The Rocky Horror Glee Show
Encyclopedia
"The Rocky Horror Glee Show" is the fifth episode of the second season
of the American television series Glee
, and the 27th episode overall. It was written by Ryan Murphy, from a story by Murphy and Tim Wollaston, directed by Adam Shankman
, and premiered on Fox
on October 26, 2010. The episode features the glee club
paying tribute to the 1973 musical The Rocky Horror Show
, with elements of its 1975 film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show
, by staging it as a school musical. While cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
) attempts to sabotage the production, glee club director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
) dwells on his feelings for guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
(Jayma Mays
), and club members Finn
(Cory Monteith
) and Sam
(Chord Overstreet
) deal with body image
issues. Barry Bostwick
and Meat Loaf
who star in the original film appear in cameo roles in this episode.
Elements of Rocky Horror were sanitized for the episode, including the costumes and lyrics. Creator Richard O'Brien
expressed disappointment in the dilution of the musical's themes, and a spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation criticized the episode for its use of the pejorative term "tranny". Watched by 11.76 million US viewers, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" was the fifth consecutive episode of Glee to become the top-rated program on the night of broadcast in the 18–49 demographic. It received a mixed response from critics, was alternatively deemed the series' best ever themed-episode by Rolling Stone
Erica Futterman, and was described as the worst hour in the show's history by Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
.
The episode featured cover version
s of seven Rocky Horror songs, which were released on an extended play
album. Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show
reached number six on the Billboard 200
. It marked the lowest debut and sales for the Glee cast in the US, but the highest position ever reached for a Rocky Horror album. The songs attracted mixed commentary, particularly the performance of "Time Warp", which was given a grade of "A+" by Entertainment Weekly
Tim Stack, but derided by Matt Zoller Seitz of Slant Magazine
as "very possibly the weakest, most uninspired rendition" he had ever heard.
(Naya Rivera
) against a black background as she sings "Science Fiction/Double Feature
". In the school auditorium, the glee club members rehearse The Rocky Horror Show, performing "Over at the Frankenstein Place
". They are interrupted by Dr. Carl Howell (John Stamos
), who accuses club director Will Schuester of trying to steal his girlfriend, school guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury. The episode continues in flashback format, with Will recalling the events leading up to Carl's accusation.
Will learns that Emma and Carl attended a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which helped to lessen some of her obsessive–compulsive behaviors. As Emma is a fan, Will decides to direct the glee club in a production of the musical, casting co-captains Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
) in the lead roles of Brad and Janet, Mike Chang
(Harry Shum, Jr.
) as Dr. Frank N. Furter, and Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet
) as Rocky. While Sam is proud of his physique and secure in his own body-image, Finn feels self-conscious at the prospect of appearing in his underwear, as the role necessitates.
Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester is approached by news station managers Tim Stanwick (Barry Bostwick
) and Barry Jeffries (Meat Loaf
) about producing an undercover exposé of the play, and convinces Will to involve her in the production. When Mike's parents refuse to let him play Frank N. Furter, a transvestite, Sue manipulates Carl into saving the musical. He auditions with the song "Hot Patootie", but feels that it would be more appropriate for him to play Eddie. The role of Frank, traditionally played by a male, is instead claimed by Mercedes Jones
(Amber Riley
).
Will grows increasingly jealous of Carl as he joins the production. When Sam becomes hesitant to wear his skimpy costume, Will decides that he will play Rocky instead, and asks Emma to rehearse the suggestive "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
" with him. Will is later called into Principal Figgins' (Iqbal Theba
) office, where he learns that Finn has been suspended for walking through the hallway in his underwear, attempting to become comfortable with his costume. He convinces Figgins to reduce Finn's punishment, and the episode returns to the opening scene as Carl confronts Will over his private rehearsal with Emma. Alerted to Sue's planned exposé, Will concedes that his motivations in putting on the production were questionable. He tells Emma that he will cease interfering with her relationship. Though he cancels the play, he has the glee club perform it for themselves, and the episode ends with a group rendition of "Time Warp".
