Acafellas
Encyclopedia
"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
(Matthew Morrison
) 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
(Amber Riley
) harbors romantic feelings for Kurt
(Chris Colfer
), who comes out
as homosexual.
Singer Josh Groban
guest stars as himself, John Lloyd Young
appears as wood shop teacher Henri St. Pierre, and Victor Garber
and Debra Monk
play Will's parents. The episode features covers of seven songs, including the instrumental piece "La Camisa Negra
" performed on guitar by Mark Salling. Studio recording
s of two of the songs performed were released as singles, available for digital download
, and two of the tracks also appear on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1
.
The episode was watched by 6.642 million US viewers and received mixed reviews from critics. Entertainment Weekly
' s Tim Stack and the New York Times' s Mike Hale welcomed the return of Stephen Tobolowsky
as Sandy Ryerson, while Ryan Brockington of the New York Post
and Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
praised Riley's cover of Jazmine Sullivan
's "Bust Your Windows
". However, Rachel Ray, reviewing the episode for The Independent
, deemed it "overhyped [...] uninspired, confusing and with a simple plot to boot."
) questions Will's choreography skills during a glee club meeting, he forms an all-male a cappella
group, the Acafellas, to build his confidence. The group originally consists of Will, football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
), woodshop teacher Henri St. Pierre (John Lloyd Young
) and Howard Bamboo (Kent Avenido), a co-worker of Will's wife Terri
(Jessalyn Gilsig
). After their first performance however, Henri and Howard drop out and Will replaces them with glee club member Finn
(Cory Monteith
), and football player Puck (Mark Salling). Former glee club director Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky
) also joins the group, having arranged for singer Josh Groban
to be at their next performance. Although the star compliments their rendition of "I Wanna Sex You Up
", he reveals that he only attended to ask Sandy to stop stalking him.
In Will's absence, the glee club hires Dakota Stanley (Whit Hertford
), a well-known choreographer
, to help coach them to Nationals. Cheerleaders Quinn
(Dianna Agron
), Santana
(Naya Rivera
) and Brittany
(Heather Morris) hope that the notoriously harsh Stanley will prompt some members of the club to quit, furthering their plan to sabotage the club. Although Stanley is heavily critical of the group, Rachel convinces the members that their differences give them a unique edge, and fires the choreographer. The cheerleaders also lead Mercedes to believe that Kurt has feelings for her, leaving her hurt when he rejects her advances. She believes he has feelings for Rachel
and angry at Kurt, Mercedes breaks the windshield of his car, and sings "Bust Your Windows
" He later confesses to her that he is gay, and the two make up. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
) is angry that the club is now stronger than ever, and punishes Quinn and Santana. Quinn retaliates by thanking Sue for helping her realize that believing in herself negates the need to bring other people down. Will realizes that his passion is teaching, not performing, and resolves to recommit to the glee club.
as former glee club director Sandy Ryerson, Patrick Gallagher
as football coach Ken Tanaka, Iqbal Theba
as Principal Figgins, Kent Avenido as Sheets and Things employee Howard Bamboo, and Naya Rivera
and Heather Morris as glee club members Santana Lopez
and Brittany Pierce
. Whit Hertford
guest-starred as choreographer Dakota Stanley. Cheyenne Jackson
was originally supposed to play Dakota Stanley, but when he arrived in California he learned that he had the flu. John Lloyd Young
played Henri, "a retired wood shop teacher with an excellent singing voice", and Victor Garber
and Debra Monk
played Will's parents. Morrison was "thrilled" by Garber's casting, having been a longstanding fan of his. Josh Groban
received special guest star billing, playing, in Colfer's words, "himself as this ignorant asshole". Morrison's rapping
in the episode was an already acquired skill, with Gilsig commenting: "He can do it. It didn't look like a joke, it actually looked totally authentic, and he was fantastic. I think he has just an amazing musical range. People like that who have been singing their whole lives, they have such a command of that." Riley deemed Kurt's coming out
in the episode "very emotional" and "one of [her] favourite scenes". Colfer described the scene as "very respectful and very touching [...] very, very real and serious."
