Preggers

Last updated
"Preggers"
Glee episode
Preggers Glee.jpg
Quinn telling Puck about her pregnancy
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 4
Directed by Brad Falchuk
Written byBrad Falchuk
Featured music"Taking Chances"
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"
"Tonight"
Production code1ARC03
Original air dateSeptember 23, 2009 (2009-09-23)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Acafellas"		Next →
"The Rhodes Not Taken"
Glee (season 1)
List of episodes

"Preggers" is the fourth episode of the American television series Glee . The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 23, 2009, and was written and directed by executive producer Brad Falchuk. "Preggers" sees glee club member Kurt (Chris Colfer) join the football team and come out as gay to his father, Burt (Mike O'Malley). Cheerleader Quinn (Dianna Agron) discovers she is pregnant and tells her boyfriend Finn (Cory Monteith) the baby is his, when in fact the father is his best friend Puck (Mark Salling). Faculty members Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) and Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) team up in an effort to bring down the glee club, luring away a disillusioned Rachel (Lea Michele), who quits when club director Will (Matthew Morrison) refuses to award her a solo song. This episode features the first appearance of O'Malley as Burt Hummel.

Contents

"Preggers" features covers of two songs, and several dance performances of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". A studio recording of Michele's cover of "Taking Chances" was released as a single, available for digital download and features on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1 . The scene in which Kurt comes out to his father was based on the personal experience of series creator Ryan Murphy. Murphy's intention was to move away from previous shows he has worked on in which gay characters have not been given happy endings, by allowing Kurt to succeed and be accepted.

The episode was watched by 6.64 million United States viewers and received mixed reviews from critics. Shawna Malcom of the Los Angeles Times praised the show's fast pacing; however, The New York Times 's Mike Hale felt that key characters were not given enough screen time. The football team's performance of "Single Ladies" and Kurt's coming out to his father were generally well received; however, Rachel's actions garnered little sympathy, and several reviewers commented negatively on Quinn's pregnancy, with Eric Goldman of IGN deeming it "a very soap opera plotline". However, the episode has grown in stature in later years, with many recognizing it as a key episode in building the major plotlines for the show's first season. In 2020, it was included on The Ringer's list of the 100 best television episodes of the 21st century. [1] [2]

Plot

Glee club member Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) is caught dancing to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" by his father Burt (Mike O'Malley), and claims that it is a football exercise, and that he is now part of the team. Fellow glee club member and football quarterback Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) helps Kurt to practice, and finds him to be a skilled kicker. Finn convinces coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher) to let Kurt try out for the team. Ken is delighted to find such an asset for the team and adds Kurt as the kicker.

Finn's girlfriend Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) tells him she is pregnant, claiming her pregnancy as a result of Finn's premature ejaculation when they made out in Quinn's hot tub. Finn worries that his future prospects will be diminished by fatherhood. He asks glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) to coach the football team at dancing, believing it will help them to improve, increasing his chances of securing a football scholarship. Finn confides Quinn's news to his best friend Puck (Mark Salling), who later confronts Quinn, claiming to be the baby's father, since she said she was a virgin when they had sex. Quinn rejects Puck, calling him a "Lima loser" who could never support her and the baby like Finn. Will's wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) reveals to her sister Kendra (Jennifer Aspen) that she experienced a hysterical pregnancy and is not really carrying Will's baby. Kendra suggests that they acquire a baby, and when Terri learns of Quinn's pregnancy from Will, she confronts her, asking questions about her prenatal care.

Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) approaches former glee club director Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) and enlists him in her plan to sabotage the club. She blackmails Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba) into appointing Sandy as the school's new Arts director, and together they hold auditions for a school production of Cabaret , hoping to entice away the glee club's star, Rachel Berry (Lea Michele). Rachel feels slighted when Will awards Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz) a solo that she wanted, so she auditions for the musical and is given the lead role. When Will refuses to reassign the solo to Rachel, she quits the club.