that he would like to have Mays perform the song on Glee. In October 2009, cast member Chris Colfer
deemed "Time Warp" the song he would most like to perform on the show, and suggested a Rocky Horror-themed Halloween episode. Colfer re-iterated his desire to perform "Time Warp" at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, which prompted Murphy to reveal that a Glee episode devoted to Rocky Horror was planned for the show's second season. At the 2010 Television Critics Association
Summer Press Tour, Murphy stated he would be directing the episode, and also revealed that Adam Shankman
would guest-direct one of the first ten episodes of the season. Shankman later revealed via the social networking website Twitter
that he would in fact be directing the Rocky Horror episode, and commented, "Rocky Horror, while really risqué, is perfect for Glee because they all, in theory, feel like misfits."
Elements of Rocky Horror were sanitized for the episode, and Shankman believes that he was sought out in order to make the production more audience appropriate. Stamos was initially set to play Dr. Frank N. Furter, but the role was recast due to network resistance. Costumes used in the episode were inspired by the Rocky Horror musical and film, but were adapted for the Glee cast and cost over $30,000. The tight gold lamé underwear worn by Peter Hinwood
in the 1975 film were replaced by board shorts for Overstreet. In dressing Riley as Frank, series costume designer Lou Eyrich found it challenging to select outfits which would be acceptable for a primetime series, yet would still appeal to all audiences. To appeal to younger viewers, Eyrich updated the costume worn by Colfer as Riff Raff, pairing a tailcoat with jeans and a J.Crew
henley shirt
. Michele's costuming as Janet was similar to her regular wardrobe as Rachel, with Eyric commenting, "That's why she was the perfect Janet." Prior to broadcast, cast member Mark Salling claimed that he would play Rocky Horror talking lips. In the event, however, Salling did not appear in the episode. He was temporarily absent from the series, reportedly for creative reasons, and returned in November 2010. The lips were instead played by Rivera.
Original Rocky Horror cast members Barry Bostwick
and Meat Loaf
guest-starred in the episode. Bostwick deemed their roles "stunt casting", but suggested his character may return to the show in future and become involved with Sue. Susan Sarandon
told People
she was open to appearing in the episode depending on the role, and stated that she was flattered by the planned Glee tribute, but was not approached about appearing. An advance midnight screening of the episode was previewed on October 21, 2010 at the Angelika Film Center
in New York City
.
", which was watched by 11.36 million viewers and attained a 4.7/13 rating/share among adults aged 18–49. In the weekly program rankings, Glee was the fifth most-viewed show among adults 18–49, and the second scripted show behind only Modern Family
. In overall viewers, it placed twentieth for the week.
In Canada, the episode was watched by 2.48 million viewers, ranking as the fourth most-watched program for the week of broadcast. Viewership was again up on "Duets", which attained 2.25 million viewers and ranked seventh. The episode's Australian broadcast drew 1.34 million viewers, making Glee the fifth most-watched show of the night and the most-watched with viewers aged under 50. It placed eleventh in the weekly program rankings. There also, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" registered a rise on the previous episode, which was watched by 1.04 million viewers, placed ninth on the night and twenty-eighth for the week. In the UK, the episode was watched by 2.50 million viewers—2.121 million on E4, and 385,000 on E4+1—becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week. Viewership remained static from "Duets", which also attained an audience of 2.50 million.
Rocky Horror creator Richard O'Brien
was disappointed that the episode diluted the themes of the musical, and was puzzled that the word "transsexual" was censored. Matt Kane, entertainment media manager for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, criticized the use of the pejorative term "tranny" in its place, and found it "particularly alarming" given that the season one episode "Theatricality
" presented a negative reaction to the use of a homophobic slur." Critics had a mixed reaction to the episode. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
graded it an "F", and called it "the worst hour this show has ever produced". He felt that it was overly-ambitious, and that in attempting to skirt humorously around the issue of transsexuals, the end result was "more offensive than if the show had simply ignored the whole thing to begin with." Matt Zoller Seitz of Slant Magazine
called it a "travesty," criticizing "the arms-length treatment of the Frank N. Furter character", and Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times
deemed the episode flawed through its sanitization, despite initially having found the two shows "a particularly promising match".