s of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
", "This Is How We Do It
" by Montell Jordan
, "Poison
" by Bell Biv DeVoe
, "Mercy
" by Duffy
, "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan
, "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd
and an instrumental performance of "La Camisa Negra
" by Juanes
. Studio recording
s of "Bust Your Windows" and "Mercy" were released as singles, available for digital download
. "Bust Your Windows" is also featured on the soundtrack album
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
, with a studio recording of "I Wanna Sex You Up" included as a bonus track on discs purchased from Target
.
"Acafellas" was watched by 6.64 million US viewers and attained a 3.1/8 rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. It was the tenth most watched show in Canada for the week, with 1.44 million viewers. In the UK, the episode was shown straight after the pilot episode
, and was watched by 1.68 million viewers (1.29 million on E4, and 398,000 on timeshift), becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week.
The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Tim Stack for Entertainment Weekly
reviewed the episode positively, deeming it potentially even better than the season premiere
. Stack wrote that the best aspect of the episode was the focus placed on previously more minor characters, such as Puck, Mercedes and Kurt. He praised Lynch as Sue and wrote, "Stephen Tobolowsky’s Sandy is also becoming one of the most reliable characters for great lines and laughs." He was disappointed that Garber did not sing in his role as Will's father, but hoped he would return for future episodes. Ryan Brockington for the New York Post
stated that "the key to this show lies directly within the female leads", praising Michele as Rachel, Agron as Quinn and Riley as Mercedes, noting that in "Acafellas", Riley "finally got a chance to shine". Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
praised Riley's rendition of "Bust Your Windows
" as "showstopping", Vocal Adrenaline's "Mercy
" as "leg-splits-over-shoulders exciting", and deemed the Acafellas performance of "I Wanna Sex You Up
" "corny" but noted: "this is about high school. Corny is de rigueur." Shawna Malcom for the Los Angeles Times
wrote that although "Bust Your Windows" was "over the top [...] the emotion behind the whole thing felt appropriately real."
Mike Hale of the New York Times was critical of the episode, discussing the show's "increasingly rapid march toward Hallmark
country." He commented that while "Acafellas" did not match the standard of the pilot episode
, it was funnier than "Showmance
", and praised the return of Stephen Tobolowsky
as Sandy Ryerson. Hale called Groban's cameo the "most fun of all" in the episode, but overall noted that: "The humor can’t make up for the lack of big production numbers [...] The problem for this show is always going to be how to fill the gaps between songs. A lot of the current plot lines, like Will and his wife's phantom baby, are already getting old, so it would behoove the producers to keep those gaps as short as possible." Rachel Ray, reviewing the episode for The Independent
deemed Glee "overhyped [...] uninspired, confusing and with a simple plot to boot." Ray wrote, Glee "upbeat message" was "overridden by the show's attempt to be darker than the run-of-the mill high school drama." As with Hale, Ray commented that: "Music should be the redeeming feature of Glee but it's not, because the viewer never gets a satisfying taste of the cast members' musical talents". Shawna Malcom criticized Terri and Will's characterization in the episode, deeming Terri "beyond annoying", but wrote: "I have confidence that creator Ryan Murphy will flesh out Jessalyn Gilsig’s character over time. Her seemingly sincere apology to Will for not being more supportive of his boy band was a nice first step." Of Will, Malcom posed the question: "didn’t it feel as though his commitment to the glee club melted away rather quickly? [...] How could he turn his back so easily?" More positively, Malcom called Kurt's coming out scene "lovely". She wrote that Groban's appearance was "laugh out loud" funny, while Stack commented: "It was a little random, but it's all worth it for the scene when Groban was hitting on Will's mom."
