Britney Spears helped “Glee” unleash its inner Sєxpot on Tuesday night (Sept. 28), as the show’s long-anticipated “Britney/Brittany” episode finally aired and saw the cast perform everything from “Toxic to “I’m a Slave 4 U” and more.
The premise: Kurt and his fellow glee club members are lobbying to perform Spears’ music, but Mr. Schuester rejects the idea, suggesting that the pop star’s musical impact hasn’t been all that significant. His view is surprisingly supported by Brittany, who reveals that her name is Brittany S. Pierce and says, “I’ve lived my entire life under Britney Spears’ shadow.”
Brittany changes her tune quickly, though, once she goes to see Dr. Carl Howell, a dentist (played by debuting guest star John Stamos) who also happens to be Emma’s new love interest since she broke up with Mr. Schue. As Carl gives Brittany a dose of anesthesia, the Cheerio dozes off into a Spears-fueled fantasy that finds her recreating the Sєxy dance moves of the “I’m a Slave 4 U” music video and donning some of the singer’s most iconic outfits, from her python-accesorized MTV VMA look to the sparkly ɴuᴅᴇ stocking from her “Toxic” clip.
The fantasy is so alluring that Brittany goes back to the dentist for more, and this time she brings along her galpal Santana. The pals recreates Britney and Madonna’s duet “Me Against the Music,” and it’s here that the real Spears makes her first cameo to tell Brittany that she’s “sweet.” Back at school, the Cheerio tells everyone that she’s been changed forever: “Now I realize what a powerful woman I truly am…It’s Britney, bitch.”
Not to be left out, Rachel pays a visit to Dr. Carl and enters her own fantasy remake of “…Baby One More Time,” which recaptures every memorable moment from Spears’ breakout music video, as the glee club’s normally prudish soloist sports an ab-baring schoolgirl uniform and braided pigtails. “I look forward to the day the paparazzi provokes me, and I attack them,” she says.
Meanwhile, Artie (aka “Wheels”) gets to let out his feelings over ex-girlfriend Tina’s new relationship in the form of a Spears fantasy, singing “Stronger” on the football field while flanked by his teammates-turned-backup dancers.
Meanwhile, Artie (aka “Wheels”) gets to let out his feelings over ex-girlfriend Tina’s new relationship in the form of a Spears fantasy, singing “Stronger” on the football field while flanked by his teammates-turned-backup dancers.
With Britney fever spreading fast, Mr. Schue finally caves in and orchestrates a Bob Fosse-inspired group performance of “Toxic” despite (or because of) Sue Sylvester’s venomous tirade about Britney Spears’ negative influence, calling her “a genius pop culture provocateur and a gateway drug to every out-of-control impulse ever created.” Her warning goes unheeded though, and the racy “Toxic” number sends all of McKinley High into a hormonal frenzy. “I wanna be that H๏τ!” screams one kid uncontrollably. Alas, we can’t all be Britney Spears.