"The Rocky Horror Glee Show" received several favorable comparisons to previous themed-episodes, with Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone
deeming it the best yet. Both Entertainment Weekly
Tim Stack and Jarett Wieselman of the New York Post
preferred it to the Britney Spears
tribute episode "Britney/Brittany
"; Wieselman hailed it as a "run-away success" that would satisfy Rocky Horror fans without being a "homage for homage's sake" like the Spears episode, and Stack felt that Rocky Horror was a "perfect fit" for Glee, due to thematic similarities between the two. While previous Glee tributes attracted criticism for their focus on musical numbers to the detriment of plot, Jenna Mullins of E! Online and CBS News
Jessica Derschowitz appreciated that "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" was more story-driven.
Critics generally disliked the focus the episode placed on the adult characters, with many objecting to Will's characterisation. VanDerWerff wrote that his storyline with Emma "misplac[ed] what made either of the characters enjoyable in the first place", and IGN
's Robert Canning—who otherwise enjoyed the episode, and rated it 8.5/10—observed that Will was presented as being selfish and a "terrible educator", in contrast to his former role as the moral centre of the show. Lisa de Moraes of The Washington Post
initially found the focus on the adults a welcome change, but felt their storyline rapidly became convoluted. Anthony Benigno of the Daily News liked Will less as the episode progressed, and deemed it overall, "Creepy, vaguely uncomfortable, in slightly poor taste but well-intentioned, and ultimately, thoroughly entertaining to watch for reasons I can't quite put into words." CNN
's Lisa Respers France actually enjoyed the episode for the additional depth it brought to Will and his feelings for Emma, as well as Finn and his body image
issues. While Stack commended the male body image storyline, and found it refreshing for a program to examine the objectification of men, de Moraes derided it, and likened Finn and Sam's discussion about eating healthily and working out to an "after school special
".
The episode's conclusion—in which Will declares that the original Rocky Horror fans and New Directions members are united by their outcast status—was widely criticized, with VanDerWerff deeming it a "series lowpoint", and "a muddled, terrible message, particularly in an episode that seems to have an uneasy relationship with actual outcasts, transsexuals." Both Reiter and Aly Semigran of MTV
questioned the resolution, with Reiter stating that it was unclear what message the creators were attempting to convey, and Semigran finding it disjointed, suggesting "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" to be a "rare Glee misstep".
" featured Riley on lead vocals, and "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" showcased Mays, in her first lead performance since "I Could Have Danced All Night
" in season one
. The episode then closed with a group rendition of "Time Warp".
Semigran said the song "Dammit Janet" was "spirited and spot-on", and Benigno graded it an "A", though observed that it was "painfully obvious" Michele and Monteith were lip-syncing. Futterman described the performance as "fully engaged, campy to the max and totally on point." "Hot Patootie" resulted in praise for Stamos, with Stack grading it an "A" and comparing it favorably to the actor's singing on Full House
, and Semigran recommending that he be cast in a Broadway
revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Benigno found his voice "a little whinny" and lacking Meat Loaf's "rock n' roll howl", but praised his charisma and dancing, grading the performance "A-".
Critics disagreed over the casting of Mercedes as Frank. Semigran felt that, as sung by a female, "Sweet Transvestite" lost its shock value. Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
would have preferred Salling's Puck
in the role, but praised Riley's vocals, writing that her solo "woke us all up from the timid pacing." Benigno also enjoyed the number, and found that while Mercedes lacked the stage presence of Tim Curry
, Riley did something "completely remarkable" as Frank, giving a largely flawless performance. He named "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" the best song of the episode, and graded it "A+". Despite finding the episode "abrupt, uneven [and] sanitized", Flandez felt that it was saved by this performance. Futterman remarked that having Emma in the role of Janet was "ideal", but preferred the song visually to vocally. Zoller Seitz disliked the change in Emma's characterization which brought about the number, and while he wrote that "Mays was so charming that she almost, almost saved it", he ultimately found the "motivational contortions" insulting to the audience.
