Mash-Up (Glee)
Encyclopedia
"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
(Matthew Morrison
) attempt to create a wedding medley in the style of a mash-up
for his colleagues Emma
(Jayma Mays
) and Ken (Patrick Gallagher
). Students Finn
(Cory Monteith
) and Quinn
(Dianna Agron
) find that they are no longer considered popular, while glee club members Rachel (Lea Michele
) and Puck (Mark Salling) become romantically involved, as do cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
) and local news anchor Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones).
The episode features covers of five songs. Studio recording
s of three of the songs were released as singles
, available for digital download
, and three are included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1
. Neil Diamond
was hesitant about licensing his song "Sweet Caroline
" to the show, but was convinced by series music producer P.J. Bloom and ultimately enjoyed the performance given by Salling. The episode was watched by 7.24 million US viewers. Musical performances received mixed reviews from critics. The Wall Street Journal
Raymund Flandez described "Mash-Up" as a "turning point" for Glee, praising the episode for its character development.
Meanwhile, club members Quinn and Finn have grape slushies thrown in their faces by the other students ready to take them down as they are no longer untouchable because of their high status. Their popularity has slipped due to Quinn's pregnancy and their partaking in the glee club. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester falls in love with Rod Remington, one of her local news co-workers, and makes amends with her adversary, Will. Her relationship fails, however when she discovers that Rod is cheating on her. Returning to form, Sue removes Quinn from the cheerleading squad because of her pregnancy. When Puck's mother encourages him to date a Jewish girl, Puck begins to court Rachel. At first she excuses herself by saying she needs a strong male role who can perform a solo. As a result, Puck sings "Sweet Caroline" as his first solo to the glee club, dedicating it to Rachel, sealing the relationship. The two ultimately break up as a result of Rachel's feelings for Finn and Puck's feelings for Quinn. Ken reverses his ultimatum after a conversation with a dismayed Finn, and allows the football players to return to glee club.
and directed by Elodie Keene
. Recurring characters who appear in the episode are glee club
members Brittany (Heather Morris), Santana Lopez
(Naya Rivera
), Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.
) and Matt Rutherford (Dijon Talton), athletes Lipoff (Zack Lively
), Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) and Azimo (James Earl, III), football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
), and local news anchors Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones) and Andrea Carmichael (Earlene Davis). Gina Hecht
guest-stars as Puck's mother.
The episode features covers of "Bust a Move" by Young MC
, Sisqó
's "Thong Song
", Neil Diamond
's "Sweet Caroline
", "I Could Have Danced All Night
" from the musical My Fair Lady
, and "What a Girl Wants
" by Christina Aguilera
. An instrumental version of "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" by Louis Prima
is used in the scene which sees Will teach Sue how to swing dance. Diamond had some reluctance over licensing "Sweet Caroline" to the show, and retracted clearance after the performance had already been recorded. Glee music supervisor P.J. Bloom was able to convince him to reverse his decision, and Diamond went on to also license his song "Hello Again
" for use on the show at a later date. Following the episode's broadcast, Diamond posted his approval on the social networking website Twitter
, writing: "Hey, so who's this guy Puck singing "Sweet Caroline" so good, so good, so good on #Glee? Loved it!!".
Studio recording
s of "Bust a Move", "Thong Song" and "Sweet Caroline" were released as singles
, available for digital download
. "Bust a Move" charted at number 93 in the US and 78 in Canada, while "Sweet Caroline" charted at number 34 in the US, 22 in Canada and 37 in Australia. "Bust a Move" and "Sweet Caroline" are included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 1
, with a studio recording of "I Could Have Danced All Night" included as a bonus track on discs purchased from Target
.
Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
described the episode as "a turning point for Glee", commenting that although there had previously been criticism of many of the characters for being "one note", this episode demonstrated that was not the case, showing that Will
has a playful side, Sue
has feelings, and Puck is able to "emerge from his bonehead-punk exterior". Andrea Reiher of Zap2it
was glad that Will's wife Terri
did not appear in the episode, commenting: "I like Jessalyn Gilsig
but that character drives me outhouse-rat crazy." Eric Goldman for IGN
rated the episode 8.2/10, writing that he wished Sue's relationship with Rod could have lasted more than one episode, as: "it would have been amusing to see happy, in love Sue a bit longer, before her inevitable return to evil."
Musical performances in "Mash-Up" received mixed reviews. Joal Ryan for E! Online criticized the show's "overproduced soundtrack", writing that Monteith was being edited to sound like Cher
, and that when Morrison sang "The Thong Song" and "Bust a Move", "he sounded like he was in a music video, not a suburban high school." He enjoyed Michele's "What a Girl Wants", calling her singing "raw and lovely". Entertainment Weekly
Michael Slezak criticized the "Bust A Move" performance, writing that Morrison gave a "pale imitation" of the Young M.C. original. He was slightly more positive regarding the "Thong Song" performance, feeling that Morrison had "a slightly less overwrought vocal than Sisqó", and observed that Salling did "more than a serviceable job" on "Sweet Caroline". Fellow Entertainment Weekly writer Dan Snierson called Morrison's performances "pretty impressive", and MTV
's Aly Semigran also enjoyed them, writing: "We want more!". Goldman too was positive regarding Morrison's performances, noting: "There is of course something completely dorky about seeing this guy perform these songs, but Morrison infuses Will with such enjoyment in what he's doing, he completely sells it."
