Sectionals
Encyclopedia
"Sectionals" is the 13th episode of the American
television series Glee
. It premiered on the Fox
network on December 9, 2009. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Brad Falchuk
, and serves as the mid-season finale for the show's first season
. "Sectionals" sees the glee club
win the sectionals round of competition, advancing on to regionals. Glee club member Finn
(Cory Monteith
) discovers he is not the father of his girlfriend Quinn's
(Dianna Agron
) baby. Football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
) breaks up with his fiancée Emma
(Jayma Mays
) over her feelings for glee club director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
). Will leaves his wife Terri
(Jessalyn Gilsig
), and shares a kiss with Emma. The episode sees the return of Eve and Michael Hitchcock
as rival glee club directors Grace Hitchens and Dalton Rumba.
The episode features covers
of six songs, studio recording
s of four of which were released as single
s, available for digital download
, and are also included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 2
. "Sectionals" was watched by 8.127 million U.S. viewers, and received mostly positive reviews from critics. The episode's musical performances attracted praise, as did the development of Will and Emma's relationship, though Dan Snierson of Entertainment Weekly
suggested it may have been preferable to leave their romance unresolved. James Poniewozik of Time
felt that by concluding the pregnancy storyline in "Sectionals", Glee was able to "clear the decks for a second half of the season as the confident show it now is".
competition rules, glee club director Will Schuester is not allowed to accompany New Directions to sectionals. Guidance counsellor Emma Pillsbury postpones her own wedding by a few hours so that she can take the club in his place, although her fiancé, football coach Ken Tanaka, feels she is choosing Will over him.
Most of the glee club has learned that Puck
(Mark Salling), not Finn, is the father of Quinn's baby. They hide this fact from Rachel (Lea Michele
), believing that she will tell Finn. Emma takes over as faculty advisor of the club as they start working on their set list
for sectionals. With two group songs selected, Rachel says that she'll sing the solo ballad; Mercedes
(Amber Riley
) strenuously objects to this, and sings "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
" to wild applause. Rachel agrees that Mercedes deserves to sing the solo and the two hug. Meanwhile, Rachel has deduced that Puck impregnated Quinn and tells Finn; he attacks Puck and confronts Quinn, who tearfully admits the truth. Angered by their betrayal, Finn quits the club on the eve of sectionals, and has to be replaced by school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman
). New Directions arrive at the event to discover their competitors have received an advance copy of their set list, and are performing all three of their chosen songs. Emma calls Will, who convinces Finn to help his New Directions teammates. Emma then confronts rival choir directors Grace Hitchens (Eve) and Dalton Rumba (Michael Hitchcock
), while New Directions chooses new performance pieces for their set list at the last minute, including "Somebody to Love
" as their closer, and are aided by the return of Finn, who has brought new sheet music with him. Rachel asks Mercedes to perform another ballad, but Mercedes insists, with the rest of the club agreeing, that Rachel is the best choice to perform "on the fly
". She gives a solo performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade
", receiving a standing ovation after finishing. The group then performs "You Can't Always Get What You Want
" by the Rolling Stones, to the applause and cheers of the audience. After their performance, Grace attempts to confess her duplicity to the judges, but they have already unanimously decided that New Directions has won the competition.
Having previously discovered that his wife Terri was faking her pregnancy, Will tells her he no longer feels the same way he did when they first fell in love. He later attends Ken and Emma's delayed wedding, only to find that Ken has ended the relationship as a result of Emma's feelings for Will. She announces her intention to leave McKinley High School, explaining that it will be too painful for her to carry on working with Will and Ken. Back at school, Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
) suspends cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
) for leaking the glee club's set list, and has Will reinstated as the director of New Directions. The glee club members show Will their trophy and perform "My Life Would Suck Without You
" for him. As Emma prepares to leave the school, Will chases after her and stops her with a kiss. Both are happy, but uncertain of what will happen next.
for a thirteen episode run, culminating with "Sectionals". On September 21, 2009, the network announced an extension of the first season
, ordering a further nine episodes. "Sectionals" therefore serves as the mid-season finale, with the remainder of the season airing from April 13, 2010. Events in "Sectionals" are influenced by the season's eleventh episode "Hairography
", in which cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester gave New Directions' competition set-list to their rival glee clubs. Morrison explained that the clubs perform New Directions' songs first, making it appear that they are copying them, so New Directions "have to do this impromptu thing and fly by the seat of [their] pants." Morrison has called "Sectionals" "the best episode" of the series.