, with 48,000 copies sold. It marked the lowest debut and sales for the Glee cast in the US, but the highest position ever reached for a Rocky Horror album. The EP attained lower chart positions internationally, peaking at number eight in Australia, ten in Canada, fifteen in Ireland, and twenty-three in the UK. "Time Warp" was the only song from the EP to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
, attaining a position of eighty-nine. Internationally, its highest peak was in Ireland, where it reached number forty-two. "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" was the only other track from the EP to place on the singles charts, peaking at number seventy-two in the UK.
Glee (season 2)
The second season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired between September 21, 2010 and May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States...
of the American 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...
, and the 27th episode overall. It was written by Ryan Murphy, from a story by Murphy and Tim Wollaston, directed by Adam Shankman
Adam Shankman
Adam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He has been a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance since Season 3. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet...
, and premiered on 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...
on October 26, 2010. The episode features 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...
paying tribute to the 1973 musical The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
, with elements of its 1975 film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the...
, by staging it as a school musical. While 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...
) attempts to sabotage the production, 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...
) dwells on his feelings for guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
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 club members 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 Sam
Sam Evans
Sam Evans is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Chord Overstreet, and appeared on Glee starting with the second season premiere episode entitled "Audition", first broadcast on September 21, 2010, and ending with that...
(Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet is an American actor, singer and musician, best known for his role as Sam Evans on the television series Glee.-Early life:...
) deal with body image
Body image
Body image refers to a person's perception of the aesthetics and sexual attractiveness of their own body. The phrase body image was first coined by the Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst Paul Schilder in his masterpiece The Image and Appearance of the Human Body...
issues. Barry Bostwick
Barry Bostwick
Barry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You, and playing mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City...
and Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
who star in the original film appear in cameo roles in this episode.
Elements of Rocky Horror were sanitized for the episode, including the costumes and lyrics. Creator Richard O'Brien
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith , better known under his stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English writer, actor, television presenter and theatre performer. He is perhaps best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and for his role in presenting the popular TV show The Crystal Maze...
expressed disappointment in the dilution of the musical's themes, and a spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation criticized the episode for its use of the pejorative term "tranny". Watched by 11.76 million US viewers, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" was the fifth consecutive episode of Glee to become the top-rated program on the night of broadcast in the 18–49 demographic. It received a mixed response from critics, was alternatively deemed the series' best ever themed-episode by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Erica Futterman, and was described as the worst hour in the show's history by Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
.
The episode featured 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 seven Rocky Horror songs, which were released on an extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
album. Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show
Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show
-Credits and personnel:Persons responsible for the project are as follows.*Adam Anders – arranger; engineer; producer; soundtrack producer; vocals*Alex Anders – engineer*Nikki Anders – vocals*Peer Åström – arranger; engineer; mixing; producer...
reached number six on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It marked the lowest debut and sales for the Glee cast in the US, but the highest position ever reached for a Rocky Horror album. The songs attracted mixed commentary, particularly the performance of "Time Warp", which was given a grade of "A+" by 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...
Tim Stack, but derided by Matt Zoller Seitz of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
as "very possibly the weakest, most uninspired rendition" he had ever heard.
Plot
The episode opens with the red lips of glee club member Santana LopezSantana 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:...
) against a black background as she sings "Science Fiction/Double Feature
Science Fiction/Double Feature
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" is the opening song to the original 1973 musical stage production, The Rocky Horror Show as well as its 1975 film counterpart The Rocky Horror Picture Show, book, music and lyrics by Richard O'Brien, musical arrangements by Richard Hartley...
". In the school auditorium, the glee club members rehearse The Rocky Horror Show, performing "Over at the Frankenstein Place
Over at the Frankenstein Place
"Over at the Frankenstein Place" is the third song in the cult musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The 1975 cult film includes the song being sung outside Dr. Frank N. Furter's castle in the rain. It is performed by Susan Sarandon , Barry Bostwick and Richard O'Brien...