Glee's writers have also been praised for the episode's comedic content; one particular joke (performed by Jane Lynch
as Sue Sylvester
) was called an "instant classic" by television writer/producer Jane Espenson
. According to Espenson:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series Glee
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 October 21, 2009. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan
Ian Brennan (writer)
Ian Brennan is a television writer, actor and producer. He is best known for his work on the television show Glee.-Early life:Brennan is the son of John and Charman Brennan. His sister, Sarah Brennan, is one of the founders of in Chicago...
and directed by Elodie Keene
Elodie Keene
Elodie Keene is an American film/television director, producer and editor. As a television director her credits include ER, NYPD Blue, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Charmed, Felicity, The Wire, House, M.D., The Closer, Nip/Tuck and among other series.She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards, two for...
. 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...
) attempt to create a wedding medley in the style of a mash-up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
for his colleagues Emma
Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Portrayed by actress Jayma Mays, Emma has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Jayma Mays
Jayma Mays
Jayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
) and Ken (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...
). Students 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 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...
) find that they are no longer considered popular, while glee club members Rachel (Lea Michele
Lea 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...
) and Puck (Mark Salling) become romantically involved, as do 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...
) and local news anchor Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones).
The episode features covers of five songs. 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 three of the songs were released as singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, 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 three are included 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...
. Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
was hesitant about licensing his song "Sweet Caroline
Sweet Caroline
"Sweet Caroline" is a pop song written and performed by Neil Diamond and officially released on September 16, 1969, as a single. It was later released on December 9, 1972 as a part of Diamond's Hot August Night album. There are three distinct mixes of this song...
" to the show, but was convinced by series music producer P.J. Bloom and ultimately enjoyed the performance given by Salling. The episode was watched by 7.24 million US viewers. Musical performances received mixed reviews from critics. 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....
Raymund Flandez described "Mash-Up" as a "turning point" for Glee, praising the episode for its character development.
Plot
School football coach Ken Tanaka and Emma Pillsbury ask glee club director Will Schuester to produce a mash-up for their wedding, using "Thong Song" and "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady. Ken senses that Emma would rather be with Will instead of him, so gives the football-playing glee club members an ultimatum by scheduling football practice on the same day as glee rehearsals.Meanwhile, club members Quinn and Finn have grape slushies thrown in their faces by the other students ready to take them down as they are no longer untouchable because of their high status. Their popularity has slipped due to Quinn's pregnancy and their partaking in the glee club. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester falls in love with Rod Remington, one of her local news co-workers, and makes amends with her adversary, Will. Her relationship fails, however when she discovers that Rod is cheating on her. Returning to form, Sue removes Quinn from the cheerleading squad because of her pregnancy. When Puck's mother encourages him to date a Jewish girl, Puck begins to court Rachel. At first she excuses herself by saying she needs a strong male role who can perform a solo. As a result, Puck sings "Sweet Caroline" as his first solo to the glee club, dedicating it to Rachel, sealing the relationship. The two ultimately break up as a result of Rachel's feelings for Finn and Puck's feelings for Quinn. Ken reverses his ultimatum after a conversation with a dismayed Finn, and allows the football players to return to glee club.
Production
"Mash-Up" was written by series creator Ian BrennanIan Brennan (writer)
Ian Brennan is a television writer, actor and producer. He is best known for his work on the television show Glee.-Early life:Brennan is the son of John and Charman Brennan. His sister, Sarah Brennan, is one of the founders of in Chicago...
and directed by Elodie Keene
Elodie Keene
Elodie Keene is an American film/television director, producer and editor. As a television director her credits include ER, NYPD Blue, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Charmed, Felicity, The Wire, House, M.D., The Closer, Nip/Tuck and among other series.She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards, two for...
. Recurring characters who appear in the episode are 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...
members Brittany (Heather Morris), 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...
(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:...
), Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...
) and Matt Rutherford (Dijon Talton), athletes Lipoff (Zack Lively
Zack Lively
Zack Lively is an American actor best known for his role as Heath on ABC Family's GRΣΣK. Zack was born in Nampa, Idaho.- Television :* NCIS as Conrad Zuse* Cold Case as Kevin Harkin* Three Rivers as Chad...
), Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) and Azimo (James Earl, III), 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...
), and local news anchors Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones) and Andrea Carmichael (Earlene Davis). Gina Hecht
Gina Hecht
-Television:* 1979–1981: Mork & Mindy .... Jean DaVinci* 1979: Hizzonner .... Melanie* 1987: Everything's Relative .... Emily Cabot* 1988: HeartBeat .... Patty* 1989: Baywatch: "Panic at Malibu Pier" .... Gina Pomeroy...
guest-stars as Puck's mother.
