We open on Kurt, Tina, and Brittany dancing in Kurt's basement and recording it when Kurt's dad Burt (Mike O'Malley) interrupts. Kurt claims his unitard is part of sports training, and Brittany tries to help out by saying that Kurt's a kicker on the football team. Burt wants a ticket to the first game.
We look upon Terri practicing breathing exercises with Will. Her sister Kendra insists childbirth is the second circle of hell. Terri panics over Will touching her not-really-pregnant belly, and spills the plan to Kendra, who approves.
Now, the teacher's lounge is full for once. Emma reveals that Sue somehow got a segment on the local news. Sue then enters the lounge bragging about her celebrity, donuts in hand. She begins a diatribe, as she is wont to do, essentially asserting her dominance over the other faculty members.
In the choir room Will is handing out sheet music to New Directions. Rachel complains that it's not the right key. Will says it is, and Tina's doing the solo. Rachel is not happy, especially since it's a song from West Side Story. Mercedes isn't happy she's a Jet. Rachel storms out.
Kurt asks Finn how he can join the Titans. Cut to a standard sports montage followed by a pan to Finn and Kurt and Finn giving Kurt some pointers. Kurt prepares "Single Ladies", Finn objects, but Kurt doesn’t listen. After their current, terrible, kicker is singled out for incompetence and demoted to water boy, Ken offer his position to the next one who kicks a field goal. Naturally, Kurt goes for it. He kicks, and it's good!
The local cable affiliate station, and Sue is getting her fan/hate mail when the station manager arrives, worried about Sue's future at the station: his kid goes to McKinley and was telling him about the Cheerios! defecting to glee, saying if Sue wants to keep her segment, the Cheerios! have to win their Nationals.
Quinn reveals to Finn that she's pregnant.
Finn asks if it's his and Quinn screams back that of course it's his. She says the words "hot tub" and we cue the flashback. They're joined at the lips, when Finn's libido and that unfortunate early release issue act up. Quinn is, frankly, disgusted. Cut back to the present where Quinn is a mess, saying she thought she had a shot of getting out of Lima.
Cut to a very creepy doll collection in Sandy's house. Sue is there, watching Sandy finally break down over losing his job. Sue now offers him a job as McKinley's arts administrator; this would give him control over all arts, including glee. Sandy says Figgins won't allow it, but Sue blackmails Figgins with a horrible flight safety vid. Sue's plan is to have Sandy set up the musical Cabaret, knowing Rachel will audition and thus monopolizing her time away from New Directions.
Rachel auditions with "Taking Chances", landing the lead, Will complains to Figgins, who’s being blackmailed by Sue. So Will complains to Rachel, currently in ballet class, who talks out of her ego. Will's not good at words, saying he's her biggest and "sometimes only" fan. Rachel does admit her flaws, but Will points out that everyone else slacks off because they think she'll pick it up. Will asks Figgins what Sue has on him only for Sandy to throw the gauntlet down. Rachel insists she's not quitting, but does state that due to her still being treated like a pariah, she feels that Will's hurting her by taking solos.
In the auditorium Tina is practicing her solo, but goes sharp at the end. Will provides the pep talk, telling her that her confidence is helping her stutter to fade. Tina, however, insists that he gives the solo to Rachel. Finn enters, breaking down, wanting to talk to Will. At lunch, they bond over their future kids and the prospect of fatherhood. Finn's now properly angling for a scholarship, figuring a win at the next game could go a ways towards that, so he needs to get the team to loosen up, asking Will to teach them to dance.
Back at Will and Terri’s house, Terri finds out about Quinn's baby and has an idea.
In the locker room, Puck is less than amused at having to dance. Ken allows it, asking what they have to lose. Now to their practice, Will teaching the steps. Among the players, and stepping up in this scene, is an amazing dancer in Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.). Kurt steps in to educate for the "Single Ladies" steps, Mike seemingly the only one who gets it, while Puck is off to the side, not pleased at these proceedings.
Quinn walks through the halls forlornly when she runs into Puck. The truth comes out: the baby is Puck’s, not Finn’s. Quinn unleashes hell on Puck, who does at least have a job. Quinn will hear none of it, branding Puck a Lima Loser and that he'll always be a lima loser.
Quinn runs to her car, crying. Her day gets worse as we then see Terri in the passenger seat. Terri wants a baby to give to Will. She attempts to persuade Quinn by telling her she's fifteen. And that her favorite teacher is so happy about having a baby, but he’s not really, but she can just slip them hers and then she'll know it'll have a loving dad.