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. The episode premiered on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network on September 16, 2009. It was directed by John Scott
John Stuart Scott
John Stuart Scott is an American television director who has directed episodes for several well-known series including Glee, The Office and Chuck.- Television work :...
and written by series creator Ryan Murphy. The episode sees glee club
Glee club
A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...
director Will Schuester
Will Schuester
William "Will" Schuester, often referred to as Mr. Schue, is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Matthew Morrison and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Will was developed by Glee...
(Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
) form an all-male a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
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
Mercedes Jones
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...
(Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
) harbors romantic feelings for Kurt
Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel is a fictional character and one of the male leads in 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...
(Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
), who comes out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as homosexual.
Singer Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
guest stars as himself, John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Mills Young is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys. He is the only American actor to date to have received a Lead Actor in a Musical Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics...
appears as wood shop teacher Henri St. Pierre, and Victor Garber
Victor Garber
Victor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
and Debra Monk
Debra Monk
Debra Monk is an American actress, singer, and writer.Monk was born in Middletown, Ohio. She was voted "best personality" by the graduating class at Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. She graduated from Frostburg State University in 1963...
play Will's parents. The episode features covers of seven songs, including the instrumental piece "La Camisa Negra
La camisa negra
"La Camisa Negra" is a Spanish rock song written by Colombian singer-songwriter Octavio Mesa and recorded by Juanes for his third studio album Mi Sangre...
" performed on guitar by Mark Salling. Studio recording
Studio recording
The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance.-Studio cast recordings:...
s of two of the songs performed were released as singles, available for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
, and two of the tracks also appear on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical television series Glee, which airs on Fox in the United States. It features cover versions from the first nine episodes of the first season and was released on November 2, 2009 by Columbia Records and 20th...
.
The episode was watched by 6.642 million US viewers and received mixed reviews from critics. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, as well as portraying Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood for nine episodes and Bob Bishop in Heroes for eleven episodes over the second and third seasons...
as Sandy Ryerson, while Ryan Brockington of the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
and Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
praised Riley's cover of Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan is an American recording artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is also the protégé of rapper Missy Elliott. Her debut single "Need U Bad" reached number one on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while her second single, "Bust Your Windows" peaked at number four...
's "Bust Your Windows
Bust Your Windows
"Bust Your Windows" is the second single by R&B singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan from her debut Grammy-nominated album Fearless. It was available as a digital download on Amazon.com in the U.S. on the September 16, 2008...
". However, Rachel Ray, reviewing the episode for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, deemed it "overhyped [...] uninspired, confusing and with a simple plot to boot."
Plot
When Rachel (Lea MicheleLea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
) questions Will's choreography skills during a glee club meeting, he forms an all-male a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group, the Acafellas, to build his confidence. The group originally consists of Will, football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
Patrick Gallagher (actor)
-Career:Gallagher is best known for his television roles as Det. Joe Finn in Da Vinci's Inquest, the alcohol salesman in Entourage, Leon in The Line, Farhod the Fierce in Pair of Kings, and Ken Tanaka in Glee, and his film roles as Awkward Davies in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World...
), woodshop teacher Henri St. Pierre (John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Mills Young is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys. He is the only American actor to date to have received a Lead Actor in a Musical Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics...
) and Howard Bamboo (Kent Avenido), a co-worker of Will's wife Terri
Terri Schuester
Terri Schuester is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jessalyn Gilsig, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Terri was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
(Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig is a Canadian actress known for her roles in the television series Boston Public, Nip/Tuck and as Will Schuester's ex-wife Terri Schuester in Glee...
). After their first performance however, Henri and Howard drop out and Will replaces them with glee club member Finn
Finn Hudson
Finn Hudson is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Cory Monteith, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...
), and football player Puck (Mark Salling). Former glee club director Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, as well as portraying Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood for nine episodes and Bob Bishop in Heroes for eleven episodes over the second and third seasons...
