Glee Season 4 Re-watch - 4x01 - The New Rachel
Say what you will about Glee’s ups and downs, but when it gets it right, it can put together a damn fine episode of television. In particular, I think it tends to make strong starts. It doesn’t always follow through, sure, but in that moment, it can draw you in like no other. “The New Rachel” is absolutely one of those episodes for me. It draws me in like the Pilot did. It’s expository, yes, but does a good job of bringing you up to speed with the new school year in a not-too-forced way. And while it has its flaws, on the whole it really connects on an emotional level and gets you excited to learn more about these characters and what they’re going to get up to this year.
The Glee powers-that-be have repeatedly said that, regardless of who you may or may not ship, Rachel is ultimately the series’ heart. It’s an ensemble cast, sure, but if you had to choose a single “lead,” it would be Rachel. In this episode? That actually makes some sense.
We start, then, with Rachel immediately finding herself a littler fish in a much bigger pond. She’s styled to look particularly young and out of place, and it is perfect. For most of the episode, she’s still trying to project total confidence and self-assurance, but it’s more obvious than ever that it’s an act, and that she’s actually terrified.
I don’t hate Cassandra July as NYADA’s answer to Sue Sylvester. In fact, we very quickly get a glimpse into her character - yes, she’s horrible, but it’s coming from somewhere. She’s disappointed, she’s frustrated seeing her students succeed while she remains off stage, but ultimately at least part of her is proud of them and of the role she played in teaching them. But she’s no selfless educator.
Oh, the myth of the co-ed college bathrooms. I’ve never met anyone who has actually experienced this. And yeah, Brody’s hot! I have not yet come to hate him and everything he stands for! He mostly does come off as kind and friendly, and only a little flirty. He was cool, once.
Kurt lurking around the hallways of McKinley is just so wrong, and everyone knows it, including him. Out of everyone, he was the one who deserved to get out of that place. His big dreams and big personality needed to go where they would be appreciated instead of ridiculed. So, seeing him popping in on Sue Sylvester in the middle of the school day is just plain sad.
The introduction of Kitty: “she’s like a young Quinn Fabray, except she’s not pregnant, manic-depressive, or in and out of a wheelchair.” Well, sure.
The New New Directions - it even says so on Will’s whiteboard of truth. Blaine’s face when Unique walks in is not his usual dapper welcome. He is caught up in this want to be on top, to be the leader and the star. It’s not his usual M.O., but like the rest, he’s clearly letting this popularity thing go to his head a little. Though I do get a kick out of his attitude.
“Call Me Maybe” is the first song of the episode, and ugh. I know Glee loves to be trendy, but this song was horrifically overplayed at least a month and a half before the episode aired. So, by the time we saw the four of them perform their version, it just felt stale and dated. Tina claims it’s the song Rachel herself would have done, and I don’t believe that for a second. The posing and play-fighting are mildly amusing, but I think it’s a thoroughly underwhelming number. But, you know, it was nice of the school orchestra to show up for their secret throwdown after school.
Kurt at the Lima Bean is so sad. Blaine tries to tell him otherwise and not make him feel badly, but always trust Brittany to be the voice of truth (if not always reason).
The sudden popularity of the Glee Clubbers is a little far-fetched, but their rapid demise is not. I love how quickly they’re knocked back down by the end of the episode. Seeing these tenuously-popular Glee kids be rude to Marley and less-than-accepting of Unique in the lunchroom is sad in the way that they’re both feeding into and desperately afraid of losing their spot in the popularity machine. But when Kitty and the football players start to make fun of Marley’s mom, we can see they’re uneasy with the whole situation. It’s clear it won’t last long. Marley’s mom trying to protect her from anyone knowing she’s related to the lunchlady is truly painful.
Back at NYADA and goody-two-shoes Rachel is appalled that her teacher is drunk in the middle of the afternoon. “Americano/Dance Again” is such a strange performance. I mean, in the world of Glee, I don’t even begrudge the crazy dance teacher from singing an impromptu song to shut down her annoyingly self-righteous student. I won’t even rant about how grossly inappropriate it is. But why that particular mash-up? The song choice itself adds nothing, which makes the whole performance that much less interesting to me. Once again, with her tightly-pulled bun and conservative dance outfit, Rachel sticks out like a sore thumb.
At McKinley, it’s audition time. Kurt there as a Schue’s almost-assistant is, again, just so wrong. Fly the nest, Kurt! You are meant for so much more than this! The reactions to the first two crazy auditions make me laugh. Blaine is speechless, Tina looks like she’s having a seizure, Brittany is totally into it.