". They are interrupted by Dr. Carl Howell (John Stamos
John Stamos
John Phillip Stamos is an American actor, singer and musician best known for his work in television, especially in his starring role as Jesse Katsopolis on the ABC sitcom Full House. Since the cancellation of that show in 1995, Stamos has appeared in numerous television films and series. From 2006...
), who accuses club director Will Schuester of trying to steal his girlfriend, school guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury. The episode continues in flashback format, with Will recalling the events leading up to Carl's accusation.
Will learns that Emma and Carl attended a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which helped to lessen some of her obsessive–compulsive behaviors. As Emma is a fan, Will decides to direct the glee club in a production of the musical, casting co-captains Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry (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...
) in the lead roles of Brad and Janet, 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...
) as Dr. Frank N. Furter, and Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet is an American actor, singer and musician, best known for his role as Sam Evans on the television series Glee.-Early life:...
) as Rocky. While Sam is proud of his physique and secure in his own body-image, Finn feels self-conscious at the prospect of appearing in his underwear, as the role necessitates.
Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester is approached by news station managers Tim Stanwick (Barry Bostwick
Barry Bostwick
Barry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You, and playing mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City...
) and Barry Jeffries (Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
) about producing an undercover exposé of the play, and convinces Will to involve her in the production. When Mike's parents refuse to let him play Frank N. Furter, a transvestite, Sue manipulates Carl into saving the musical. He auditions with the song "Hot Patootie", but feels that it would be more appropriate for him to play Eddie. The role of Frank, traditionally played by a male, is instead claimed by Mercedes Jones
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:...
).
Will grows increasingly jealous of Carl as he joins the production. When Sam becomes hesitant to wear his skimpy costume, Will decides that he will play Rocky instead, and asks Emma to rehearse the suggestive "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
"Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" is the eleventh song in The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack. It is sung by Janet and features one-liners from Rocky, Brad, Frank'n'Furter, Magenta, Riff Raff and Columbia.-Origin:...
" with him. Will is later called into 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....
) office, where he learns that Finn has been suspended for walking through the hallway in his underwear, attempting to become comfortable with his costume. He convinces Figgins to reduce Finn's punishment, and the episode returns to the opening scene as Carl confronts Will over his private rehearsal with Emma. Alerted to Sue's planned exposé, Will concedes that his motivations in putting on the production were questionable. He tells Emma that he will cease interfering with her relationship. Though he cancels the play, he has the glee club perform it for themselves, and the episode ends with a group rendition of "Time Warp".
Production
When casting Glee, series creator Ryan Murphy required that auditioning actors without theatrical experience demonstrate their ability to sing and dance as well as act. Mays, who was cast as guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury, auditioned with the song "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In April 2009, Murphy told the Los Angeles TimesLos 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....
that he would like to have Mays perform the song on Glee. In October 2009, cast member 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...
deemed "Time Warp" the song he would most like to perform on the show, and suggested a Rocky Horror-themed Halloween episode. Colfer re-iterated his desire to perform "Time Warp" at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, which prompted Murphy to reveal that a Glee episode devoted to Rocky Horror was planned for the show's second season. At the 2010 Television Critics Association
Television Critics Association
The Television Critics Association is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian journalists and columnists who cover television programming...
Summer Press Tour, Murphy stated he would be directing the episode, and also revealed that Adam Shankman
Adam Shankman
Adam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He has been a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance since Season 3. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet...
would guest-direct one of the first ten episodes of the season. Shankman later revealed via 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...
that he would in fact be directing the Rocky Horror episode, and commented, "Rocky Horror, while really risqué, is perfect for Glee because they all, in theory, feel like misfits."
