Grilled Cheesus

**Grilled Cheesus** is the third episode of Season Two and the twenty-fifth episode overall.

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. Idolising it, he asks for three prayers to be granted: for the school football team to 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.

When his first prayer comes true, he takes it as a confirmation of the grilled cheese's holiness, and asks the glee club to join him in honouring Jesus through song. Puck sings *Only the Good Die Young*. 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.

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 counsellor 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.

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 Ash, 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*. Still feeling guilty Finn arranges for Ash to meet up with Sam, guessing that she was starting to develop feelings for him. While in the locker room she helps him tidy his gym locker and offers him a ride home.

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.

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 black and white. 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.

## Cast

### Guest Stars

* Iqbal Theba as Principal Figgins
* Dot-Marie Jones as Shannon Beiste
* Romy Rosemont as Carole Hudson
* Harry Shum Jr. as Mike Chang
* Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans

### Co-Stars

* Adam Kolkin as Little Kurt
* Robin Trocki as Jean Sylvester

## 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.
* 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.

## Navigation

**Season Two**Audition • Britney/Brittany • **Grilled Cheesus** • Duets • The Rocky Horror Glee Show • Never Been Kissed • The Substitute • Furt • Special Education • A Very Glee Christmas • The Sue Sylvester Shuffle • Silly Love Songs • Comeback • Blame It on the Alcohol • Sexy • Original Song • A Night of Neglect • Born This Way • Rumours • Prom Queen • Funeral • New York
**Season Three**The Purple Piano Project • I Am Unicorn • Asian F • Pot o' Gold • The First Time • Mash Off • I Kissed a Girl • Hold on to Sixteen • Extraordinary Merry Christmas • Yes/No • Michael • The Spanish Teacher • Heart • On My Way • Big Brother • Saturday Night Glee-ver • Dance with Somebody • Choke • Prom-asaurus • Props • Nationals • Goodbye
**Season Four**The New Rachel • Britney 2.0 • Makeover • The Break-Up • The Role You Were Born to Play • Glease • Dynamic Duets • Thanksgiving • Swan Song • Glee, Actually • Sadie Hawkins • Naked • Diva • I Do • Girls (and Boys) on Film • Feud • Guilty Pleasures • Shooting Star • Sweet Dreams • Lights Out • Wonder-ful • All or Nothing
**Season Five**Love, Love, Love • Tina in the Sky with Diamonds • The Quarterback • A Katy or A Gaga • The End of Twerk • Movin' Out • Puppet Master • Previously Unaired Christmas • Frenemies • Trio • City of Angels • 100 • New Directions • New New York • Bash • Tested • Opening Night • The Back-Up Plan • Old Dog, New Tricks • The Untitled Rachel Berry Project
**Season Six**Loser Like Me • Homecoming • Jagged Little Tapestry • The Hurt Locker, Part One • The Hurt Locker, Part Two • What the World Needs Now • Transitioning • A Wedding • Child Star • The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester • We Built This Glee Club • 2009 • Dreams Come True