Glee-Cap: A Moving Season-End "Journey" for Glee

How about a standing ovation for Glee? It’s curtain call for the groundbreaking musical series' wildly successful first season, and we can completely relate to Sue mocking Mr. Schuester for “tear[ing] up more than Michael Landon in a sweeps week episode of Little House on the Prairie.” We’re not sure what’s making us more emotional: the thought of waiting all summer for new episodes, or the touching high notes in this season-ending episode, centering on the the long-awaited Regional finals. Let’s Glee-cap for the final time this season.

Completing the Journey:
After a tearful car ride singing along to “Don’t Stop Believing,” Mr. Schuester becomes nostalgic for the early days of the club, and decides the kids should revisit the band that kick-started it all, Journey, for their Regionals performance. The medley began with a Rachel/Finn duet of “Faithfully.” Broadway fans always knew Lea Michele was a hell of a singer, and she kills the number. But the ballad doesn’t last long before the rest of the group joins in a fun mash-up of “Any Way You Want It” and “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” before bringing it back home with “Don’t Stop Believing.” This is one musical journey worth taking over and over again.

Drama Queens:
While New Directions claims Journey as their go-to band, Vocal Adrenaline solidifies Queen as their signature group as the pink-clad singers step on stage with the anthem “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Unsurprisingly our former friend turned enemy Jesse St. James is front and center as the only soloist (not that we don’t like watching Jonathan Groff perform!) showing the lack of community in the club. The other Adrenaline members might not have any close-ups, but they can sure dance! With all the aerial ballet moves, sliding across stage and dancers flying around, it’s no wonder Groff was injured while filming the scene. As always, we hate to compliment New Directions' enemy…but…wow!

Mamma Mia Let Me Go:
In a cleverly edited sequence, Adrenaline's performance cuts to scenes of Quinn (who has suddenly gone into labor) giving birth to her baby. Her screams of “ahhh,” “ooohhh” and “you suck, you suck, you suck” match up with Jesse’s vocals, while moments of the “Rhapsody” choreography mimic a child being born. Quinn’s mother, newly unleashed from her piggish husband, arrives just in time to ask her daughter's forgiveness. All this family bonding causes Rachel to reach out yet again to birth mom Shelby Corcoran (Idina Menzel), urging her to move to McKinley and pair up with Mr. Schue. Corcoran gently declines, saying she needs to start the second chapter of her life. In a surprise twist, Shelby steps in to adopt Quinn and Puck’s beautiful newborn daughter, Beth. Does this mean we’ll be seeing more of Idina next season? We hope so!

Sneaky Sue:
Just as Sue managed to mess up the group’s chances at Sectionals by leaking their set list, yet again it appears she's set to deny the club victory by accepting the post of “celebrity” judge at Regionals alongside former guest stars Josh Groban and Olivia Newton-John. “You’re dead to me, Newton-John,” Sue hilariously snaps at her former “Physical” video pal. While Groban initially flirts with Sue, he's soon mocking her for not being a real celebrity and living in Ohio. "You have a lot in common with those kids at your school," sniffs Newton-John, "underachievers with delusions of grandeur.” Harsh words…but luckily they bring out the soft side of Sue. Even when New Directions places third (behind what Sue calls “the not at all stupidly named Aural Intensity") Sue is able to convince Higgins to give Glee another year. Don’t you kind of wish Sue started singing “I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face” to Mr. Schuester?

To Schue With Love:
Before the kids learn their fate, they come to realize winning isn't everything and that they’ve shared an incredible experience this year…something they couldn’t have done without the help of Mr. Schuester. After each member says a word about how he inspired them, the group sings the song every teacher would love to hear, “To Sir with Love.” When news breaks that the club is here to stay, Mr. Schuester gets to return the favor by singing the show’s final song of the season, a lovely (thankfully non-rapped) acoustic version of “Over the Rainbow.” And here come the tears! All right folks, that’s a wrap for the season. See you when school’s back in this fall!