Elements of Rocky Horror were sanitized for the episode, and Shankman believes that he was sought out in order to make the production more audience appropriate. Stamos was initially set to play Dr. Frank N. Furter, but the role was recast due to network resistance. Costumes used in the episode were inspired by the Rocky Horror musical and film, but were adapted for the Glee cast and cost over $30,000. The tight gold lamé underwear worn by Peter Hinwood
Peter Hinwood
Peter Hinwood worked as both a photographer and a professional model while he was pursuing his acting career. Hinwood is most noted for his film appearance as the well-oiled, muscular and mostly mute creation Rocky Horror in the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Rocky's singing...
in the 1975 film were replaced by board shorts for Overstreet. In dressing Riley as Frank, series costume designer Lou Eyrich found it challenging to select outfits which would be acceptable for a primetime series, yet would still appeal to all audiences. To appeal to younger viewers, Eyrich updated the costume worn by Colfer as Riff Raff, pairing a tailcoat with jeans and a J.Crew
J.Crew
J.Crew Group, Inc. is a multi-brand, multi-channel, specialty retailer. The company offers an assortment of women's, men's and children's apparel and accessories, including swimwear, outerwear, loungewear, wedding, bags, hair accessories, belts, jewelry, and shoes. As of January 30, 2010, it...
henley shirt
Henley shirt
A henley shirt is a collarless men's pullover shirt, characterized by a long placket beneath the round neckline, usually having 2-5 buttons. It essentially resembles a collarless polo shirt. The sleeves may be either short or long sleeve, and it can be made in almost any fabric, although cotton,...
. Michele's costuming as Janet was similar to her regular wardrobe as Rachel, with Eyric commenting, "That's why she was the perfect Janet." Prior to broadcast, cast member Mark Salling claimed that he would play Rocky Horror talking lips. In the event, however, Salling did not appear in the episode. He was temporarily absent from the series, reportedly for creative reasons, and returned in November 2010. The lips were instead played by Rivera.
Original Rocky Horror cast members Barry Bostwick
Barry Bostwick
Barry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You, and playing mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City...
and Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
guest-starred in the episode. Bostwick deemed their roles "stunt casting", but suggested his character may return to the show in future and become involved with Sue. Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
told People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
she was open to appearing in the episode depending on the role, and stated that she was flattered by the planned Glee tribute, but was not approached about appearing. An advance midnight screening of the episode was previewed on October 21, 2010 at the Angelika Film Center
Angelika Film Center
Angelika Film Center is a movie theater chain in the United States that features independent and foreign films. It operates theaters in New York City and Texas. Its headquarters are in New York City.-History:...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Ratings
In its original broadcast, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" was watched by 11.76 million US viewers and attained a 4.9/13 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. For the fifth consecutive episode, Glee was the top-rated program of the night among adults aged 18–49. Both viewership and ratings rose from the previous episode, "DuetsDuets (Glee)
"Duets" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 26th episode overall. It was written by series creator Ian Brennan, directed by Eric Stoltz, and premiered on Fox on October 12, 2010...
", which was watched by 11.36 million viewers and attained a 4.7/13 rating/share among adults aged 18–49. In the weekly program rankings, Glee was the fifth most-viewed show among adults 18–49, and the second scripted show behind only Modern Family
Modern Family
Modern Family is an American television comedy series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, which debuted on ABC on September 23, 2009. Lloyd and Levitan serve as showrunner and executive producers, under their Levitan-Lloyd Productions label...
. In overall viewers, it placed twentieth for the week.
In Canada, the episode was watched by 2.48 million viewers, ranking as the fourth most-watched program for the week of broadcast. Viewership was again up on "Duets", which attained 2.25 million viewers and ranked seventh. The episode's Australian broadcast drew 1.34 million viewers, making Glee the fifth most-watched show of the night and the most-watched with viewers aged under 50. It placed eleventh in the weekly program rankings. There also, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" registered a rise on the previous episode, which was watched by 1.04 million viewers, placed ninth on the night and twenty-eighth for the week. In the UK, the episode was watched by 2.50 million viewers—2.121 million on E4, and 385,000 on E4+1—becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week. Viewership remained static from "Duets", which also attained an audience of 2.50 million.
