In its fifth episode of , “The Rhodes Not Taken”, Glee welcomes guest star Kristin Chenoweth as former McKinley High glee club star April Rhodes. Fans who have eagerly anticipated the recent Emmy winner’s eagerly-anticipated guest appearance will not be disappointed; Chenoweth brings unique quirky charm and powerhouse vocals to the instant cult classic as only she can.
Mr. Schue Finds a New Leading Lady
The episode opens with Mr. Schue concerned about the group’s potential; Rachel has defected to the school musical, and morning sickness keeps pulling Quinn away from learning her choreography. At dinner with Terri, Will recognizes their server as a former student. It turns out that he is still attending another high school, intentionally failing so that he can remain a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline. The wheels in Will’s head start to turn.
Back at school, Will explains to Emma that he has decided to track down April Rhodes, his first crush and former star of the glee club. Since she never graduated, Will reasons, he can bring her back to school. Obviously jealous, Emma tries to warn him that it could end badly, but he moves forward, convincing the now drunken and washed-up April that returning to high school will be good for her.
April Makes an Impression on the Glee Club — and Emma
At first, the club members mistrust that April can even sing. In a beautifully directed sequence, April wows them with a performance of “Maybe This Time”, from Cabaret, intertwined with a lonely Rachel’s performance of the same song during rehearsals for the musical. With the kids convinced of April’s ability, Will suggests she reach out to them personally as well.
April tries to do so in her own way, which includes joining the football team in the showers and teaching effective shoplifting techniques to Mercedes and Tina. She also tries to give Kurt confidence — unfortunately, it is the liquid variety, which results in him throwing up on obsessive-compulsive Emma’s shoes. After what she calls a “Full Silkwood” decontamination, Emma’s next stop is to warn Will that he has a problem.
Finn Wants Rachel Back — in the Glee Club
Meanwhile, Emma suggests to “father-to-be” Finn that he has a better chance at a music scholarship than an athletic one. She reassures him that of course the club can win without Rachel, but suggests that perhaps he should try to get her to return, just in case. Finn rises to the occasion, telling Rachel that he understands and appreciates her, even offering to help her learn lines for the musical; even better, he will join the musical if she will perform in both groups as well.
Finn even goes so far as to ask Rachel on a bowling date in order to work his charm on her. All goes well — so well, in fact that not only does Rachel agree to quit the musical, she kisses Finn as well. As they grow closer, Finn is obviously troubled by his dishonesty, but is enjoying his time with Rachel too much to confess. Unfortunately, when Rachel comes to rehearsal, the rest of the club informs her that Quinn is pregnant with Finn’s child. Finn confesses, but claims that the kiss was real. But it is too late; Sue offers to put Rachel in charge of the musical, and she accepts.
April Implodes, and Emma Gets Through to Will
While Finn and Rachel are bowling together, so are Will and April. Will thanks April for her help, and confesses that he always dreamed of singing with her. Touched, April appropriates the bowling alley’s karaoke machine so that she and Will can sing Heart’s “Alone”. April even promises to stop drinking.
On the way to the club’s performance the next night, Emma confronts Will. She reminds him that as teachers, they have an obligation to provide opportunities for the kids; she points out that Will deprives one of the kids every time April steps onstage. When April shows up drunk despite her promises, it finally sinks in for him. He lets her have her time in the spotlight, but at intermission, he gently tells her that it is time to find her own dream. April thanks him, adding that she knows Will won’t ever let his students turn out the way she did.
Mr. Schue goes to break the news to the kids that they have to cut their performance short, as April is gone. Rachel interrupts and offers to step in, telling them that she finally realized that being their friend makes her feel “more special” than being a star does. Quinn is displeased, pointing out that Rachel doesn’t know the choreography. “Well, then,” says Finn, with a huge smile, “we’ll just have to give her a lot of help out there.”
Reunited on stage, the kids sing Queen’s “Somebody to Love”. As they begin, Will slips into a seat next to Emma, who is delighted to see Rachel back on stage in April’s place. Rachel is just as happy to be back, and Finn is obviously equally thrilled to share the stage with her again.
Click here for a recap of the previous episode of Glee, “Preggers”.
Laney Traylor - Laney Traylor has been writing continuously for more than 20 years, as her convoluted career path has led her through the fields of ...
