Glee-Cap: Ep. 5: She Knows About Popular
Let’s say Glinda from Wicked never got over her obsession with being popular, dropped out of dear old Shiz and developed a taste for boxed Chablis, horse tranquilizers and using Nyquil as a pick-me-up. In other words, meet April Rhodes (recent Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth—one guest star the Glee folks should beg to return).
As Chis Colfer (who plays Kurt) told The Los Angeles Times, “Working with Kristin is what I can imagine what a priest would go through if he worked with Jesus.” He has a point. So as we wander through this Glee-cap, ask yourself WWKCD? You’ll probably find a simple reply in a high-pitched voice somewhere in your head: camp it up, have impeccable comic timing, sing your face off. Let these three commandments be your guide to this episode of Glee.
If you’ve been paying attention, you know that annoying but hyper-talented Rachel fled Glee Club in last week’s episode for the opportunity to play Sally Bowles in the school production of Cabaret. The secretly pregnant Quinn is a poor replacement, especially since she is unable to keep up with the choreography without vomiting. Yes, Glee Club is suffering without their (drama) queen. What to do?
When Mr. Schuester realizes that a rival club has older students participate, he hatches a plan. He wants his former classmate, who was a big deal back in the day, to return to school (she was missing a few credits and never graduated). Enter April Rhodes. Here’s a typical Will/April exchange: Will: "You remember me?" April: “I can’t remember breakfast.” Yep, April’s glory days are a dim memory… and so is this morning. That’s because the teeny talent is a boozer, squatter (in a lovely mansion) and oversexed drug abuser. Don’t cry for April, though. She’s about to get her groove back.
The minute April enters the practice room, Finn asks the question on everyone’s mind: “Wait, so old people can join Glee Club now?” Apparently, the answer is yes. But first she has to adhere to commandment number three (see above) and strut her stuff. April launches into Kander and Ebb’s soulful ballad “Maybe This Time” as Rachel is singing it in her Cabaret rehearsal. Suddenly, through the magic of television (and cross-cutting), Kristin Chenoweth and Lea Michele are singing a duet. Kurt wipes away a tear as the number draws to a close. We know what he means.
April slowly wins over members of the Glee Club by corrupting them with alcohol, shoplifting, locker room sex—whatever comes to mind really. She’s like both of the Avenue Q Bad Idea Bears rolled into one adorable blonde package. Meanwhile, Emma convinces Finn to encourage Rachel to come back to the Glee Club to better his chance of winning a music scholarship. Rachel doesn’t need much convincing anyway, not with her director Sandy Ryerson shrieking “you suck” at her. Is there any question whether she’ll save the Glee Club from mediocrity? Will she return even after learning of Quinn’s pregnancy and feeling sorely betrayed by Finn? If you are having trouble answering these questions, you have clearly never watched network TV before now.
After a plot-filled side trip to the local bowling alley, we end up at the Glee Club invitational, where April breaks her promise to Will to sober up. She’s drunk as a skunk, but still manages to sing and dance with gusto, effectively stealing the spotlight from the Glee Club members. Will realizes that he’s made a mistake in bringing April into the club in the first place, and all’s well that end’s well with a spine-tingling rendition of “Somebody to Love.”
Next week Glee will pit the boys against the girls. I have no idea where they’re going with that one, but to paraphrase the Kander and Ebb classic sung in this episode, all the odds are in their favor.
