"The Rhodes Not Taken" | |
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Glee episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 5 |
Directed by | John Scott |
Written by | Ian Brennan |
Featured music | "Don't Stop Believin' " "Maybe This Time" "Cabaret" "Alone" "Last Name" "Somebody to Love" |
Production code | 1ARC04 |
Original air date | September 30, 2009 |
Guest appearances | |
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"The Rhodes Not Taken" is the fifth episode of the American television series Glee . It premiered on the Fox network on September 30, 2009 and was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan and directed by John Scott. The episode features glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) recruiting former star April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth), hoping to improve the club's chances in the wake of Rachel’s (Lea Michele) defection to the school musical. Finn (Cory Monteith) flirts with Rachel in an attempt to convince her to return, and although Rachel is angry when she discovers Finn's girlfriend is pregnant, she ultimately rejoins the club.
Special guest star Kristin Chenoweth played April, and performed on three of the episode's six musical tracks. Studio recordings of four of the songs performed in the episode were released as singles, available for digital download, and two appear on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1 .
The episode was watched by 7.32 million U.S. viewers. It received mostly positive reviews from critics, with Chenoweth's appearance and the performance of Queen cover "Somebody to Love" in particular receiving praise. Raymund Flandez for The Wall Street Journal , Mike Hale of the New York Times and Denise Martin for the Los Angeles Times all deemed "Somebody to Love" the show's best musical number since the staging of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " in the pilot episode.
With lead singer Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) no longer part of New Directions, the McKinley High glee club, director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) grows concerned about the club's forthcoming performance at Invitationals. He discovers that April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth), a member of the club during his own high school days, never actually graduated, and convinces her to return to school in order to get her diploma and join the glee club. Having failed to achieve her Broadway dreams, April is now an alcoholic, and goes about winning the favor of the existing club members by unconventional means, including getting Kurt (Chris Colfer) drunk and teaching Mercedes (Amber Riley) and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) to shoplift. After guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) warns Will that April is corrupting the students, Will asks April to become sober, and she vows to do so.
Club member Finn (Cory Monteith) is concerned for his future, having been told by his girlfriend Quinn (Dianna Agron) that she is pregnant with his child. Emma suggests that instead of aiming to attend college on a football scholarship, Finn should utilize his musical talent. Believing Rachel's participation to be the glee club's only chance at success at Invitationals, Finn feigns romantic interest in Rachel and takes her on a date. Rachel, realizing she is unhappy performing in the school musical and excited over Finn's interest in her, returns to the glee club. Meanwhile, Kurt, Mercedes and Tina are informed of Quinn's pregnancy by Puck (Mark Salling), who pretends Finn fathered the child though he is the actual father. Finding out about Quinn, Rachel becomes furious with Finn and confronts him, asking if he is actually attracted to her at all. Finn insists the kiss they shared was honest, but Rachel is unconvinced and defects from glee club once again, returning to the school musical, where she is given full artistic control. At Invitationals, a drunk April, accompanied by the glee club, performs Carrie Underwood's "Last Name" for a packed auditorium and receives the standing ovation she always dreamed of. Because she had performed drunk, Will tells April during intermission that she is no longer in the glee club. She accepts, telling him that she has realized that it is the kids, not her, who are the ones that should get the spotlight. This leaves New Directions without a lead singer for their next number, but Rachel offers to go on in April's place—she has quit the musical, and wants to rejoin the club—and they all perform Queen's "Somebody to Love".
Chenoweth guest starred in the episode as former glee club member April Rhodes. April is an "alcoholic and bad influence on the glee club members", [1] described by Chenoweth as someone who never graduated, but was "kind of the deal" in her high school glee club. [2] She explained that April didn't become the "big star" everyone expected her to, and so is brought back by Will to become part of the glee club again. [2]
Chenoweth was previously acquainted with Glee creator Ryan Murphy, having appeared in his 2006 film Running with Scissors . [3] Murphy commented that he loves writing for Chenoweth, and enjoyed pitching songs she had never sung before. [4] She found singing in three different styles, as required by the role, to be "fun and challenging", [5] and though she had never before sung "Maybe This Time", after singing it on Glee, she went on to use it in shows as her opening number. [4] Chenoweth stated that she would love to return to Glee in the future, a sentiment shared by Murphy. [5] She commented: "they are all working hard to figure out stories all the time. It'd be great for it to make sense for her to come back. This part is like nothing I've had the chance to do on TV." [5] It was confirmed in October 2009 that Chenoweth would reprise the role, which she did in "Home". [6]
Asked to explain Finn's actions in flirting with Rachel to entice her back into the glee club, Monteith explained: "Finn is not only strangely attracted to Rachel, but he respects what she chases after in her life. He's walking a thin line and trying to be somebody for everybody, and she's an example of someone truly following her dreams and that's attractive." [7]
The episode features cover versions of "Don't Stop Believin' " by Journey, "Maybe This Time" and "Cabaret" from Cabaret , "Alone" by Heart, "Last Name" by Carrie Underwood and "Somebody to Love" by Queen. [8] [9] Studio recordings of "Maybe This Time", "Alone", "Last Name" and "Somebody to Love" were released as singles, available for digital download. "Maybe This Time" charted at number 100 in Australia, [10] and 88 in the US, [11] "Alone" charted at number 94 in Australia, [10] 58 in Canada and 51 in the US, [12] and "Somebody to Love" charted at number 65 in Australia, [13] 33 in Canada and 28 in the US. [14] "Maybe This Time", "Alone" and "Somebody to Love" also featured on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1 . [15] [16]
The episode was watched by 7.32 million U.S. viewers and attained a 3.2/9 rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. [17] It was the most viewed episode of the season since its fall return with "Showmance". [18] It was the twenty-sixth most watched show in Canada for the week of broadcast, with 1.45 million viewers. [19] In the UK, the episode was watched by 1.89 million viewers (1.48 million on E4, and 410,000 on E4+1), becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week, as well as the most-watched episode of the series at the time. [20]