The football team puts their dance training into practice by performing the "Single Ladies" routine in the middle of a game, confusing and distracting the opposition, and with Kurt's help is able to win. Buoyed by his success, Kurt comes out to his father Burt and tells him that he's gay; Burt tells him he knew all along and loves Kurt just the same.

Production

Kurt Fuller (pictured) made a guest appearance in "Preggers" as local news station owner Mr. McClung. Kurtfuller.jpg
Kurt Fuller (pictured) made a guest appearance in "Preggers" as local news station owner Mr. McClung.

"Preggers" was written and directed by Glee's executive producer and co-creator Brad Falchuk. [3] Kurt Fuller guest stars as local news station owner Mr. McClung. [4] The episode features covers of "Taking Chances" by Celine Dion and "Tonight" from West Side Story . Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is also featured in several dance performances. [5] Kurt's backup dancers for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" are series regular Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and recurring character Brittany (Heather Morris). Dancer Morris was one of Beyonce's backup dancers for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" appearing on The Today Show, [6] Ellen, and others. A studio recording of "Taking Chances" was released as a single, available for digital download, and appeared on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1 . The track charted at number 79 in Australia, [7] 73 in Canada and 71 in the United States. [8]

The scene in which Kurt comes out to his father was taken verbatim from series creator Ryan Murphy's own life. Murphy felt that the scene was "a great thing to put on television", as, while audiences have seen gay characters isolated and attacked, they have rarely seen them ultimately winning and triumphing. [9] He commented that: "The show is about making you feel good in the end. It's about happy endings and optimism and the power of your personal journey and making you feel that the weird thing about me is the great thing about me. I’ve done other shows with gay characters, and I will say that in many of those cases, the gay characters didn't have a happy ending. And I thought you know what? Enough." [10] Colfer has commented that his biggest challenge was in ensuring the scene felt "honest" and not comical or "used as a punchline". He explained: "I think it's probably the first time a character's sexuality has been respected and almost dignified in a way, and I think that's really important, and there needs to be more of that on TV." [11]

Reception

Colfer's performance in Kurt's coming out scene was well received by critics. Chris Colfer 2011 Shankbone.JPG
Colfer's performance in Kurt's coming out scene was well received by critics.

"Preggers" was watched by 6.64 million United States viewers and attained a 3.1/8 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. [12] It was the twenty-second most watched show in Canada for the week of broadcast, with 1.39 million viewers. [13] In the UK, the episode was watched by 1.804 million viewers (1.397 million on E4, and 407,000 on timeshift), becoming the most-watched show on E4 and E4+1 for the week, and the most-watched show on cable for the week, as well as the most watched episode of the series at the time. [14] The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Shawna Malcom for the Los Angeles Times reviewed the episode positively, praising the football team's performance of the "Single Ladies" dance and Kurt coming out to his father. [15] Malcom also commented positively on the show's fast pacing; however, Mike Hale of the New York Post was less favorable, deeming the episode "overstuffed with story lines". [16] He felt that key characters did not receive enough screentime, and that: "There was so much exposition going on that there didn’t seem to be much room for laughs." [16]

Tim Stack for Entertainment Weekly wrote that, although the dancing in the episode was fun, "Preggers" was lacking in "big singing moments" apart from Rachel's performance of "Taking Chances". [17] He deemed Quinn's pregnancy "a good dramatic twist", but hoped that it would not be a long-lasting storyline. [17] Eric Goldman of IGN rated the episode 8.8 out of 10. He called the "Single Ladies" performance "a memorable TV moment", and wrote that Quinn's pregnancy was a "very soap opera plotline" however commented: "luckily Glee is the kind of show to handle it with humor." [4]