) also joins the group, having arranged for singer Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
to be at their next performance. Although the star compliments their rendition of "I Wanna Sex You Up
I Wanna Sex You Up
"I Wanna Sex You Up" is a hit single for R&B group Color Me Badd in 1991, released as the first single from their debut album C.M.B.. It achieved a huge success in the U.S., UK and New Zealand, where it reached #1 on the charts. It spent four weeks at No...
", he reveals that he only attended to ask Sandy to stop stalking him.
In Will's absence, the glee club hires Dakota Stanley (Whit Hertford
Whit Hertford
- Biography :His mother, Carol Hertford, raised Whit and his two younger sisters, Chelsea and Brighton in Oak Park, CA. He is the son of the late stage director, Bruce Hertford. He lives in Los Angeles.- Career :...
), a well-known choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, to help coach them to Nationals. Cheerleaders Quinn
Quinn Fabray
Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is a former cheerleader at the fictional William McKinley High School in...
(Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Quinn Fabray on the television series Glee.-Early life:Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California. She is the daughter of Mary and Ronald S. Agron, a general...
), Santana
Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
) and Brittany
Brittany Pierce
Brittany Susan Pierce is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Heather Morris, and has appeared in Glee from its second episode, "Showmance", first broadcast on September 9, 2009. Brittany was developed by Glee creators Ryan...
(Heather Morris) hope that the notoriously harsh Stanley will prompt some members of the club to quit, furthering their plan to sabotage the club. Although Stanley is heavily critical of the group, Rachel convinces the members that their differences give them a unique edge, and fires the choreographer. The cheerleaders also lead Mercedes to believe that Kurt has feelings for her, leaving her hurt when he rejects her advances. She believes he has feelings for Rachel
Rachel Berry (Glee)
Rachel Berry is a fictional character and de facto female lead from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Rachel was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad...
and angry at Kurt, Mercedes breaks the windshield of his car, and sings "Bust Your Windows
Bust Your Windows
"Bust Your Windows" is the second single by R&B singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan from her debut Grammy-nominated album Fearless. It was available as a digital download on Amazon.com in the U.S. on the September 16, 2008...
" He later confesses to her that he is gay, and the two make up. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
Sue Sylvester
Susan "Sue" Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Sue was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian...
(Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
) is angry that the club is now stronger than ever, and punishes Quinn and Santana. Quinn retaliates by thanking Sue for helping her realize that believing in herself negates the need to bring other people down. Will realizes that his passion is teaching, not performing, and resolves to recommit to the glee club.
Production
Recurring cast members who appear in "Acafellas" are Stephen TobolowskyStephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, as well as portraying Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood for nine episodes and Bob Bishop in Heroes for eleven episodes over the second and third seasons...
as former glee club director Sandy Ryerson, Patrick Gallagher
Patrick Gallagher (actor)
-Career:Gallagher is best known for his television roles as Det. Joe Finn in Da Vinci's Inquest, the alcohol salesman in Entourage, Leon in The Line, Farhod the Fierce in Pair of Kings, and Ken Tanaka in Glee, and his film roles as Awkward Davies in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World...
as football coach Ken Tanaka, Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba is a Pakistani-American actor. Theba currently has a recurring role as Principal Figgins in the show Glee.-Life and career:Theba became a familiar face in the 1990s when he appeared in various TV shows and commercials in the United States....
as Principal Figgins, Kent Avenido as Sheets and Things employee Howard Bamboo, and Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
and Heather Morris as glee club members Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
and Brittany Pierce
Brittany Pierce
Brittany Susan Pierce is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Heather Morris, and has appeared in Glee from its second episode, "Showmance", first broadcast on September 9, 2009. Brittany was developed by Glee creators Ryan...