The episode features covers of "Bust a Move" by Young MC
Young MC
Marvin Young , better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move"...
, Sisqó
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
's "Thong Song
Thong Song
"Thong Song" is a 2000 song recorded by Sisqó of Dru Hill for the Def Soul imprint of Def Jam. The song was issued as the second single from Sisqó's Unleash the Dragon LP in February 2000, and was its second biggest hit....
", Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
's "Sweet Caroline
Sweet Caroline
"Sweet Caroline" is a pop song written and performed by Neil Diamond and officially released on September 16, 1969, as a single. It was later released on December 9, 1972 as a part of Diamond's Hot August Night album. There are three distinct mixes of this song...
", "I Could Have Danced All Night
I Could Have Danced All Night
"I Could Have Danced All Night" is a song from the musical My Fair Lady, with music written by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, published in 1956...
" from the musical My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, and "What a Girl Wants
What a Girl Wants (song)
"What a Girl Wants" is the second single performed by Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut album. The song was released on November 28, 1999, which was ten days after Aguilera's nineteenth birthday. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 15, 2000 for two weeks,...
" by Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
. An instrumental version of "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" by Louis Prima
Louis Prima
Louis Prima was a Sicilian American singer, actor, songwriter, and trumpeter. Prima rode the musical trends of his time, starting with his seven-piece New Orleans style jazz band in the 1920s, then successively leading a swing combo in the 1930s, a big band in the 1940s, a Vegas lounge act in the...
is used in the scene which sees Will teach Sue how to swing dance. Diamond had some reluctance over licensing "Sweet Caroline" to the show, and retracted clearance after the performance had already been recorded. Glee music supervisor P.J. Bloom was able to convince him to reverse his decision, and Diamond went on to also license his song "Hello Again
The Jazz Singer (soundtrack)
The Jazz Singer is an album by Neil Diamond from 1980, which served as soundtrack album to the 1980 remake of the film The Jazz Singer. The soundtrack was released in November 1980 originally on Capitol Records. EMI Films produced the film...
" for use on the show at a later date. Following the episode's broadcast, Diamond posted his approval on the social networking website Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, writing: "Hey, so who's this guy Puck singing "Sweet Caroline" so good, so good, so good on #Glee? Loved it!!".
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 a Move", "Thong Song" and "Sweet Caroline" were released as singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, 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 a Move" charted at number 93 in the US and 78 in Canada, while "Sweet Caroline" charted at number 34 in the US, 22 in Canada and 37 in Australia. "Bust a Move" and "Sweet Caroline" are included 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...
, with a studio recording of "I Could Have Danced All Night" 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
"Mash-Up" was watched by 7.24 million US viewers, and attained a 3.2/8 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. It was the nineteenth most watched show in Canada for the week, with 1.52 million viewers. In the UK, the episode was watched by 2.053 million viewers (1.601 million on E4, and 452,000 on E4 +1), becoming the most-watched show on E4 and E4 +1 for the week, and one of the most-watched shows on cable for the week.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....
described the episode as "a turning point for Glee", commenting that although there had previously been criticism of many of the characters for being "one note", this episode demonstrated that was not the case, showing that Will
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...
has a playful side, Sue
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...
has feelings, and Puck is able to "emerge from his bonehead-punk exterior". Andrea Reiher of Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
was glad that 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...
did not appear in the episode, commenting: "I like 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...
but that character drives me outhouse-rat crazy." Eric Goldman for IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
rated the episode 8.2/10, writing that he wished Sue's relationship with Rod could have lasted more than one episode, as: "it would have been amusing to see happy, in love Sue a bit longer, before her inevitable return to evil."
Musical performances in "Mash-Up" received mixed reviews. Joal Ryan for E! Online criticized the show's "overproduced soundtrack", writing that Monteith was being edited to sound like Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, and that when Morrison sang "The Thong Song" and "Bust a Move", "he sounded like he was in a music video, not a suburban high school." He enjoyed Michele's "What a Girl Wants", calling her singing "raw and lovely". 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...
Michael Slezak criticized the "Bust A Move" performance, writing that Morrison gave a "pale imitation" of the Young M.C. original. He was slightly more positive regarding the "Thong Song" performance, feeling that Morrison had "a slightly less overwrought vocal than Sisqó", and observed that Salling did "more than a serviceable job" on "Sweet Caroline". Fellow Entertainment Weekly writer Dan Snierson called Morrison's performances "pretty impressive", and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Aly Semigran also enjoyed them, writing: "We want more!". Goldman too was positive regarding Morrison's performances, noting: "There is of course something completely dorky about seeing this guy perform these songs, but Morrison infuses Will with such enjoyment in what he's doing, he completely sells it."
Glee's writers have also been praised for the episode's comedic content; one particular joke (performed by 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...
as 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...
) was called an "instant classic" by television writer/producer Jane Espenson
Jane Espenson
Jane Espenson is an American script writer and television producer who has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shared a Hugo Award for her writing on the episode "Conversations with Dead People"...
. According to Espenson:
External links
- "Mash-Up" 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...