"Sectionals" was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk
. 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), football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
), school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman
), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
) and local news anchor Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones). Anna Camp
and Patricia Forte guest star as sectionals judges Candace Dykstra and Donna Landries, Peter Choi is the Emcee, and Thomasina Gross plays Perfect Engleberger, a member of the Jane Addams Academy glee club. "Sectionals" also sees the return of Eve and Michael Hitchcock
as rival glee club directors Grace Hitchens and Dalton Rumba. Eve was offered the role of Grace after Whitney Houston
declined to appear.
The episode features cover version
s of "Don't Rain on My Parade
" by Barbra Streisand
, "You Can't Always Get What You Want
" by The Rolling Stones
, "My Life Would Suck Without You
" by Kelly Clarkson
, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
" from Dreamgirls, "Don't Stop Believin'
by Journey
and "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
. Studio recording
s of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", "Don't Rain on My Parade", "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "My Life Would Suck Without You" were released as singles
in December 2009, available for download
. They are also included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 2
. "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" charted at number 85 in Canada and 94 in the US, while "Don't Rain on My Parade" charted at number 59 in Canada and 53 in the US. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" charted at number 51 in Canada and 71 in the US, and "My Life Would Suck Without You" charted at number 66 in Australia, 40 in Canada and 51 in the US. Jenna Ushkowitz named "You Can't Always Get What You Want" one of her favorite songs on the album, deeming the original "a classic" and the Glee cover "emotional" as one of the final songs of the original run of episodes. The performance of "My Life Would Suck Without You" showcased choreography from numerous performances from earlier episodes.
"Sectionals" received mostly positive reviews from critics. TV Guide
Natalie Abrams felt it ended the beginning of the season on a "high note", while Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
commented: "You couldn’t have asked for a better cliffhanger of a fall finale". IGN
's Eric Goldman rated the episode 9/10, calling it "very satisfying", and Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times
commended it as "fine television." James Poniewozik of Time
wrote: "I'm not sure I expected or wanted a feel-good ending out of the first half of Glee. But what we got from "Sectionals" left me feeling very good about where the show is going this spring." In contrast, Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
, felt that the episode brought too many storylines to a head at once, "not allowing all to have as much impact as they might have had the big developments been spaced out". Sepinwall commented, however, that the acting and especially singing performances were "uniformly strong."
Musical performances in the episode attracted praise. Aly Semigran of MTV
called Riley's rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" "goose bump-inducing", while Goldman commended: "Riley absolutely killed it as Mercedes belted out that song". In contrast, Poniewozik wrote that it was the one song choice he didn't like, feeling that it is overused, thus diminishing its impact. Abrams deemed Rachel's solo performance at sectionals "amazing", and Flandez recommended: "Watch it again if you ever want to take back three minutes of your life that you’ve wasted on something else." Pardue called the group performance of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" "energetic [...] casual [...] and very Glee", but felt it "would have been nice" to feature different singers. Dan Snierson for Entertainment Weekly
similarly noted that he would have preferred "more vocal interplay between all group members".
Critics also commented positively on the development of Will and Emma's relationship, with Abrams noting that she had been waiting for them to kiss since the pilot episode, and Goldman deeming their coming together "very hard to not feel good about". Snierson, however, wrote that although there was satisfaction in the episode ending on the kiss, it may have been "more intriguing" to conclude with Will finding Emma's office empty, questioning whether it was too soon for the two of them to begin a relationship. The end of Quinn's pregnancy secret was also well-received. Poniewozik wrote that the pregnancy storyline had felt as though "the early Glee wasn't confident that people would be interested in it without these over-the-top soap opera twists." He noted that in concluding the pregnancy deception in "Sectionals", Glee: "seemed to clear the decks for a second half of the season as the confident show it now is."
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...