Jake. Honestly, I disliked his character from the very start. It was bad enough to have Kitty as “the new Quinn.” Jake as the next Puckerman was just too ham-fisted for me. His anger was dumb and not terribly believable. He was only a sort-of-badass because of his name. Then he sings this soulful song (with his voice in the back of his throat, it makes me crazy), and throws a temper-tantrum on stage. There’s a difference between making a character complex and making him random. I do not think we err on the good side of that distinction.
New York, again. I love the visual of the NYADA “round room.” No offense, Beatrice, but I’m glad you got cut right away. I’m not even a vocalist by training, and I knew your tone and pitch control were not up to snuff. Rachel, at least, had the benefit of a recording studio and maybe the occasional auto-tune.
Teasing aside, I adore “New York State of Mind.” I love the song, I love the way they cut it between Lima and New York. It’s one of those things that, when Glee does it well, it does it SO VERY WELL. And for all that they’re trying to talk about Marley as a potential “new Rachel,” she isn’t. She’s a brunette with a great voice, but she’s not Rachel. She doesn’t have the blind ambition and power and sheer force of will that was/is Rachel. She doesn’t have even a fraction of the stage presence (which, in this performance, I think is on purpose). Still, she's got a beautiful voice, and I love the way they work this song together.
Audition results are out and, really, Will? The whole school supposedly auditions and the only person you take in is Marley, and yet you keep Sugar around? It’s because her dad pays for the travel fees, isn’t it? And you still, of course, don’t have the magical 12 members. Whatever, I’m sure some more will miraculously appear about two hours before the competition.
In the choir room, how does Kurt look another six inches taller this season? Is it the big, swooping hair? Is it his more fitted clothes that make him look even longer and leaner? I don’t know, but I remember being struck by it from the first time this episode aired.
Of course Blaine is the new Rachel. Blaine was the new Rachel while Rachel was still the old Rachel. And once he has his position secured, he seems more able to relax and settle into his old dapper Warbler-leading days and welcome Marley without cringing and seeing her as competition.
In truth, I can really relate to this. When I was that age, I wasn’t a terribly competitive person as a rule. But there were certain things I believed I had earned, or waited my turn for, or was entitled to, and when those things were threatened, I became incredibly competitive. When the dust settled, I was less bitchy. But you were NOT going to take my rightful place away from me.
“It’s Time.” Oh, I love this. Blaine’s pep talk for Kurt is so dear. He’s been thinking about it, hoping he wouldn’t have to say it out loud. But he needs Kurt to know - it’s not that he wants him to leave, it’s that he deserves more than this cow town has to offer, and he should go and grab it. He can’t let the sting of rejection and the fear of even more hold him back.
Blaine’s face as he’s performing: “I need you to be brave, I need you to go and be awesome, and I want to give you this as a send-off.”
Kurt’s face during the song: “I don’t want to leave you. I’m terrified. But I know you’re right. It’s time.”
“I had a song in my heart, Blaine Warbler, and you killed it. Now I have a dead song in my heart, and pretty soon the corpse of my dead heart-song is going to start to smell.”
In New York, Brody and Rachel sitting at the park actually feels like such a sweet scene to me. He’s being kind, his flirting is only very gentle. Rachel feels less forced and more natural, especially with her line about “I kinda just feel like I’m going to throw up all the time.” She’s finally being a little honest about how overwhelmed she is. Though Brody’s accent feels like it’s getting caught somewhere in his mouth and not coming out quite right, I like the pair of them at this point in the season.
In Columbus, Burt drops Kurt off at the airport. I think I’ve watched this scene 100 times, and it still makes me cry. Kurt’s fear about leaving. Burt’s bittersweet heartbreak watching his son go - just because it’s right doesn’t make it easy. But Burt knows - he knows New York will be the right place for Kurt in a way that Ohio could and would never be.
“You can always come back. But you won’t.”
I have always been terrible at goodbyes. This breaks me into pieces.
In the halls of McKinley, Sam the Man steps up to apologize to Marley. I really, really loved Sam this season, and this is why. Not always the brightest bulb, but 100% trying to be a good guy. Plus, the start of Marley and Unique as a pair - I don’t love the new kids, but I do enjoy the two of them as friends.
Jake! He’s a Puckerman! DON’T CARE. And what’s with the sort of affected New York-ish twang to his voice? Just no.
And then there’s “Chasing Pavements.” I love the song as background to Rachel and Kurt’s conversation.
“I lied. I’m not OK. I miss you, and I miss everything” she says through her tears. Oh god, and then I started crying again, too. Once again, I know this pain. I had a miserable first year of college - homesick, lonely, afraid and not in the right place. So that confession, that admission that not everything is as perfect as you hoped it’d be. Yeah.