The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics. Robert Bianco for USA Today wrote of Chenoweth's guest appearance: "Her presence may not make much sense, but that's probably all right. If it means hearing Chenoweth sing, we can put up with any explanation the show cares to offer." [21] Raymund Flandez for The Wall Street Journal was equally positive regarding Chenoweth's role, praising her "powerful voice", "kittenish mien" and "commanding presence". [22] Flandez deemed the performance of "Somebody to Love" the show's best number since "Don't Stop Believin'" debuted in the pilot episode. [22] Mike Hale of the New York Times similarly stated that "The Rhodes Not Taken" was "the best episode musically since the pilot", calling the performance of "Somebody to Love" "truly rousing". [23] TV Guide included the renditions of "Somebody To Love" and "Maybe This Time" in its list of Glee's best performances so far. [24] [25]
The Los Angeles Times 's Denise Martin also enjoyed the episode, writing: "I don't know how Glee keeps topping itself—it just does!" [26] Martin too praised the performance of "Somebody to Love", writing: "Love or hate Queen, when New Directions sings it, it's magical. And it's the first time since 'Don't Stop Believin'' that I got goosebumps. Something about kids singing songs, raising all those arms, makes everyone—can't just be me!—giddy and hopeful. They're not as technically skilled as [rival glee club] Vocal Adrenaline—yet—but that only makes their underdog story more real." [26] Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly also called "The Rhodes Not Taken" the best episode of Glee so far, deeming all the musical numbers "fantastic". [27] Eric Goldman for IGN rated the episode 8.5/10. [28] He felt that Chenoweth was "terrific" as April, and that the character was a "hysterical creation". [28] Goldman assessed that the episode "soared" musically, though felt that its resolution was "rushed" and "forced", suggesting that the series has yet to find the right balance between music, comedy and drama. [28]
Kristin Dawn Chenoweth is an American actress and singer, with credits in musical theatre, film, and television. In 1999, she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown on Broadway. In 2003, Chenoweth was nominated for a second Tony Award for originating the role of Glinda in the musical Wicked. Her television roles include Annabeth Schott in NBC's The West Wing and Olive Snook on the comedy drama Pushing Daisies, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2009.
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 self centered, argumentative 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".
William Michael Schuester, often referred to as Mr. Schue, is a fictional teacher character and one of the two main protagonists from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee, alongside his student Rachel Berry. He appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Will was portrayed by Matthew Morrison, and was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. He is a Spanish teacher at the fictional William McKinley High School and the director of the show's titular glee club in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. He ultimately becomes the school's principal. His storylines have seen him revive the school's failing glee club, leave his wife Terri, win the love of school guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury, and marry her.
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. Hudson later dies in season 5, with his cause of death not being revealed. This was due to his actor, Cory Monteith, passing away in real life, which led to his character being killed off. Berry later reconciles with her ex boyfriend, Jesse St. James in season 6. In the series finale, it’s revealed that Berry married St. James, and became a Surrogate for friends Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson.
Arthur "Artie" Abrams is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee portrayed as the "glue" of the glee club. The character is portrayed by actor Kevin McHale, and appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Artie was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. He is a guitarist and paraplegic manual wheelchair user who is a member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Artie uses a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury he sustained in a car crash at the age of eight. His storylines have seen him accept his disability, pine for the affections of fellow New Directions members, and dabble in film directing.
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. She is a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back-up, and is a member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.
"Showmance" is the second episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 9, 2009. It was written by series co-creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan and directed by Murphy. The episode sees the glee club attempt to recruit new members by performing Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It" in a school assembly. It advances the love triangles between Rachel, Finn and Quinn and Emma, Will and Terri, and sees antagonist Sue Sylvester begin to conspire against the club.
"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.
"Mash-Up" is the eighth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 21, 2009. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan and directed by Elodie Keene. The episode sees glee club director Will Schuester attempt to create a wedding medley in the style of a mash-up for his colleagues Emma and Ken. Students Finn and Quinn find that they are no longer considered popular, while glee club members Rachel and Puck become romantically involved, as do cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester and local news anchor Rod Remington.
"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.
"Sectionals" is the thirteenth episode of the American television series Glee. It premiered on the Fox network on December 9, 2009. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Brad Falchuk, and serves as the mid-season finale for the show's first season. "Sectionals" sees the glee club win the sectionals round of competition, advancing on to regionals. Glee club member Finn discovers he is not the father of his girlfriend Quinn's baby. Football coach Ken Tanaka plans his wedding with Emma on the same day as the sectionals competition. Will Schuester is unable to take the students to sectionals and Emma offers to take them. The episode sees the return of Eve and Michael Hitchcock as rival glee club directors Grace Hitchens and Dalton Rumba.
"Home" is the sixteenth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on April 27, 2010. It was directed by Paris Barclay and written by series creator Brad Falchuk. "Home" sees new cheerleader Mercedes Jones deal with body image issues, while Kurt Hummel sets his dad and Finn Hudson's mom together, in an attempt to get closer to Finn, and club director Will Schuester is reunited with his friend April Rhodes. Chenoweth first appeared in Glee in the episode "The Rhodes Not Taken". She enjoyed the role of April so much that she agreed to return for "Home", and has expressed an interest in reappearing in the future.
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