. It 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 December 9, 2009. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
, and serves as the mid-season finale for the show's first season
Glee (season 1)
The first season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired on Fox in the United States. The pilot episode was broadcast as an advanced preview of the series on May 19, 2009, with the remainder of the season airing between September 9, 2009 and June 8, 2010...
. "Sectionals" sees the 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...
win the sectionals round of competition, advancing on to regionals. 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:...
) discovers he is not the father of his girlfriend Quinn's
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...
) baby. 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...
) breaks up with his fiancée 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...
) over her feelings for glee club 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...
). Will leaves his 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...
), and shares a kiss with Emma. The episode sees the return of Eve and Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.In 2011, Hitchcock became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the FOX television series Glee, where he had guest starred in season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba.As an actor, he has...
as rival glee club directors Grace Hitchens and Dalton Rumba.
The episode features covers
Cover 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...
of six 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 four of which were released as single
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...
s, 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 are also included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 2
Glee: The Music, Volume 2
Glee: The Music, Volume 2 is the second soundtrack album by the cast of the American musical television series Glee, featuring songs from episodes nine to thirteen of the show's first season. It was first released on December 4, 2009 in Australia by Columbia Records...
. "Sectionals" was watched by 8.127 million U.S. viewers, and received mostly positive reviews from critics. The episode's musical performances attracted praise, as did the development of Will and Emma's relationship, though Dan Snierson of 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...
suggested it may have been preferable to leave their romance unresolved. James Poniewozik of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
felt that by concluding the pregnancy storyline in "Sectionals", Glee was able to "clear the decks for a second half of the season as the confident show it now is".
Plot
As a result of a technicality in the show choirShow choir
A show choir is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.-History:...
competition rules, glee club director Will Schuester is not allowed to accompany New Directions to sectionals. Guidance counsellor Emma Pillsbury postpones her own wedding by a few hours so that she can take the club in his place, although her fiancé, football coach Ken Tanaka, feels she is choosing Will over him.
Most of the glee club has learned that Puck
Puck (Glee)
Noah "Puck" Puckerman is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Mark Salling, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Puck was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
(Mark Salling), not Finn, is the father of Quinn's baby. They hide this fact from 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...
), believing that she will tell Finn. Emma takes over as faculty advisor of the club as they start working on their set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
for sectionals. With two group songs selected, Rachel says that she'll sing the solo ballad; 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:...
) strenuously objects to this, and sings "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is a torch song from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger...
" to wild applause. Rachel agrees that Mercedes deserves to sing the solo and the two hug. Meanwhile, Rachel has deduced that Puck impregnated Quinn and tells Finn; he attacks Puck and confronts Quinn, who tearfully admits the truth. Angered by their betrayal, Finn quits the club on the eve of sectionals, and has to be replaced by school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman
Josh Sussman
Josh Sussman is an American actor, best known for his role as Hugh Normous in Wizards of Waverly Place and his role as Jacob Ben Israel in Glee.-Biography:Sussman grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey...
). New Directions arrive at the event to discover their competitors have received an advance copy of their set list, and are performing all three of their chosen songs. Emma calls Will, who convinces Finn to help his New Directions teammates. Emma then confronts rival choir directors Grace Hitchens (Eve) and Dalton Rumba (Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.In 2011, Hitchcock became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the FOX television series Glee, where he had guest starred in season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba.As an actor, he has...
), while New Directions chooses new performance pieces for their set list at the last minute, including "Somebody to Love
Somebody to Love (Queen song)
"Somebody to Love" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by lead vocalist and pianist Freddie Mercury, the track featured on their 1976 album A Day at the Races, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
" as their closer, and are aided by the return of Finn, who has brought new sheet music with him. Rachel asks Mercedes to perform another ballad, but Mercedes insists, with the rest of the club agreeing, that Rachel is the best choice to perform "on the fly
On the fly
-Colloquial usage:In colloquial use, on the fly means something created when needed. The phrase is used to mean:# something that was not planned ahead# changes that are made during the execution of same activity: ex tempore, impromptu.-Automotive usage:...
". She gives a solo performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade
Don't Rain on My Parade
"Don't Rain On My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra Streisand performing the song. It has since become one of...