. Whit Hertford
Whit Hertford
- Biography :His mother, Carol Hertford, raised Whit and his two younger sisters, Chelsea and Brighton in Oak Park, CA. He is the son of the late stage director, Bruce Hertford. He lives in Los Angeles.- Career :...
guest-starred as choreographer Dakota Stanley. Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
was originally supposed to play Dakota Stanley, but when he arrived in California he learned that he had the flu. John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Mills Young is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys. He is the only American actor to date to have received a Lead Actor in a Musical Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics...
played Henri, "a retired wood shop teacher with an excellent singing voice", and Victor Garber
Victor Garber
Victor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
and Debra Monk
Debra Monk
Debra Monk is an American actress, singer, and writer.Monk was born in Middletown, Ohio. She was voted "best personality" by the graduating class at Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. She graduated from Frostburg State University in 1963...
played Will's parents. Morrison was "thrilled" by Garber's casting, having been a longstanding fan of his. Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
received special guest star billing, playing, in Colfer's words, "himself as this ignorant asshole". Morrison's rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
in the episode was an already acquired skill, with Gilsig commenting: "He can do it. It didn't look like a joke, it actually looked totally authentic, and he was fantastic. I think he has just an amazing musical range. People like that who have been singing their whole lives, they have such a command of that." Riley deemed Kurt's coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
in the episode "very emotional" and "one of [her] favourite scenes". Colfer described the scene as "very respectful and very touching [...] very, very real and serious."
Music
The episode features cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
"For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as, a promotion, a birthday, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from that of the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre...
", "This Is How We Do It
This Is How We Do It
"This Is How We Do It" is a 1995 song by American R&B singer Montell Jordan. This song, Jordan's first single, is representative of the new jack swing style popular at the time, featuring Jordan singing over an enhanced sample of Slick Rick's "Children's Story." "This is How We Do It" was...
" by Montell Jordan
Montell Jordan
Montell Jordan is a former American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Jordan became the main solo male artist on its Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. Of his live performances it is often regarded that he is a rock oriented musician, with Jordan even going as far as to...
, "Poison
Poison (Bell Biv DeVoe song)
"Poison" is a 1990 single by the New Edition spinoff group, Bell Biv DeVoe. This song—in the style of New Jack Swing, a late-80s hybrid of R&B and hip hop—was the group's most successful, and sings of the dangers of falling in love. "Poison" was the first single taken from Bell Biv DeVoe's debut...
" by Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
, "Mercy
Mercy (song)
"Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...
" by Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
, "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan is an American recording artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is also the protégé of rapper Missy Elliott. Her debut single "Need U Bad" reached number one on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while her second single, "Bust Your Windows" peaked at number four...
, "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd
Color Me Badd
Color Me Badd was an R&B vocal group that was formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. The original members of the group were Bryan Abrams ; Mark Calderon ; Sam Watters and Kevin Thornton...
and an instrumental performance of "La Camisa Negra
La camisa negra
"La Camisa Negra" is a Spanish rock song written by Colombian singer-songwriter Octavio Mesa and recorded by Juanes for his third studio album Mi Sangre...
" by Juanes
Juanes
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez , better known as Juanes is a Colombian musician who was a member of heavy metal band Ekhymosis and is now a solo artist. In 2000, his solo debut album Fíjate Bien won three Latin Grammy Awards.Juanes has sold more than 13 million albums...
. Studio recording
Studio recording
The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance.-Studio cast recordings:...
s of "Bust Your Windows" and "Mercy" were released as singles, available for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
. "Bust Your Windows" is also featured on the soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical television series Glee, which airs on Fox in the United States. It features cover versions from the first nine episodes of the first season and was released on November 2, 2009 by Columbia Records and 20th...
, with a studio recording of "I Wanna Sex You Up" included as a bonus track on discs purchased from Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
.
Reception
Pilot (Glee)
"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the television series Glee, which premiered on the Fox network on May 19, 2009. An extended director's cut version aired on September 2, 2009. The show focuses on a high school show choir, also known as a glee club, set within the fictional William McKinley High...