Critical response
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith , better known under his stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English writer, actor, television presenter and theatre performer. He is perhaps best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and for his role in presenting the popular TV show The Crystal Maze...
was disappointed that the episode diluted the themes of the musical, and was puzzled that the word "transsexual" was censored. Matt Kane, entertainment media manager for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, criticized the use of the pejorative term "tranny" in its place, and found it "particularly alarming" given that the season one episode "Theatricality
Theatricality
"Theatricality" is the 20th episode of the American television series Glee. The episode was written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, and premiered on the Fox network on May 25, 2010. In "Theatricality", glee club member Tina Cohen-Chang has an identity crisis...
" presented a negative reaction to the use of a homophobic slur." Critics had a mixed reaction to the episode. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
graded it an "F", and called it "the worst hour this show has ever produced". He felt that it was overly-ambitious, and that in attempting to skirt humorously around the issue of transsexuals, the end result was "more offensive than if the show had simply ignored the whole thing to begin with." Matt Zoller Seitz of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
called it a "travesty," criticizing "the arms-length treatment of the Frank N. Furter character", and Amy Reiter 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....
deemed the episode flawed through its sanitization, despite initially having found the two shows "a particularly promising match".
"The Rocky Horror Glee Show" received several favorable comparisons to previous themed-episodes, with Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
deeming it the best yet. Both 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...
Tim Stack and Jarett Wieselman 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...
preferred it to the Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
tribute episode "Britney/Brittany
Britney/Brittany
"Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 24th episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, 2010, and pays tribute to Britney Spears...
"; Wieselman hailed it as a "run-away success" that would satisfy Rocky Horror fans without being a "homage for homage's sake" like the Spears episode, and Stack felt that Rocky Horror was a "perfect fit" for Glee, due to thematic similarities between the two. While previous Glee tributes attracted criticism for their focus on musical numbers to the detriment of plot, Jenna Mullins of E! Online and CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
Jessica Derschowitz appreciated that "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" was more story-driven.
Critics generally disliked the focus the episode placed on the adult characters, with many objecting to Will's characterisation. VanDerWerff wrote that his storyline with Emma "misplac[ed] what made either of the characters enjoyable in the first place", and 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 Robert Canning—who otherwise enjoyed the episode, and rated it 8.5/10—observed that Will was presented as being selfish and a "terrible educator", in contrast to his former role as the moral centre of the show. Lisa de Moraes of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
initially found the focus on the adults a welcome change, but felt their storyline rapidly became convoluted. Anthony Benigno of the Daily News liked Will less as the episode progressed, and deemed it overall, "Creepy, vaguely uncomfortable, in slightly poor taste but well-intentioned, and ultimately, thoroughly entertaining to watch for reasons I can't quite put into words." CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Lisa Respers France actually enjoyed the episode for the additional depth it brought to Will and his feelings for Emma, as well as Finn and his body image
Body image
Body image refers to a person's perception of the aesthetics and sexual attractiveness of their own body. The phrase body image was first coined by the Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst Paul Schilder in his masterpiece The Image and Appearance of the Human Body...
issues. While Stack commended the male body image storyline, and found it refreshing for a program to examine the objectification of men, de Moraes derided it, and likened Finn and Sam's discussion about eating healthily and working out to an "after school special
After school special
The American Broadcasting Company coined the term after school special in 1972 with a series of made for television movies, usually dealing with controversial or socially relevant issues, that were generally broadcast in the late afternoon and meant to be viewed by school age children, particularly...
".
The episode's conclusion—in which Will declares that the original Rocky Horror fans and New Directions members are united by their outcast status—was widely criticized, with VanDerWerff deeming it a "series lowpoint", and "a muddled, terrible message, particularly in an episode that seems to have an uneasy relationship with actual outcasts, transsexuals." Both Reiter and 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....
questioned the resolution, with Reiter stating that it was unclear what message the creators were attempting to convey, and Semigran finding it disjointed, suggesting "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" to be a "rare Glee misstep".