“Turn around.” And there he is, sweet smile on his face, and the most perfect thing she needs right at that instant. The release and relief in her face is so right. And Kurt - Kurt is where he needs to be.
So, there we go! My re-watch of Season 4 is officially underway. Tell me, what did you think of The New Rachel?
The Glee powers-that-be have repeatedly said that, regardless of who you may or may not ship, Rachel is ultimately the series’ heart. It’s an ensemble cast, sure, but if you had to choose a single “lead,” it would be Rachel. In this episode? That actually makes some sense.
We start, then, with Rachel immediately finding herself a littler fish in a much bigger pond. She’s styled to look particularly young and out of place, and it is perfect. For most of the episode, she’s still trying to project total confidence and self-assurance, but it’s more obvious than ever that it’s an act, and that she’s actually terrified.
I don’t hate Cassandra July as NYADA’s answer to Sue Sylvester. In fact, we very quickly get a glimpse into her character - yes, she’s horrible, but it’s coming from somewhere. She’s disappointed, she’s frustrated seeing her students succeed while she remains off stage, but ultimately at least part of her is proud of them and of the role she played in teaching them. But she’s no selfless educator.
Oh, the myth of the co-ed college bathrooms. I’ve never met anyone who has actually experienced this. And yeah, Brody’s hot! I have not yet come to hate him and everything he stands for! He mostly does come off as kind and friendly, and only a little flirty. He was cool, once.
Kurt lurking around the hallways of McKinley is just so wrong, and everyone knows it, including him. Out of everyone, he was the one who deserved to get out of that place. His big dreams and big personality needed to go where they would be appreciated instead of ridiculed. So, seeing him popping in on Sue Sylvester in the middle of the school day is just plain sad.
The introduction of Kitty: “she’s like a young Quinn Fabray, except she’s not pregnant, manic-depressive, or in and out of a wheelchair.” Well, sure.
The New New Directions - it even says so on Will’s whiteboard of truth. Blaine’s face when Unique walks in is not his usual dapper welcome. He is caught up in this want to be on top, to be the leader and the star. It’s not his usual M.O., but like the rest, he’s clearly letting this popularity thing go to his head a little. Though I do get a kick out of his attitude.
“Call Me Maybe” is the first song of the episode, and ugh. I know Glee loves to be trendy, but this song was horrifically overplayed at least a month and a half before the episode aired. So, by the time we saw the four of them perform their version, it just felt stale and dated. Tina claims it’s the song Rachel herself would have done, and I don’t believe that for a second. The posing and play-fighting are mildly amusing, but I think it’s a thoroughly underwhelming number. But, you know, it was nice of the school orchestra to show up for their secret throwdown after school.
Kurt at the Lima Bean is so sad. Blaine tries to tell him otherwise and not make him feel badly, but always trust Brittany to be the voice of truth (if not always reason).
The sudden popularity of the Glee Clubbers is a little far-fetched, but their rapid demise is not. I love how quickly they’re knocked back down by the end of the episode. Seeing these tenuously-popular Glee kids be rude to Marley and less-than-accepting of Unique in the lunchroom is sad in the way that they’re both feeding into and desperately afraid of losing their spot in the popularity machine. But when Kitty and the football players start to make fun of Marley’s mom, we can see they’re uneasy with the whole situation. It’s clear it won’t last long. Marley’s mom trying to protect her from anyone knowing she’s related to the lunchlady is truly painful.
Back at NYADA and goody-two-shoes Rachel is appalled that her teacher is drunk in the middle of the afternoon. “Americano/Dance Again” is such a strange performance. I mean, in the world of Glee, I don’t even begrudge the crazy dance teacher from singing an impromptu song to shut down her annoyingly self-righteous student. I won’t even rant about how grossly inappropriate it is. But why that particular mash-up? The song choice itself adds nothing, which makes the whole performance that much less interesting to me. Once again, with her tightly-pulled bun and conservative dance outfit, Rachel sticks out like a sore thumb.
At McKinley, it’s audition time. Kurt there as a Schue’s almost-assistant is, again, just so wrong. Fly the nest, Kurt! You are meant for so much more than this! The reactions to the first two crazy auditions make me laugh. Blaine is speechless, Tina looks like she’s having a seizure, Brittany is totally into it.
Jake. Honestly, I disliked his character from the very start. It was bad enough to have Kitty as “the new Quinn.” Jake as the next Puckerman was just too ham-fisted for me. His anger was dumb and not terribly believable. He was only a sort-of-badass because of his name. Then he sings this soulful song (with his voice in the back of his throat, it makes me crazy), and throws a temper-tantrum on stage. There’s a difference between making a character complex and making him random. I do not think we err on the good side of that distinction.