James Poniewozik for Time deemed Kurt's coming out "beautifully handled", commenting: "the fact that Dad (Mike O'Malley, who has turned out to be a pretty good character actor) ends up not being the boor we think he's going to be is one of the first signs that Glee is growing up as a series, that having established a world of primary-color stereotypes, it's now willing to subvert those expectations." [18] Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal criticized Rachel's actions in the episode, and felt that: "Rachel has become insufferable. The disagreements with Mr. Schue about her own development as a bona fide triple-threat have branded her as an overbearing prima donna to the rest of Glee." [19]

The comedic pairing of Sue and Sandy attracted some praise, with Stack deeming them "the best villains ever". [17] Goldman said that: "Tobolowsky is terrific in this role, as Sandy manages to make everything he says [...] sound amazingly disturbing." [4] Hale criticized Lynch as Sue, however, writing that she gave a "one-note performance", suggesting that she had been miscast in the role. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finn Hudson</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Finn Christopher Hudson is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character was portrayed by Cory Monteith and first appeared on television when Glee premiered its pilot episode on Fox on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. Glee follows the trials of the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio. Finn is initially quarterback of his high school football team. A popular jock at the top of the school's social hierarchy, when he finds himself forced to join the school's glee club, he discovers that he loves it, although he risks alienation from his friends by remaining a member. His storylines see him struggle with his decision to stay in the club, which is at the bottom of the social ladder, while he maintains his popular reputation and the respect of the other jocks. The character has dealt with his attraction to both self-centered head cheerleader Quinn Fabray and ambitious yet kindhearted glee club star singer Rachel Berry, the series' female lead. Following Monteith's death on July 13, 2013, it was announced that Finn's own death would occur in the third episode of the fifth season, titled "The Quarterback".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Berry</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists, alongside Mr. Schue in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and appears in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Rachel was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. She is the glee club star of the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Her storylines have seen her suffer peer alienation due to her Broadway ambitions and over-eager personality, but she is very kind-hearted and willing to help even if people do not need it and develop romantic feelings for Jesse St. James, a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, but primarily for quarterback and glee club co-captain Finn Hudson, to whom she eventually becomes engaged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Hummel</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Kurt Elizabeth Hummel is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied at school. Kurt is portrayed by actor Chris Colfer, and has appeared as a character on the show since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Glee follows the trials of the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio, of which Kurt is a member. His storylines in the first season focus on his struggle with his sexuality as he comes out to his father and friends, and deals with his romantic feelings for Finn Hudson, the straight co-captain of the glee club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinn Fabray</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the TV series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is the cheerleading captain at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, as well as a member of the school's glee club. In the first episode, Quinn is introduced as an antagonistic queen bee stock character. She joins the school glee club to spy on her boyfriend Finn Hudson and becomes a spy for cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester ; she remains part of the club after she is removed from the cheerleading team, the "Cheerios", due to her pregnancy. Over the course of the first season, her character matures and builds friendships with the other outcasts who make up the glee club. Quinn gives birth at the end of the first season to a baby girl, Beth, whom she gives up for adoption. Quinn was 16 years old when she had her baby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acafellas</span> 3rd episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Acafellas" is the third episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 16, 2009. It was directed by John Scott and written by series creator Ryan Murphy. The episode sees glee club director Will Schuester form an all-male a cappella group, the Acafellas, neglecting the club in favor of dedicating his time to the new endeavor. New Directions struggle with choreography, and resist attempts at sabotage by members of the cheer squad. Mercedes harbors romantic feelings for Kurt, who comes out as gay.

Vitamin D (<i>Glee</i>) 6th episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Vitamin D" is the sixth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 7, 2009. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Elodie Keene. In the episode, glee club director Will Schuester pits the male and female club members against each other for a mash-up competition. Will's wife Terri takes a job as the school nurse to stop him becoming closer to guidance counsellor Emma Pillsbury, but is fired after giving the students performance-enhancing pseudoephedrine tablets.

"Throwdown" is the seventh episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 14, 2009. It was directed by series creator Ryan Murphy and written by Brad Falchuk. The episode includes a clash between glee club director Will Schuester and cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester when she is named co-director of the glee club. As Sue tries to divide the club by turning the students against Will, his wife Terri blackmails her OB/GYN into colluding with her over her fake pregnancy.

