Year after leaving the air, Glee is still a show that impacted its viewers and tackled a lot of taboo topics during its run. It made an impact through catchy musical numbers, a sense of home, and overall representation from the cast.
Throughout Glee’s six-season run, it produced many gut-wrenching and heartwarming episodes, while some weren’t as up to par. Season 4 was one where both these statements are true. As a transition year between the original cast and new members, it was clear that there were some growing pains. It’s interesting to see which episodes from this season were considered a hit or a miss by IMDB users.
Worst: Naked (Season 4, Episode 12) - Rating 7.4
One of the lowest-rated episodes of this season was centered around a “Men of McKinley” calendar. Despite the open dialog about the male body image, this episode misses the mark. The plot of Brittany finding out that she is a mathematical genius starts when she and Sam receive their SAT scores. When Sam finds out he received the lowest score he begins to obsess over his looks and puts that pressure on other male members of the glee club.
Even though subplots involving the development of Marley and Jake’s relationship and Tina’s unrequited crush on Blaine, this episode has too much of a focus on the sexualized calendar of underaged glee boys and zany plot lines.
Best: I Do (Season 4, Episode 14) - Rating 8.4
It should be no surprise that the long-overdue nuptials between Mr. Shue and his bride-to-be Emma Pillsbury was one of the best episodes of this season. With the constant build up over four seasons regarding one of the only couples that gleeks consistently root for, this is a must-watch.
One element that makes this episode special is that the majority of the original glee club comes back for the festivities along with the new members. This allowed for old flames to be rekindled, friendships to be tested and overall great television.
Worst: Diva (Season 4, Episode 13) - Rating 7.3
How could an episode filled with such powerhouse songs from Beyonce, Madonna, and Freddie Mercury result in a low rating? Let’s examine the main plot focuses of this episode: Tina’s growing crush on Blaine, Rachel’s overbearing attitude, Santana’s disapproval of Brittany and Sam’s relationship, and the growing friendship between Finn and Ms. Pillsbury.
This episode despite the amazing song selection was underwhelming. The drama between Santana and Sam was unnecessary. Tina’s behavior was somewhat predatory and Rachel’s character growth digressed back to her irritating season 1 self. Finn kissing Emma to calm her down made sense for the plot, but with what seemed like a lot of chaos, it lost some of its shock value.
Best: Swan Song (Season 4, Episode 9) - Rating 8.5
Following the aftermath of Marley fainting at Sectionals, the glee club deals with the heartbreak of losing the club to some believe Marley was solely to blame. Throughout the episode we see the New Directions trying to figure out what they can do since their performing season has come to an abrupt end.
Back in New York, we see Rachel helping Kurt prepare for his re-audition to NYADA, while everyone else is focusing on the coveted winter showcase. Hoping to get a handwritten invitation to preform everyone is on pins and needles. When Rachel, a freshman, gets invited the pressure is on since freshmen never get invited to perform.
This episode was filled with hope for the remainder of the season, with wins and losses it kept audiences on their toes.
Worst: Dynamic Duets (Season 4, Episode 7) - Rating 7.3
This episode was Glee in spandex. Not only do all the glee kids have time to prepare daily show-stopping numbers, on top of their other extracurriculars and classwork they also are involved in “The Society of Superheroes.” When the Warblers steal their nationals trophy and friction between club members ensues, the obvious solution to the New Directions is to combine their typical singing and antics with fun superhero costumes.
With this Blaine and Sam steal back their rightful trophy from their rivals in disguise as their chosen personas, while the feuding members, Marley and Kitty, and Ryder and Jake work through their prospective issues through songs, in spandex. Overall this episode may have been entertaining but it was inconsistent nonsense, to say the least.
Best: The New Rachel (Season 4, Episode 1) - Rating 8.6
The first episode of this season focuses on new beginnings, with Rachel starting her life in New York, alone, and the glee club starting the new school year as champions.
Back at McKinley, we see new characters audition for the club while establishing their personality traits and background. While the returning members of New Directions deal with the power struggle of who will pass on the baton as the “New Rachel.”
Overall this episode hits the sweet spot between continuing the legacy of past seasons while also embracing the change that happens in high school-based series.
Worst: Sadie Hawkins (Season 4, Episode 11) - Rating 7.1
What is a show about high school without dances? This episode highlighted the students at McKinley attending the first Sadie Hawkins dance, allowing for roles to be reversed giving the girls the power to ask the boys.
Despite having a typical theme, the zany plot lines that gleeks are accustomed to were everywhere. Student Council planned the dance in a week, Puck, a high school graduate, starts dating a sophomore who dated his half-brother, and Sam exposing the Warblers for using steroids to perform at sectionals, just to name a few. Having one plotline that is a little off can be looked over, but this episode just had a little too much going on.
Best: Shooting Star (Season 4, Episode 18) - Rating 8.8
Of all the episodes season 4 has to offer, “Shooting Star” was one of the most controversial. Having the main focus of what happens to members of a school when they’re experiencing an active shooter.
The pure emotion evoked in this episode was astonishing while watching you feel the tension in the choir room. The hushed quiet instead of quiet filling music allows the audience to be immersed in the scene. Seeing members comfort their frenemies, make a final video to their loved ones, and worry about their lives brought a new level of reality and humanity to the show.
Worst: Lights Out (Season 4, Episode 20) - Rating 7
When a power outage hits McKinley, it seems like a perfect time to unplug from their typical music and focus on the team’s voice. This seems like a great premise for an episode, especially when there are a lot of things that members of the new directions need to get off their chest. Throughout this episode, we mainly follow Ryder on his quest to identify who in the glee club is cat-fishing him as “Katie.”
In the process he reveals to the club that he was molested as a child, which surprisingly results in an unsupportive reaction from his male members; but he finds an unlikely confidant in his frenemy Kitty, who has had a similar experience. This episode covered a lot of tough topics, but the execution was just not there.
Best: The Breakup (Season 4, Episode 4) - Rating 9
The unfolding of the inevitable breakup (or break) between four fan-favorite couples, makes for a heartbreaking but entertaining episode.
With Finn making his first full episode debut after his dramatic season 3 exit, the episode title alone has viewers on the edge of their seats. Waiting for a breakup between the show’s main couple was agonizing but no one expected that Kurt and Blaine, as well as Santana and Brittany, would split in the same episode. As if the demise of three seemingly strong couples wasn’t enough, we also see Mr. Shue and Ms. Pillsbury struggle.
Despite the heartbreaking outcomes, this episode gave audiences beautiful ballads, realistic relationship struggles while bringing back fan-favorite recurring characters.