New York, again. I love the visual of the NYADA “round room.” No offense, Beatrice, but I’m glad you got cut right away. I’m not even a vocalist by training, and I knew your tone and pitch control were not up to snuff. Rachel, at least, had the benefit of a recording studio and maybe the occasional auto-tune.
Teasing aside, I adore “New York State of Mind.” I love the song, I love the way they cut it between Lima and New York. It’s one of those things that, when Glee does it well, it does it SO VERY WELL. And for all that they’re trying to talk about Marley as a potential “new Rachel,” she isn’t. She’s a brunette with a great voice, but she’s not Rachel. She doesn’t have the blind ambition and power and sheer force of will that was/is Rachel. She doesn’t have even a fraction of the stage presence (which, in this performance, I think is on purpose). Still, she's got a beautiful voice, and I love the way they work this song together.
Audition results are out and, really, Will? The whole school supposedly auditions and the only person you take in is Marley, and yet you keep Sugar around? It’s because her dad pays for the travel fees, isn’t it? And you still, of course, don’t have the magical 12 members. Whatever, I’m sure some more will miraculously appear about two hours before the competition.
In the choir room, how does Kurt look another six inches taller this season? Is it the big, swooping hair? Is it his more fitted clothes that make him look even longer and leaner? I don’t know, but I remember being struck by it from the first time this episode aired.
Of course Blaine is the new Rachel. Blaine was the new Rachel while Rachel was still the old Rachel. And once he has his position secured, he seems more able to relax and settle into his old dapper Warbler-leading days and welcome Marley without cringing and seeing her as competition.
In truth, I can really relate to this. When I was that age, I wasn’t a terribly competitive person as a rule. But there were certain things I believed I had earned, or waited my turn for, or was entitled to, and when those things were threatened, I became incredibly competitive. When the dust settled, I was less bitchy. But you were NOT going to take my rightful place away from me.
“It’s Time.” Oh, I love this. Blaine’s pep talk for Kurt is so dear. He’s been thinking about it, hoping he wouldn’t have to say it out loud. But he needs Kurt to know - it’s not that he wants him to leave, it’s that he deserves more than this cow town has to offer, and he should go and grab it. He can’t let the sting of rejection and the fear of even more hold him back.
Blaine’s face as he’s performing: “I need you to be brave, I need you to go and be awesome, and I want to give you this as a send-off.”
Kurt’s face during the song: “I don’t want to leave you. I’m terrified. But I know you’re right. It’s time.”
“I had a song in my heart, Blaine Warbler, and you killed it. Now I have a dead song in my heart, and pretty soon the corpse of my dead heart-song is going to start to smell.”
In New York, Brody and Rachel sitting at the park actually feels like such a sweet scene to me. He’s being kind, his flirting is only very gentle. Rachel feels less forced and more natural, especially with her line about “I kinda just feel like I’m going to throw up all the time.” She’s finally being a little honest about how overwhelmed she is. Though Brody’s accent feels like it’s getting caught somewhere in his mouth and not coming out quite right, I like the pair of them at this point in the season.
In Columbus, Burt drops Kurt off at the airport. I think I’ve watched this scene 100 times, and it still makes me cry. Kurt’s fear about leaving. Burt’s bittersweet heartbreak watching his son go - just because it’s right doesn’t make it easy. But Burt knows - he knows New York will be the right place for Kurt in a way that Ohio could and would never be.
“You can always come back. But you won’t.”
I have always been terrible at goodbyes. This breaks me into pieces.
In the halls of McKinley, Sam the Man steps up to apologize to Marley. I really, really loved Sam this season, and this is why. Not always the brightest bulb, but 100% trying to be a good guy. Plus, the start of Marley and Unique as a pair - I don’t love the new kids, but I do enjoy the two of them as friends.
Jake! He’s a Puckerman! DON’T CARE. And what’s with the sort of affected New York-ish twang to his voice? Just no.
And then there’s “Chasing Pavements.” I love the song as background to Rachel and Kurt’s conversation.
“I lied. I’m not OK. I miss you, and I miss everything” she says through her tears. Oh god, and then I started crying again, too. Once again, I know this pain. I had a miserable first year of college - homesick, lonely, afraid and not in the right place. So that confession, that admission that not everything is as perfect as you hoped it’d be. Yeah.
“Turn around.” And there he is, sweet smile on his face, and the most perfect thing she needs right at that instant. The release and relief in her face is so right. And Kurt - Kurt is where he needs to be.
So, there we go! My re-watch of Season 4 is officially underway. Tell me, what did you think of The New Rachel?