Puppet Master is the seventh episode of Glee's fifth season and the ninety-fifth episode overall. It premiered on November 28, 2013.
Blaine becomes incredibly controlling when the time comes for the Glee Club to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming National Championships. When he decides to ask Kurt for more advice, Kurt calls him a "Puppet Master," forcing Blaine to become even more controlling and furious. Back in New York, Kurt has trouble, being a puppet master himself as he attempts to find a venue for Pamela Lansbury's first gig, which his other bandmates aren't too keen about. At McKinley, Jake gets a shocker from Bree and Sue struggles with her femininity.
The episode is directed by Paul McCrane and written by Matthew Hodgson.
Plot[]
Blaine walks into the choir to tell the group that Mr. Schuester will not be coming in today as he has to stay in class because of an inspection. The group is being very rowdy and messing around with instruments, Blaine tells them that he wants to take the time to prepare a good game plan for Nationals. They start to shout out random ideas but he stops them and says they should do a number that amplifies their voices by cutting out guitars and only using a piano piece which he will arrange. Knowing that he will also sing lead vocals, the group gets mad and accuses him of being a control freak. Blaine then gets pouty and sits out for the rest of the rehearsal in a chair in Mr. Schuester's office.
Meanwhile in New York City, Kurt announces to Pamela Lansbury that he booked them their very first gig, unfortunately the rest of the gang isn't very enthusiastic about their location, even when Kurt tells them about his dream Into the Groove performance. While Kurt is pitching them the idea, Blaine calls and starts complaining about New Directions, Kurt calls him a puppet master and explains to him that maybe he wants to control them.
Sue meets with Figgins in the hallway and tells him that soon she will become full-time principal. After a meeting with Superintendent Bob Harris, in which she thinks he is flirting with her, he mistakenly thinks of her as a man, leaving her horrified. And she then has a conversation with Becky where she explains she didn't seem mean enough to students back when she first took over as coach of the Cheerios, which is what brought about her short hair and iconic tracksuit, then Becky tells her maybe it's time for a change.
Brad shocks Blaine when he enters the choir room talking about himself, and sitting in the back corner of the choir room, Blaine begins hallucinating due to a gas leak. He pictures the glee club as puppets as they perform You're My Best Friend together. Soon, after a spat with Bree, Jake and Blaine catch up in the hall and Blaine thanks him for sticking up for him in glee club, and tells him to sit in the back corner next time as it's "crazy." At the start of glee club, Jake declines to teach New Directions how to dance for Nationals, saying it's pointless, and sitting in the back corner, has a hallucination where he is performing Nasty/Rhythm Nation with Marley, Bree, and a selection of raunchy Cheerios.
With his dream still playing on his mind, Blaine decides to make a puppet version of Kurt, only for Sue to take it away from him. Locking the puppet away, Sue spots Will dancing and asks him how he can perform such a "girly" dance whilst still looking masculine. He explains and then offers her a deal to ensure him money for costumes for Nationals, but Sue declines and then has a hallucination of her own, singing and dancing to Cheek to Cheek with Will.
Later, Bree drags Jake to a deserted hallway and tells him that she is pregnant, and that she wants him to go to the doctor with her to "fix it," implying that she is going to have a termination. After Sue catches Blaine attempting to steal his Kurt puppet back, she gives him week long detention, meaning he can't watch Pamela Lansbury's first performance as he had earlier promised Kurt, which Kurt is furious with when Blaine calls and tells him why he isn't on a plane at that very moment. Rachel comes in and Kurt explains Blaine isn't coming and they can release his seat, and Rachel replies that it "won't be a problem," showing Kurt only one person turned up for their debut.
In her office, Sue has requested Unique give her a makeover since her "best gay" is in New York. Later, during detention with Blaine and Becky, Jake asks them to cover for him whilst he goes to accompany Bree to the doctor. However, Bree tells him that she just got her period meaning she can't be pregnant, and he says that he is relieved. But she gives him a reality check, and tells him that if he carries on the way he is going, he's going to be a father sooner than he thinks, and that he is "toxic."