The big game arrives. Will and Emma sit together. In the team huddle, the non-Finn and Kurt Titans are a little nervous about this whole performing in public thing. When they surface, though, what we hear is obviously the standard trash talking and yo mama jokes. The Titans are whooped properly. We see Papa Burt arrive for his kid's big moment. With one second left in the game, and the score 6-0, Finn calls for a time out.
They know what they have to do, although Puck complains. Kurt is in the game, the music is hit, the routine plays out. Finn throws to Puck, who scores the touchdown, followed by Kurt with the field goal to put the game away — a glorious celebration for the football team and the glee club.
At the Hummel's house, Kurt has worked up the nerve to come out to his dad and does it — only for Burt to reveal he knew since Kurt was three when all he asked for was a pair of sensible heels.
In front of Quinn's locker, Finn hands her his baby blanket, saying he'll do everything to be a good father. She breaks down in his arms. As we're wrapping up for the week with a return to Sue's corner, we see Rachel after she's quit glee club again following a brief return. Will also proudly introduces their new members, purged from the football team: Puck, Mike, and Matt Rutherford (Dijon Talton). With that, the full Season 1 New Directions are now complete.
Songs featured in the episode
- "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyoncé, performed by Kurt, Brittany, and Tina
- "Taking Chances" by Céline Dion, performed by Rachel Berry
- "Tonight" from West Side Story, performed by Tina
This episode contains examples of:
- A Day in the Limelight: Will tries to give Tina one but she tells him the part should be Rachel's.
- Actor Allusion: Brittany dancing with Kurt to "Single Ladies" when her actress was Beyoncé's dancer for it
.- The dance being in the show is what got Heather Morris a job. She was hired originally as a choreographer because Zach Woodlee knew her. When it came time for them to hire the third cheerleader, Morris fulfilled the role in ways the producers didn't even realize they wanted and already had great chemistry with the cast and crew.
- Artistic License – Biology: It may seem like Quinn's story to Finn is some easily-identified Miss Conception lies... and it is, more or less. High temperatures and water treatment chemicals will kill sperm. Add the filter on the hottub, and the fact that a woman's pelvic floor muscles stop water flowing into it, and the chances of Quinn actually becoming pregnant are close to 0.
- Artistic License – Sports: The entire dance preamble to Kurt's kick. It would get flagged for so many reasons.
- The Baby Trap: Terri's increasing desperation and Quinn's lie that Finn is the father when it's Puck's baby.
- Bathtub Scene: Quinn in the hot tub.
- Big Game: The climax of the episode shows Kurt's first game and the result of the team's dance training.
- Blackmail: Sue's plan to bring down the club involves blackmailing Figgins and luring Rachel to another production.
- Blatant Lies: Kurt tells Burt his unitard is the latest jock-wear, then Brittany tells him that Kurt has joined the football team. He later tells Finn he's not gay. Quinn tells Finn she got pregnant from his ejaculating in a hot tub, which while possible, is set up as a blatant lie.
- Coming-Out Story: Kurt finally comes out to his dad, who already knew since he was three.
- Down to the Last Play: Finn calls a time out at the last possible second.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Sandy eats nine cans of whipped cream in his depression.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Finn asked Quinn if she was going to without even having to say the word, she shakes her head no.
- Gray Rain of Depression: Quinn crying in the car.
- I Banged Your Mom: In response to "Your Mom" jokes, Puck tells his opponent "Dude, I had sex with your mother. No, seriously. I cleaned your pool, then I had sex with your mom. In your bed. Nice Star Wars sheets!"
- Inelegant Blubbering: When Finn breaks down.
- Insane Troll Logic: That since Natalie Wood was Jewish and Rachel is Jewish, Rachel should play Wood's role in West Side Story.
- In-Universe Factoid Failure: Rachel claims that Natalie Wood was Jewish like herself. In reality, Wood was a Russian Orthodox Christian.
- Lovable Jock: Mike Chang, who is not introduced with any unsavory behavior, actually dancing and volunteering his services.
- Mrs. Robinson: Puck apparently easily bedded another football player's mom.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Puck's such a stud that he could wear a dress to school.
- Those Two Guys: Mike and Matt, the male counterparts to Santana and Brittany.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Burt tells Kurt he's very proud of him.