Wheels (<i>Glee</i>) 9th episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Wheels" is the ninth episode of the American television series Glee. Written by series co-creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Paris Barclay, the episode premiered on the Fox network on November 11, 2009. "Wheels" sees the glee club hold a bake sale to raise money for a handicap accessible bus, so that club member Artie can travel with them to sectionals and Will challenges the students to experience life from a different point of view. Quinn struggles with the medical expenses incurred by her pregnancy, and Puck renews his offer to support her. Sue accepts a student with Down syndrome onto the cheerleading squad, and Kurt and Rachel compete for a solo performance.

Ballad (<i>Glee</i>) 10th episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Ballad" is the tenth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on November 18, 2009, and was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk. "Ballad" sees the glee club split into pairs to sing ballads to one another. Rachel is paired with club director Will and develops a crush on him. Quinn's parents learn that Quinn is pregnant, and she moves in with Finn and his mother when her own parents evict her. Gregg Henry and Charlotte Ross guest-star as Quinn's parents Russell and Judy Fabray, and Sarah Drew appears as Suzy Pepper, a student with a former crush on Will. Romy Rosemont returns as Finn's mother, Carole Hudson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hairography</span> 11th episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Hairography" is the eleventh episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on November 25, 2009. It was written by series creator Ian Brennan and directed by Bill D'Elia. The episode introduces New Directions' rival glee clubs, the Jane Addams Girls Choir for girls recently released from juvenile detention, and the Haverbrook Deaf Choir. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester sabotages New Directions by giving their set-list for sectionals to the competing clubs. Quinn reconsiders having her baby adopted, but ultimately recommits to the idea, and Rachel tries unsuccessfully to attract Finn.

"Laryngitis" is the eighteenth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on May 11, 2010. It was directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and written by series creator Ryan Murphy. In "Laryngitis", glee club member Puck dates Mercedes in an attempt to raise his social status. Kurt is jealous of the time his father is spending with Finn, and Rachel worries about her future when she is diagnosed with tonsillitis. Mike O'Malley guest-stars as Kurt's father Burt, and Zack Weinstein appears as disabled former football player Sean Fretthold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatricality</span> 20th episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Theatricality" is the twentieth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode was written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, and premiered on the Fox network on May 25, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burt Hummel</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Burt Hummel is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Mike O'Malley, and first appeared on Glee in the fourth episode of the first season, "Preggers". Burt was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. He is the father of gay glee club member Kurt Hummel, and works as a mechanic in Lima, Ohio, where the series is set. He eventually begins a relationship with Carole Hudson, the mother of another glee club member, Finn Hudson, and the two marry in the second season episode "Furt". In the third season, Burt runs in a special congressional election and wins. O'Malley was a recurring cast member during the first season, and was upgraded to a series regular for the second season of the show, but returned to the recurring cast for the third season onward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Evans</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Sam Evans is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Chord Overstreet, and appeared on Glee starting with the second season premiere episode entitled "Audition", first broadcast on September 21, 2010. Sam is a transfer student to William McKinley High School who becomes a member of the football team, as well as a member of the glee club, New Directions. In his first episode, Sam performs Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" with some of the guys in the glee club, but Finn ends up mocking Sam because of his talent and terrifies Sam. Because of Finn’s mean tricks he does not show up for tryouts due to the low social status of the club's members. He later joins, nonetheless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grilled Cheesus</span> 3rd episode of the 2nd season of Glee

"Grilled Cheesus" is the third episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the twenty-fifth episode overall. It was written by Brad Falchuk, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and premiered on the Fox network on October 5, 2010. Prior to its broadcast, series co-creator Ryan Murphy predicted the episode would be Glee's most controversial, as it focuses on religion and what God means to the members of the glee club. When Burt Hummel has a heart attack, the glee club rally around his son Kurt, attempting to support the Hummels through their various faiths. Meanwhile, club co-captain Finn Hudson believes he has found the face of Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Duets (<i>Glee</i>) 4th episode of the 2nd season of Glee

"Duets" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the twenty-sixth episode overall. It was written by series creator Ian Brennan, directed by Eric Stoltz, and premiered on Fox on October 12, 2010. The episode featured seven cover versions, including a mash-up of "Happy Days Are Here Again" and "Get Happy" by Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland, respectively.

