Emma Pillsbury
Encyclopedia
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
. She is a guidance counselor at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio
where the series is set. Emma suffers from mysophobia
— an obsessive fear of germs and contamination — and has romantic feelings for glee club
director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
), but becomes engaged to football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
) as Will is married. Ken ultimately breaks up with her on their wedding day because of her feelings for Will, and when Will leaves his wife Terri
(Jessalyn Gilsig
), he and Emma share a kiss. Their relationship is short-lived, and in the second season
, Emma and her dentist boyfriend Carl Howell (John Stamos
) marry in Las Vegas
.
Mays feels the character has a lot of depth, juxtaposing Emma's position helping the students with her own phobia of germs and love for a married man. She explained that "the character is not a stereotypical TV-style husband-stealer who immediately would be luring the dude into the sack, but rather seems like a real person facing real issues." Mays has performed three musical numbers in the show: "I Could Have Danced All Night
" from My Fair Lady
, Madonna
's "Like a Virgin
", and "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
" from The Rocky Horror Show
. The latter number was originally Mays' audition piece; her performance of it on Glee was met with critical acclaim. The songs appear on the series' soundtrack album
s and EP
s.
The character has been well received by critics, including Mike Hale of the New York Times who praised Mays for being able to "[register] Emma's devastation with just the slightest widening of [her] enormous eyes." Critics responded well to the development of Emma and Will's relationship. Eric Goldman of IGN
wrote that their first kiss was "hard to not feel good about". Dan Snierson of Entertainment Weekly
, however, suggested that it may have been "more intriguing" to leave their romance unresolved.
(Matthew Morrison
), and encourages him in his attempt to revitalise the school glee club
. She is dismayed to learn that Will's wife Terri
(Jessalyn Gilsig
) is pregnant and that he is considering leaving the teaching profession to become an accountant, but is able to convince him to reconsider by showing him a video of him singing. In an attempt to get over Will, Emma begins dating football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
), and becomes engaged to him in the episode "Vitamin D
". However, when Will is unable to attend a competition with the glee club, Emma volunteers to take them in his place, and postpones her own wedding by several hours. Acknowledging her continuing feelings for Will, Ken breaks up with her on their wedding day. Emma tells Will that she has resigned from the school, as she is ashamed of her behavior with Ken, and is heartbroken that she cannot be with Will. Will tells her that he has left Terri, but Emma feels it is too soon for him to move on. Regardless, as she later prepares to leave the school, Will finds her and stops her with a kiss.
Emma and Will pursue a relationship, but Emma fears that he may be repeating patterns from his relationship with Terri because of his difficulties with being alone. She reveals that she is a virgin, and though she decides to have sex with Will, she changes her mind at the last moment. Will suggests that she see a counselor for help with her debilitating issues. Emma later discovers that Will kissed another woman and verbally berates him, terminating their relationship. In the season finale, Will kisses Emma and tells her that he loves her.
Emma begins a relationship with her dentist, Dr. Carl Howell (John Stamos
), which leads to a Vegas wedding. Her reservations about sex lead her to become faculty advisor to the school's celibacy club. Carl arranges a meeting with sex education teacher Holly Holliday
(Gwyneth Paltrow
), and reveals that they have yet to sleep together. Emma confesses that she may still have feelings for Will, and Carl tells her he will be moving into a hotel until she is certain of her feelings. In "A Night of Neglect
", Emma reveals to Will that Carl has left her for good and wants an annulment, since their marriage was never consummated. Because of the stress, Emma's OCD affects her far more than usual, and she feels regretful because she thought she would have overcome it by that point in her life. Will tells Emma that he will be there for her no matter what, and also urges her to get treatment for her OCD. She starts seeing a psychiatrist
in the episode "Born This Way
", and is showing signs of improvement by the end of season two. Over the summer, Will and Emma move in together, although they have not consummated their relationship. That they are both thinking of an eventual marriage is made clear in the episode "Asian F
", and when Will invites her parents to dinner in that episode, he discovers that they are "ginger supremacists" who mock Emma's OCD, the roots of which are shown in flashbacks with them and an eight-year-old Emma.
. In the third season episode "Asian F", Hannah Spiros plays an eight-year-old Emma. Prior to her casting in Glee, Mays was already an established actress in both the television and film industry, but had little theatrical experience. In casting Glee, series creator Ryan Murphy sought actors who could identify with the rush of starring in theatrical roles. Auditioning actors with no theatrical experience were required to prove they could sing and dance as well as act, and Mays auditioned with the song "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
" from The Rocky Horror Show
. Asked what originally drew her to the role of Emma, Mays said:
, it is revealed that Emma has mysophobia
, a fear of germs. Bill Harris
of the Toronto Sun
assessed that her phobia is "comical", and that Emma's initial role in the series is comic relief
. Mays has explained that "the character is not a stereotypical TV-style husband-stealer who immediately would be luring the dude into the sack, but rather seems like a real person facing real issues." Mays added: "This is something that’s part of a lot of people’s lives. But Emma is not a cheater
. They’ve portrayed her as being somewhat virginal. There’s purity there. She doesn’t just hone in and say, ‘I want to destroy this guy’s relationship.' So Emma is hopeful and sad at the same time. Funny, too. Sounds like real life, where, as stated earlier, you can’t help who you love." David Hinckley of the New York Daily News
described her as "good-hearted and smart. Emma is also so obsessive-compulsive she counts the bristles on her toothbrush."
