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Grilled Cheesus is the third episode of Glee's second season and the twenty-fifth episode overall. It premiered on October 5, 2010.

Finn has an existential crisis when he believes he sees the face of Jesus in his grilled cheese sandwich. Meanwhile, the rest of the kids rally around Kurt after his father, Burt, has a heart attack, which leads to a larger discussion among the group about their own theology.

Series co-creator Ryan Murphy predicted the episode would be Glee’s most controversial to date, as it focuses on religion and what God means to the members of the Glee Club.

The episode was directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and written by Brad Falchuk.

Plot[]

Finn, hungry, makes himself a grilled cheese sandwich. When he takes it from the toaster, he believes he can see the face of Jesus toasted onto it. Idolizing it, he asks for three prayers to be granted: for the school football team win a game, for his girlfriend Rachel Berry to let him get to second base with her and for him to be reinstated as the quarterback. Later, in glee club, Puck sings Only the Good Die Young.

When his first prayer comes true, he takes it as a confirmation of the grilled cheese's holiness, and asks 

Cheesus

Finn's 'Grilled Cheesus'

the glee club to join him in honoring Jesus through song. Rachel, shocked by Finn's newfound religious beliefs, has a heart to heart with him. She explains that, once "she has won a bunch of Tony's and is 25 and ready to have intercourse and babies", she needs to know that they will be raised in the Jewish faith. Finn, shocked that he will have to wait 9 years to have sex with Rachel, distractedly agrees. Rachel, satisfied, suggests that they lie down on the bed, to which Finn happily agrees. Saying that she wants to give Finn something in return for what he's given her, Rachel places Finn's hands on her breasts, thus granting his second prayer.

Ilooktoyou

Mercedes performing I Look to You with Tina and Quinn.

Club member Kurt Hummel is devastated when his father Burt suffers a heart attack. Kurt's best friend, Mercedes, sings Whitney Houston's I Look to You to him, hoping he will find strength in faith; however, Kurt reveals he is an atheist, due to the prosecution of his homosexuality. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, also an atheist, takes umbrage at the glee club singing religious songs and has Kurt make a formal complaint. When confronted by guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury, Sue admits that as a child, she prayed that God would cure her sister Jean, who has Down syndrome. Her prayers went unanswered, leading her to conclude that God does not exist.

Glee-i-want-to-hold-your-hand-kurt

Flashback while "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

Mercedes, Rachel and Quinn pray for Burt, with Rachel singing Papa, Can You Hear Me? from Yentl at his bedside. Kurt is resistant, and at glee club rehearsal sings The Beatles' I Want to Hold Your Hand, stating that his faith takes the form of love for his father. He is convinced by Mercedes to attend her church, where the choir sings Bridge Over Troubled Water and Mercedes asks the congregation to pray for Burt. Finn's remaining prayers also come true, however his reinstatement as quarterback occurs when his replacement Sam Evans 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 with him through a grilled cheese sandwich. A despondent Finn doubts his newfound faith and sings R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion. At Burt's bedside, Kurt tells his still unconscious father that while he is an atheist, he feels he should have accepted his friends' prayers, since it was about his father and not him. As Kurt cries, Burt begins to regain consciousness and is able to squeeze his son's hand.

Oneofus

New Directions singing One of Us.

Meanwhile, Sue visits Jean in her residential home and discusses God with her sister. Jean expresses her belief that "God doesn't make mistakes" and asks Sue if she may pray for her, and Sue accepts. Later, the glee club comes together to sing Joan Osborne's One of Us, all wearing white and black. 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.

Songs[]

Song Title Original Artist Performer(s)
Only the Good Die Young Billy Joel Noah Puckerman with New Directions
I Look to You Whitney Houston Mercedes Jones with Quinn Fabray
and Tina Cohen-Chang
Papa, Can You Hear Me? Cast of Yentl Rachel Berry
I Want to Hold Your Hand  The Beatles (Across the Universe version) Kurt Hummel
Losing My Religion R.E.M. Finn Hudson
Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel
(Aretha Franklin version)
Mercedes Jones with Church choir
One of Us Joan Osborne New Directions

Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Co-Stars[]

Trivia[]

  • Finn's grilled cheese sandwich was actually two to three weeks old, yet he still ate it at the end of the episode.
  • This is the first time Kurt and Quinn sing in Season Two.
  • To make the imprint of Jesus on the cheese sandwich, production designers used an imprint marker.
  • Food stylist Lisa Barnett made over a hundred grilled sandwiches with the imprint of Jesus on it.
  • Cory said that if he could ask "Grilled Cheesus" one wish, he would wish for a time machine.
  • The episode was watched by 11.20 million viewers.
  • Chris Colfer's performance in this episode was submitted for the 2011 Emmy's.
  • This episode was originally rumoured to be called 'Faith' but was later renamed to 'Grilled Cheesus'.
  • Kurt's line "I hope our genuflection to the great Spaghetti Monster in the sky doesn't take too long" is a reference to a parodic religion called Pastafarianism that "believes" in a god shaped like a flying spaghetti.

