RECAP: Gleeks Celebrate Valentine's Day

The introduction to the Valentine's Day episode of Glee begins with a nod to the love pentagon between the show's main stars. McKinley High is still riding the victory wave after the football team's win at the conference championships, and Will Schuester keeps the lovefest going with an assignment for the class to pair up and tackle the ultimate love song. Finn gets up in front of everyone, revelling in his celeb status after winning the big game, and announces plans to open up a kissing booth in order to raise money for the glee club.

Listen to all the tracks from Glee's "Silly Love Songs" episode now

Puck falls for Lauren because of her big persona and hefty curves. However, she lets him know she can't be won over without some romance. When Santana gets wind of this, she's not pleased. She gets fresh at rehearsal but Lauren calls her out. Puck gets super enamored, and sings Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" for her. Lauren however, feels offended that Puck is only interested in her because of her size.

Meanwhile, trouble brews between Sam and Quinn. He asks her what's up with her and Finn after he catches them hanging out at the kissing booth, getting kind of intimate. She tells him to stop stressing about it, but secretly she's starting to have feelings for Finn again. Next at the kissing booth is Rachel, who lays it all on the line and asks why Finn why he won't just take her back. He gives her some hollow, inspiring words instead and she goes on her way, her ego temporarily stroked.

Naturally, Artie and Michael are the only two guys who aren't having girl problems this Valentine's Day. Mike's asks Artie the reason, and Artie just launches into a real jazzy groove - Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T." While he doesn't figure into this episode that much, Artie is still one cool cat, rolling around McKinley High like some sexy Professor X.

Glee keeps the Puck/Lauren storyline going when Santana threatens her in the hall. They proceed to fight over him and Lauren whups her good. Santana's from the wrong side of town and all, but she's no match for Lauren, who, let's face it- has got a few pounds on her. She keeps tossing Santana into the lockers, while Puck (and the rest of us) can do nothing but sit back and watch in amazement.

Kurt is devastated when Blaine gets the Warblers to perform in public for the first time since 1927. He's fallen for some worker at the Gap, and wants to go serenade him. Kurt doesn't want to go at first, but agrees to it after a sleepover party with Rachel and Mercedes, who convince him to go check out the competition. "It's nice to be around girls for a change," Kurt says longingly.

Blaine's song to Jeremiah goes over terribly. Even though the Gap patrons are into it, Jeremiah's boss fires him, and he deals Blaine another blow when he tells them that they are not dating and calls him jailbait since he's underage. Kurt's secretly glad of course, but offers his friend a shoulder to lean on. Later, Kurt comes clean to Blaine about believing that it was he who was going to receive the serenade. They agree to keep hanging out and get into a When Harry Met Sally situation. These two are totally going to make out by the end of the season.

Back in McKinley, Santana's the only one without a Valentine, so being the vengeful beeotch she is, she decides to ruin Finn and Sam's reunion effort. She goes to the local hospital (looking like a stunner in a tidy little candy striper uniform) and asks if there are any sick patients she can attend to. There's one with mono, the nurse warns her.

"Please," Santana rebuts. "I've had mono so many times it turned into stereo." She goes and plants a huge one on the patient's lips. Next thing we know, she's back at school, where she immediately heads for Finn and spreads the love (and germs).

Tina sings some song to Michael, but she loses it halfway through, and can't stop sobbing. She's overcome with emotion and love for Michael. Odd that Ryan Murphy would sink one of the numbers on a blubbering ode like that, but pretty funny too. Guess it had to happen sometime. 

Meanwhile, Quinn and Finn get mono, and Santana totally owns up to it in the middle of glee club rehearsal. They go to the nurse, and she marvels at how last time she cheated (1st season), she got pregnant. This time, she gets mono. He keeps leading her on, but she tells him they both need to figure out their current romantic situations; she with Sam and he with Rachel.

After Quinn is picked up from the nurses' office, Rachel talks to Finn about what it was like kissing her, and he tells her: "fireworks." She finally begins to comprehend the rift that has grown between them and goes to leave. "I'm just so confused in my head," he tells her. Rachel then fulfills her quota by going all out on Katy Perry's song of the same name.

On Valentine's Day, Kurt invites everyone out to everyone's favorite restaurant, Breadsticks, where he's got the Warblers to join him for the "Lonely Hearts Club Dinner." They pay tribute to love songs' master craftsman himself, Sir Paul McCartney. The Warblers kick out a lively take of the Beatle legend's "Silly Love Songs," and the episode ends on a high note, as we begin to see some of the relationships taking place.

Next time: A tribute to Justin Bieber. Plus, Sue joins New Directions?!

Image used with permission by Adam Rose, Michael Yarish / FOX

Justin Starling (@CitadelNow) for Citadel Digital © 2011