Glee, 1x05, “The Rhodes Not Taken”

Episode Title: The Rhodes Not Taken
Writer: Ian Brennan

Director: John Scott

Originally Aired: 09/30/2009
Grade: A-

Will Scheuster is fucking nuts. He’s too proud and stubborn to work at getting Rachel back into the club, but he’s pathetic and desperate enough to finagle a woman in her mid-30s into the glee club?

Finn’s manipulation of Rachel wasn’t much better, but a) he gets pass because HE’S A KID, b) he had a better reason, c) he actually likes Rachel, and d) he didn’t plan the kiss (that was all her, which makes her later snit that “I let you kiss me thinking you actually had feelings for me!” even more amusing. He barely even had time to react before it was over!)

Kristen Chenowith was as awesome as she always is, though I must say, the Cabaret montage with she and Rachel ended up making Cheno sound tinny. Maybe that singing style just doesn’t suit her voice, because Leah’s voice sounded much richer. She sounded great singing with Morrison for their goofy karaoke ballad, though (I actually had no idea who did the song originally and guessed that it sounded like Heart, and a look at the Official Glee Wiki tells me I was right! Go me!).

Overall, despite Will being his usual douchey self and Rachel’s wishy-washiness regarding the glee club, this was a solid episode, and the final performance of “Somebody to Love” is pretty much what I watch the show for. Cheesy, sure, but also joyous.

Quotes

Emma: “Kurt was drunk and he ralphed on me. Not really fessing up to how he got the booze, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a fake ID, because he looks like an eleven-year-old milkmaid.”