, and was watched by 1.68 million viewers (1.29 million on E4, and 398,000 on timeshift), becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week.
The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Tim Stack for Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
reviewed the episode positively, deeming it potentially even better than the season premiere
Showmance
"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...
. Stack wrote that the best aspect of the episode was the focus placed on previously more minor characters, such as Puck, Mercedes and Kurt. He praised Lynch as Sue and wrote, "Stephen Tobolowsky’s Sandy is also becoming one of the most reliable characters for great lines and laughs." He was disappointed that Garber did not sing in his role as Will's father, but hoped he would return for future episodes. Ryan Brockington for the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
stated that "the key to this show lies directly within the female leads", praising Michele as Rachel, Agron as Quinn and Riley as Mercedes, noting that in "Acafellas", Riley "finally got a chance to shine". Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
praised Riley's rendition of "Bust Your Windows
Bust Your Windows
"Bust Your Windows" is the second single by R&B singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan from her debut Grammy-nominated album Fearless. It was available as a digital download on Amazon.com in the U.S. on the September 16, 2008...
" as "showstopping", Vocal Adrenaline's "Mercy
Mercy (song)
"Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...
" as "leg-splits-over-shoulders exciting", and deemed the Acafellas performance of "I Wanna Sex You Up
I Wanna Sex You Up
"I Wanna Sex You Up" is a hit single for R&B group Color Me Badd in 1991, released as the first single from their debut album C.M.B.. It achieved a huge success in the U.S., UK and New Zealand, where it reached #1 on the charts. It spent four weeks at No...
" "corny" but noted: "this is about high school. Corny is de rigueur." Shawna Malcom for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
wrote that although "Bust Your Windows" was "over the top [...] the emotion behind the whole thing felt appropriately real."
Mike Hale of the New York Times was critical of the episode, discussing the show's "increasingly rapid march toward Hallmark
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
country." He commented that while "Acafellas" did not match the standard of the pilot episode
Pilot (Glee)
"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the television series Glee, which premiered on the Fox network on May 19, 2009. An extended director's cut version aired on September 2, 2009. The show focuses on a high school show choir, also known as a glee club, set within the fictional William McKinley High...
, it was funnier than "Showmance
Showmance
"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...
", and praised the return of Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, as well as portraying Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood for nine episodes and Bob Bishop in Heroes for eleven episodes over the second and third seasons...
as Sandy Ryerson. Hale called Groban's cameo the "most fun of all" in the episode, but overall noted that: "The humor can’t make up for the lack of big production numbers [...] The problem for this show is always going to be how to fill the gaps between songs. A lot of the current plot lines, like Will and his wife's phantom baby, are already getting old, so it would behoove the producers to keep those gaps as short as possible." Rachel Ray, reviewing the episode for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
deemed Glee "overhyped [...] uninspired, confusing and with a simple plot to boot." Ray wrote, Glee "upbeat message" was "overridden by the show's attempt to be darker than the run-of-the mill high school drama." As with Hale, Ray commented that: "Music should be the redeeming feature of Glee but it's not, because the viewer never gets a satisfying taste of the cast members' musical talents". Shawna Malcom criticized Terri and Will's characterization in the episode, deeming Terri "beyond annoying", but wrote: "I have confidence that creator Ryan Murphy will flesh out Jessalyn Gilsig’s character over time. Her seemingly sincere apology to Will for not being more supportive of his boy band was a nice first step." Of Will, Malcom posed the question: "didn’t it feel as though his commitment to the glee club melted away rather quickly? [...] How could he turn his back so easily?" More positively, Malcom called Kurt's coming out scene "lovely". She wrote that Groban's appearance was "laugh out loud" funny, while Stack commented: "It was a little random, but it's all worth it for the scene when Groban was hitting on Will's mom."
External links
- "Acafellas" at Fox.comFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...