Performances
Seven Rocky Horror songs were covered in the episode. The opening number of "Science Fiction/Double Feature", performed by Rivera and represented by a disembodied pair of red lips, mirrored the opening to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The song segued into a rehearsal of "Over at the Frankenstein Place", which was followed by a rehearsal of "Dammit Janet"—the former with Michele on lead vocals, and the latter featuring Michele, Monteith, Colfer, Agron and Riley. Stamos' first vocal performance for the series followed, as he gave a rendition of "Hot Patootie". Stamos reportedly feigned illness in order to work with a private vocal coach and dance instructor on the number, and hired his own studio in which to rehearse. The performance entailed a shot-by-shot recreation of the original choreography. "Sweet TransvestiteSweet Transvestite
"Sweet Transvestite" is a song from 1973 British musical stage production, The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film counterpart The Rocky Horror Picture Show, of which the book, music and lyrics by Richard O'Brien, and the musical arrangements by Richard Hartley...
" featured Riley on lead vocals, and "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" showcased Mays, in her first lead performance since "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...
" in season one
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...
. The episode then closed with a group rendition of "Time Warp".
Commentary
Musical performances in the episode attracted mixed commentary, particularly "Time Warp". Stack rated all of the songs a "B" grade or higher, and gave "Time Warp" the highest grade of an "A+". He called it his favorite moment of the episode, and praised its energy; he wrote that Quinn made a "surprisingly good" Magenta. Semigran also praised the number, and commended the performances by Morris, Monteith, Agron and particularly Colfer, who, she wrote, "looked and sounded the part so well, you'd swear you were watching the original Rocky Horror Picture Show". In a generally negative review of the episode, Reiter commented that despite her dissatisfaction, she found herself singing along to "Time Warp" with "disconcerting enthusiasm", and was "nostalgically transported against [her] better judgment". In contrast, VanDerWerff stated that he would have increased his review of the episode from an "F" to a "D" had "Time Warp" been better, as he had "never seen a more lifeless version". Zoller Seitz similarly called it "very possibly the weakest, most uninspired rendition" he had ever seen, and criticized the side-lining of Colfer in favor of Monteith.Semigran said the song "Dammit Janet" was "spirited and spot-on", and Benigno graded it an "A", though observed that it was "painfully obvious" Michele and Monteith were lip-syncing. Futterman described the performance as "fully engaged, campy to the max and totally on point." "Hot Patootie" resulted in praise for Stamos, with Stack grading it an "A" and comparing it favorably to the actor's singing on Full House
Full House
Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
, and Semigran recommending that he be cast in a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Benigno found his voice "a little whinny" and lacking Meat Loaf's "rock n' roll howl", but praised his charisma and dancing, grading the performance "A-".
Critics disagreed over the casting of Mercedes as Frank. Semigran felt that, as sung by a female, "Sweet Transvestite" lost its shock value. 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....
would have preferred Salling's 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...
in the role, but praised Riley's vocals, writing that her solo "woke us all up from the timid pacing." Benigno also enjoyed the number, and found that while Mercedes lacked the stage presence of Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
, Riley did something "completely remarkable" as Frank, giving a largely flawless performance. He named "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" the best song of the episode, and graded it "A+". Despite finding the episode "abrupt, uneven [and] sanitized", Flandez felt that it was saved by this performance. Futterman remarked that having Emma in the role of Janet was "ideal", but preferred the song visually to vocally. Zoller Seitz disliked the change in Emma's characterization which brought about the number, and while he wrote that "Mays was so charming that she almost, almost saved it", he ultimately found the "motivational contortions" insulting to the audience.
Chart history
Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show, an extended play accompanying the episode, was released on October 19, 2010. Its tracklist includes each of the seven songs covered. The soundtrack debuted at number six on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, with 48,000 copies sold. It marked the lowest debut and sales for the Glee cast in the US, but the highest position ever reached for a Rocky Horror album. The EP attained lower chart positions internationally, peaking at number eight in Australia, ten in Canada, fifteen in Ireland, and twenty-three in the UK. "Time Warp" was the only song from the EP to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, attaining a position of eighty-nine. Internationally, its highest peak was in Ireland, where it reached number forty-two. "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" was the only other track from the EP to place on the singles charts, peaking at number seventy-two in the UK.
External links
- "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" 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...