Watercooler: Gwyneth Gets a (Slight) Rise Out of Glee

OK, we all know Glee has its issues. Lack of logic. Spastic tonal shifts. Better quotes than cohesive scripts. Creepy Will. But one thing it has going for it from time to time is Gwyneth Paltrow. Seriously, the Oscar-winning, Goop-spouting girl is a breath of fresh crazyfun, which is just what this show needs to make us forget its myriad flaws.

And bless her country-singin' heart, she almost did it last night. Back for her second visit as substitute teacher Holly Holiday, Paltrow didn't so much steal the show as she did save big parts of it with yet another breezy comic turn and some respectable vocal chops. It's clear she was having a blast, despite the silly story line that landed her back at McKinley to school a group of kids who have no ids (this week, that is) on the "ditty of the dirty." Oh, the inanity. Apparently, the hour was set in 1953, since we were asked to believe that a group of teenagers and Emma — who have previously shown their sexy acumen in the Madonnna and Rocky Horror eps — had Leave it to Beaver-caliber knowledge of sexual practices, STDs, pregnancy or even how to perform seductively. Thankfully, this nonsense was offset by Paltrow's hilariously in-your-face Holly, Santana's heart-wrenching Sapphic confession to Brittany, and the Kurt-Burt chat that every gay teen should be blessed to have with a parent.

Still, a few high points just couldn't make up for all of the low ones. If this show were to ever get back on track and stay there, it would be as shocking as what we imagine a Puck-Lauren sex tape would be.

So what did you think of Gwyneth? Will you respect her in the morning?

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