", receiving a standing ovation after finishing. The group then performs "You Can't Always Get What You Want
You Can't Always Get What You Want
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by The Rolling Stones released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written primarily by Mick Jagger with assistance from Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in its 2004 list of "500 Greatest Songs of All...
" by the Rolling Stones, to the applause and cheers of the audience. After their performance, Grace attempts to confess her duplicity to the judges, but they have already unanimously decided that New Directions has won the competition.
Having previously discovered that his wife Terri was faking her pregnancy, Will tells her he no longer feels the same way he did when they first fell in love. He later attends Ken and Emma's delayed wedding, only to find that Ken has ended the relationship as a result of Emma's feelings for Will. She announces her intention to leave McKinley High School, explaining that it will be too painful for her to carry on working with Will and Ken. Back at school, Principal Figgins (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....
) suspends 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...
) for leaking the glee club's set list, and has Will reinstated as the director of New Directions. The glee club members show Will their trophy and perform "My Life Would Suck Without You
My Life Would Suck Without You
"My Life Would Suck Without You" is a song performed by American pop rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson. It is the first single from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted. Dr. Luke and Max Martin, writers of her hit "Since U Been Gone", co-produced and co-wrote the song. Claude Kelly also...
" for him. As Emma prepares to leave the school, Will chases after her and stops her with a kiss. Both are happy, but uncertain of what will happen next.
Production
Glee was originally commissioned by FoxFox 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...
for a thirteen episode run, culminating with "Sectionals". On September 21, 2009, the network announced an extension of the first season
Glee (season 1)
The first season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired on Fox in the United States. The pilot episode was broadcast as an advanced preview of the series on May 19, 2009, with the remainder of the season airing between September 9, 2009 and June 8, 2010...
, ordering a further nine episodes. "Sectionals" therefore serves as the mid-season finale, with the remainder of the season airing from April 13, 2010. Events in "Sectionals" are influenced by the season's eleventh episode "Hairography
Hairography
"Hairography" is the eleventh episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on November 25, 2009. It was written by series creator Ian Brennan and directed by Bill D'Elia. The episode introduces New Directions' rival glee clubs, the Jane Addams Girls Choir...
", in which cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester gave New Directions' competition set-list to their rival glee clubs. Morrison explained that the clubs perform New Directions' songs first, making it appear that they are copying them, so New Directions "have to do this impromptu thing and fly by the seat of [their] pants." Morrison has called "Sectionals" "the best episode" of the series.
"Sectionals" was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
. Recurring characters who appear in the episode are glee club 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
Mike Chang
Michael "Mike" Chang, Jr. is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor and dancer Harry Shum, Jr., and has appeared on Glee since the fourth episode in the first season, "Preggers", first broadcast on September 23, 2009...
(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), 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...
), school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman
Josh Sussman
Josh Sussman is an American actor, best known for his role as Hugh Normous in Wizards of Waverly Place and his role as Jacob Ben Israel in Glee.-Biography:Sussman grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey...
), Principal Figgins (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....
) and local news anchor Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones). Anna Camp
Anna Camp
Anna Ragsdale Camp is an American stage and television actress. She is known for her role as Jill Mason in the 2008 Broadway revival of Equus and for her role as Sarah Newlin in the HBO television drama series True Blood....
and Patricia Forte guest star as sectionals judges Candace Dykstra and Donna Landries, Peter Choi is the Emcee, and Thomasina Gross plays Perfect Engleberger, a member of the Jane Addams Academy glee club. "Sectionals" also sees the return of Eve and Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.In 2011, Hitchcock became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the FOX television series Glee, where he had guest starred in season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba.As an actor, he has...
as rival glee club directors Grace Hitchens and Dalton Rumba. Eve was offered the role of Grace after Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
declined to appear.
The episode features cover version
Cover 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 "Don't Rain on My Parade
Don't Rain on My Parade
"Don't Rain On My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra Streisand performing the song. It has since become one of...
" by Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, "You Can't Always Get What You Want
You Can't Always Get What You Want
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by The Rolling Stones released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written primarily by Mick Jagger with assistance from Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in its 2004 list of "500 Greatest Songs of All...