"Prom Queen" is the twentieth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the forty-second overall. It aired May 10, 2011, on Fox in the United States. The episode was written by series creator Ian Brennan, directed by Eric Stoltz, and featured the return of guest star Jonathan Groff. In "Prom Queen", the McKinley High School glee club New Directions is tapped to provide the music for the school's junior prom. The episode shows the myriad dramas surrounding a high school prom, with the high-stakes race for prom king and queen that involves five members of the glee club, students scrambling to find dates and outfits, and the delights and disappointments of the prom itself.

"Goodbye" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the third season of the American musical television series Glee, and the sixty-sixth overall. Written and directed by Brad Falchuk, it aired on Fox in the United States on May 22, 2012. It features the graduation of the McKinley High class of 2012, and with it, eight members of the New Directions glee club. The episode introduces special guest star Gloria Estefan as Maribel Lopez, Santana's mother, and has appearances by six other parents of graduating seniors.

"2009" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 120th episode overall. Written by the show's co-creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan and directed by Paris Barclay, it aired on Fox in the United States on March 20, 2015, along with the next episode, "Dreams Come True", as a special two-hour season and series finale. The episode features a flashback from the show's pilot episode that explores the reasons why the original five members of the New Directions glee club decided to join.

References

  1. ↑ "The 10 Best 'Glee' Episodes According to Reddit". Collider. 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  2. ↑ "The Ringer's 100 Best TV Episodes of The Century". besttv.theringer.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  3. ↑ VanDerWerff, Emily (October 15, 2009). "Glee: Throwdown". The A.V. Club . Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Goldman, Eric (September 24, 2009). "Glee: "Preggers" Review". IGN . Archived from the original on 29 September 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Preggers". Fox Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Young Entertainers Get a Taste of Hollywood". My Buffalo. December 31, 2009. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  7. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19th October 2009" (PDF). Australian Web Archive. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-04. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  8. ↑ "Glee Cast - Taking Chances". acharts.us. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  9. ↑ Fernandez, Maria Elena (September 9, 2009). "'Glee's' Chris Colfer fits right in". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  10. ↑ Fernandez, Maria Elena (September 8, 2009). "Chris Colfer's journey from small town to 'Glee'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  11. ↑ Milzoff, Rebecca (November 16, 2009). "Glee's Chris Colfer on Owning 'Defying Gravity' and Resembling a Hummel Figurine". Vulture. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  12. ↑ Seidman, Robert (September 24, 2009). "Wednesday broadcast finals: Modern Family down a tenth, Cougar Town up a tenth with adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Top Programs – Total Canada (English): September 21–27, 2009" (PDF). BBM Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  14. ↑ "BARB: Weekly Top 30 Programmes, w/e 31 Jan 2010". BARB . Retrieved February 15, 2010.
  15. ↑ Malcom, Shawna (September 24, 2009). "'Glee': Kurt and the football team give 'Single Ladies' new life". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  16. 1 2 3 Hale, Mike (September 24, 2009). "'Glee' Watch: Put a Ring On It". New York Times . Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  17. 1 2 3 Stack, Tim (September 24, 2009). "'Glee' recap: Kurt comes out a winner!". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  18. ↑ Poniewozik, James (September 24, 2009). "Glee Watch: A Big Gay Team of Dancing Gays". Time . Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Flandez, Raymund (September 23, 2009). ""Glee" Season 1, Episode 3: TV Recap". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 13 June 2022.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.