After foiling Figgins plan of trying to sabotage her chances of becoming principal, a newly feminine Sue explains to the school board she found a gas leak in the choir room and fixed it herself. The deal is done and Sue is made permanent principal, although Superintendent Harris bluntly declines her offer of a date.
In the auditorium, Tina catches Blaine with a Tina puppet and she explains to him that he's earned his place and deserves to exert a little "control" and Sam suggested that he take the lead on one of the songs at Nationals, with New Directions voting and agreeing. Meanwhile, Jake attempts to get back together with Marley, but she refuses and tells him he is just her friend, leaving him heartbroken.
At the apartment in New York, Kurt has gathered the members of Pamela Lansbury, minus Dani, and tells them that they haven't failed and that he has booked their second gig at the Williamsburg Music Hall, which is one of the hottest music venues in Brooklyn. Then they get a knock at the door, and receive a package of puppets which Santana calls "creepy as hell." At the same time in Lima, Blaine apologizes to the other members of New Directions and makes it up to them by creating a puppet for each of them. The episode closes with New Directions and Pamela Lansbury singing The Fox with their respective puppets.
Songs[]
| Song Title | Original Artist | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Into the Groove | Madonna | Pamela Lansbury |
| You're My Best Friend | Queen | Blaine Anderson with New Directions |
| Nasty/Rhythm Nation | Janet Jackson | Bree, Jake Puckerman, and Marley Rose |
| Cheek to Cheek | Fred Astaire | Sue Sylvester and Will Schuester |
| The Fox | Ylvis | New Directions and Pamela Lansbury |
Background Music[]
- Take On Me by A-ha. Used in the 80s flashback scene in which Sue has long hair, and decides to cut it after a student makes fun of her.
- O Fortuna by Carl Off. Used in the 80s flashback scene after Sue cuts her hair short, and intimidates the William McKinley student body.
Guest Cast[]
Special Guest Star[]
- Demi Lovato as Dani
Guest Stars[]
- Iqbal Theba as Mr. Figgins
- Adam Lambert as Elliott Gilbert
- Erinn Westbrook as Bree
- Lauren Potter as Becky Jackson
- Christopher Cousins as Superintendent Bob Harris
Co-Stars[]
- Ryan Heinke as Stoner Brett
- Todd Sandler as Todd (School Board Member)
- Brad Ellis as Brad
- Mary Stein as Pam Fronkstein
- Irene Roseen as Miss Alfano
Uncredited[]
- Chelsea as Jordan Stern
Trivia[]
- The episode received a rating of 0.9/3 with a total of 2.80 million viewers. However, this episode is counted as a special, not getting into the season's ratings average due to airing on Thanksgiving night. Source
- Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds was supposed to be sung by Blaine, Jake (as a puppet), and Becky (as a puppet), but was ultimately cut for unknown reasons, being used in Trio (three episodes later) instead. Source
- We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus was originally reported to be sung instead of The Fox, but ended up being changed.
- This is the first episode of Season Five in which Sam doesn't sing.
- The scene where Blaine, Jake, and Becky are in detention and Blaine suggests getting to know each other is a reference to the movie The Breakfast Club. This is further supported with Figgins dubbing it, the "Beck"-fast Club.
- This episode features Bree's last appearance in the series.
- Take On Me, which was featured in Sue's 80s flashback, went on to be covered in the Season Six episode Homecoming.
- The Blaine puppet featured in this episode was auctioned off for $3,000. [1]
Mistakes[]
- Bree raises her right hand to slap Jake, however in the next scene she slaps him with her left hand.
- You can see heads when the puppets are surrounding Blaine in You're My Best Friend.
Quotes[]
| “ |
Kindly remove your fist from puppet Hummel and get out of here. |
” |
| “ |
If I catch you with your hand up the butt of anything that isn't human, you're in a world of trouble. |
” |