Mistakes[]

  • Despite the religious songs almost becoming banned in this episode, in an earlier episode, Figgins said that the Glee Club was only allowed to sing religious songs. This is one of many contradictions that is exhibited during the show.
  • In the scene where Rachel reveals to Finn she does not plan to have sex until the age of 25, both seem to have forgotten she lied to Finn, telling him that she had slept with Jesse St. James in The Power of Madonna. However, we see in the eighth episode of the second season, a flashback of Rachel telling Finn the truth, with the time of this event unknown. This flashback could have taken place between The Power of Madonna and this episode.
  • Emma mentions that former football coach Ken Tanaka would chew his toenails instead of watching the game but it is revealed in “Mash-up” that Ken doesn’t have any toenails. However, the term “chew his toenails off“ is a figure of speech implying a person would rather carry out that act than undertake a task they hate doing. Therefore, Emma could have just been implying that Ken hates watching the games.
  • Emma tells Finn that a 300 pound left tackle broke Sam's shoulder, yet left tackle is an offensive position. It was actually the cornerback who had been cheating right all night.
  • Kurt is seen in French class in this episode. However, he is seen in Will's Spanish class on other occasions, such as in Michael.

Quotes[]

Finn: It has special powers, I'm telling you.
Emma: ...okay

Emma and Finn


Dad, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand.

Kurt to Burt


On the day of my mom's funeral, as they were lowering her body into the ground, I was crying. I mean, that was it. That was the last time I was ever gonna see her. I remember I looked up at my dad, and I just wanted him to say something to me, something to make me feel like my whole world wasn't coming to an end. And he just took my hand and squeezed it. And just knowing that those hands were there to take care of me, that was enough.

Kurt


Do you remember our first Friday night dinner after Mom died? You tried to make a chicken. I guess you wanted me to feel like there was something still normal. You put it on the table, and you cut into it, and it was raw. And we both looked at each other for a second, and cracked up before we remembered that we weren't supposed to yet. I'm sorry about the other day, Dad. I should have let those guys pray for you. It wasn't about me. It was about you, and it was nice. I don't believe in God, Dad. But I believe in you. And I believe in us. You and me, that's what's sacred to me. And I'm...I'm so sorry that I never got to tell you that. (Burt's finger begins to move) Dad? Nurse Nancy! Dad, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere.

Kurt to Burt

Gallery[]

Videos[]

2x03_Grilled_Cheesus_-_Behind_The_Glee

2x03 Grilled Cheesus - Behind The Glee

Glee_the_Music,_Season_Two_Grilled_Cheesus

Glee the Music, Season Two Grilled Cheesus

Navigational[]

v - e - d

Glee Episodes

Season One
PilotShowmanceAcafellasPreggersThe Rhodes Not TakenVitamin DThrowdownMash-UpWheelsBalladHairographyMattressSectionalsHell-OThe Power of MadonnaHomeBad ReputationLaryngitisDream OnTheatricalityFunkJourney

Season Two
AuditionBritney/BrittanyGrilled CheesusDuetsThe Rocky Horror Glee ShowNever Been KissedThe SubstituteFurtSpecial EducationA Very Glee ChristmasThe Sue Sylvester ShuffleSilly Love SongsComebackBlame It on the AlcoholSexyOriginal SongA Night of NeglectBorn This WayRumoursProm QueenFuneralNew York

Season Three
The Purple Piano ProjectI Am UnicornAsian FPot o' GoldThe First TimeMash OffI Kissed a GirlHold on to SixteenExtraordinary Merry ChristmasYes/NoMichaelThe Spanish TeacherHeartOn My WayBig BrotherSaturday Night Glee-verDance with SomebodyChokeProm-asaurusPropsNationalsGoodbye

Season Four
The New RachelBritney 2.0MakeoverThe Break-UpThe Role You Were Born to PlayGleaseDynamic DuetsThanksgivingSwan SongGlee, ActuallySadie HawkinsNakedDivaI DoGirls (and Boys) on FilmFeudGuilty PleasuresShooting StarSweet DreamsLights OutWonder-fulAll or Nothing

Season Five
Love, Love, LoveTina in the Sky with DiamondsThe QuarterbackA Katy or A GagaThe End of TwerkMovin' OutPuppet MasterPreviously Unaired ChristmasFrenemiesTrioCity of Angels100New DirectionsNew New YorkBashTestedOpening NightThe Back-Up PlanOld Dog, New TricksThe Untitled Rachel Berry Project

Season Six
Loser Like MeHomecomingJagged Little TapestryThe Hurt Locker, Part OneThe Hurt Locker, Part TwoWhat the World Needs NowTransitioningA WeddingChild StarThe Rise and Fall of Sue SylvesterWe Built This Glee Club2009Dreams Come True

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