat" - The Go-Go's - New Directions

"Big Spender" - Sweet Charity - Sugar Motta

"Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead" - Barbara Streisand and Harold Arlen - Kurt and Rachel

"It's Not Unusual" - Tom Jones - Blaine

"Anything You Can Do/Anything Goes" - Annie Get Your Gun/Anything Goes - Harmony

"You Can't Stop the Beat" - Hairspray - New Directions

Brittany line of the week:

"I have pepperoni in my bra." "Those are your nipples."