" by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, "My Life Would Suck Without You
My Life Would Suck Without You
"My Life Would Suck Without You" is a song performed by American pop rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson. It is the first single from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted. Dr. Luke and Max Martin, writers of her hit "Since U Been Gone", co-produced and co-wrote the song. Claude Kelly also...
" by Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is a torch song from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger...
" from Dreamgirls, "Don't Stop Believin'
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin is a popular song by the American rock band Journey, originally released as a single from their 1981 album Escape, which became a #9 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release. It re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2009 as a result of increased prominence of digital...
by Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
and "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various 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 "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", "Don't Rain on My Parade", "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "My Life Would Suck Without You" 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...
in December 2009, available for 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...
. They are also included on the album Glee: The Music, Volume 2
Glee: The Music, Volume 2
Glee: The Music, Volume 2 is the second soundtrack album by the cast of the American musical television series Glee, featuring songs from episodes nine to thirteen of the show's first season. It was first released on December 4, 2009 in Australia by Columbia Records...
. "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" charted at number 85 in Canada and 94 in the US, while "Don't Rain on My Parade" charted at number 59 in Canada and 53 in the US. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" charted at number 51 in Canada and 71 in the US, and "My Life Would Suck Without You" charted at number 66 in Australia, 40 in Canada and 51 in the US. Jenna Ushkowitz named "You Can't Always Get What You Want" one of her favorite songs on the album, deeming the original "a classic" and the Glee cover "emotional" as one of the final songs of the original run of episodes. The performance of "My Life Would Suck Without You" showcased choreography from numerous performances from earlier episodes.
Reception
The episode was watched by 8.127 million US viewers. It was the show's highest-rated episode ever with teenagers, and its season high in the 18-49 demographic, with a rating/share of 3.7/9. In Canada, it was the tenth most watched show for the week of broadcast, attaining 1.64 million viewers."Sectionals" received mostly positive reviews from critics. TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Natalie Abrams felt it ended the beginning of the season on a "high note", while 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....
commented: "You couldn’t have asked for a better cliffhanger of a fall finale". 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...
's Eric Goldman rated the episode 9/10, calling it "very satisfying", and Gerrick Kennedy of 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....
commended it as "fine television." James Poniewozik of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
wrote: "I'm not sure I expected or wanted a feel-good ending out of the first half of Glee. But what we got from "Sectionals" left me feeling very good about where the show is going this spring." In contrast, Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
, felt that the episode brought too many storylines to a head at once, "not allowing all to have as much impact as they might have had the big developments been spaced out". Sepinwall commented, however, that the acting and especially singing performances were "uniformly strong."
Musical performances in the episode attracted praise. Aly Semigran of 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....
called Riley's rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" "goose bump-inducing", while Goldman commended: "Riley absolutely killed it as Mercedes belted out that song". In contrast, Poniewozik wrote that it was the one song choice he didn't like, feeling that it is overused, thus diminishing its impact. Abrams deemed Rachel's solo performance at sectionals "amazing", and Flandez recommended: "Watch it again if you ever want to take back three minutes of your life that you’ve wasted on something else." Pardue called the group performance of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" "energetic [...] casual [...] and very Glee", but felt it "would have been nice" to feature different singers. Dan Snierson 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...
similarly noted that he would have preferred "more vocal interplay between all group members".
Critics also commented positively on the development of Will and Emma's relationship, with Abrams noting that she had been waiting for them to kiss since the pilot episode, and Goldman deeming their coming together "very hard to not feel good about". Snierson, however, wrote that although there was satisfaction in the episode ending on the kiss, it may have been "more intriguing" to conclude with Will finding Emma's office empty, questioning whether it was too soon for the two of them to begin a relationship. The end of Quinn's pregnancy secret was also well-received. Poniewozik wrote that the pregnancy storyline had felt as though "the early Glee wasn't confident that people would be interested in it without these over-the-top soap opera twists." He noted that in concluding the pregnancy deception in "Sectionals", Glee: "seemed to clear the decks for a second half of the season as the confident show it now is."
External links
- "Sectionals" 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...