Mays has deemed Emma an "amazing" character to play, and has explained: "I don't find that female characters are always written with a lot of depth, but she's so well defined on the page. Sure, she's terrified of germs and in love with a married man, so seeing her as the voice of reason for the kids is amazing." Emma's relationship with Will will continue to grow, as "she has these moments of clarity when she's talking to Will because he calms her." Mays described her in an interview with TheTVChick: "She is a romantic at heart. But she’s practical. She’s very interesting, because she does have those dreams and hopes of finding the right man. And in her mind, even though Will Schuester
’s married, that sort of guy is like the perfect guy for her. She’s very practical in the fact that she doesn’t want to be alone and she knows that she’s somewhat limited in a small town to men. And Ken Tanaka
is a very nice man, he’s not exactly like Will, but he’s good to her and he’s solid. He’s got a job, and he understands her and he understands all her quirks and stuff. So she’s practical, she knows that just might be her lot in life. So it’s weird. She’s got this very dreamy side about her and who she wants to be and what she wants her life to be like. But she’s also got this very practical, down-to-earth, well this is kind of the best I can do thing. It’s funny a lot of people have thought that part about her is weak. Like a weak character flaw, but I actually don’t think that’s true. I really just think that’s the practical side of her. I think that’s her being practical. And I think a lot of people are like that sometimes."
Discussing Emma's style and costuming, Glee' s costume designer Lou Eyrich has explained: "We wanted to make her look like everything’s so neat — perfectly ironed and tucked-in shirts with matching belts, shoes and pins. We wanted to make her stand out from the other teachers. She’s always so happy and excited, so we wanted her outfits to represent that sunny disposition. In the pilot
, we made her look much more teacher-y. Now we're having more fun with her character, keeping her bright and unusual. Quirky is the word. Emma’s also always in stacked Mary Janes
or T-strap heels. It takes the outfit down from being too stylish or too sexy. It makes her look prim and almost old-fashioned."
is an integral part of her character. They have had an on and off relationship since the show's first season
. Television critics have responded extremely well to the pairing between the two. Mandi Bierly for Entertainment Weekly
said of the episode "Vitamin D
": "Matthew Morrison
communicates so much with his eyes. There’s a softness and a longing in them that I’m always surprised Emma (Jayma Mays
) matches." Critics also commented positively on the development of Will and Emma's relationship in the episode Sectionals
. Natalie Abrams of TV Guide
noted that she had been waiting for them to kiss since the pilot episode, and Eric Goldman of IGN
has deemed their coming together "very hard to not feel good about". Dan Snierson, however, wrote that although there was satisfaction in the episode ending on the kiss, it may have been "more intriguing" to conclude when Will finds Emma's empty office, and having him then question whether it was too soon for the two of them to begin a relationship. Eric Goldman of IGN commented of the following episode: " I would have liked to at least see Shue and Emma as a couple for a few episodes, rather than such a quick split. It felt rushed." Todd VanDerWerff added: "I loved Emma's eruption to Will about how Sue Sylvester
must have cheated and the kids deserved to win." Robert Canning said of the Britney Spears
oriented episode: "The true focus of the episode was Will dealing with his lack of spontaneity. This stood as a contrast to the impulsiveness of Emma's new boyfriend, sexy dentist Carl played by the somehow always charming John Stamos
. There's a fun love triangle building here which should only get better as Will becomes less of an insecure whiner."
Jayma Mays
commented of their relationship: " Oh no! I don’t know if I can say! That’s a hard question because when you see the scenes of Emma and Will, you obviously think 'Oh of course they’re supposed to be together, of course, of course!' but the fact is, is that he’s a married man and Emma knows that’s wrong, and she doesn’t want to be a homewrecker. She doesn’t want to ruin a relationship. So I guess in a perfect world, she could find someone like Will, or maybe Ken Tanaka (laughs) can become a little bit more like Will. But maybe it’s all about respect. Maybe if she can respect Ken enough, that will develop into true love." She also commented of her co-star Matthew Morrison
(Will): "We were friends. We knew each other before we started this job. We worked together once before. So, that’s always helpful when you know the person that you’re working with, and you already feel comfortable around them. But yeah, he’s a really good friend, so that makes that stuff a little bit easier."
Brian Lowry deemed the adult cast of early Glee "over-the-top buffoons", however opined that Emma offered "modest redemption". The Los Angeles Times
Denise Martin called Mays as Emma "just as funny" as Lynch's Sue, and noted: "Emma doesn't get the zingers Coach Sue gets, but she makes me laugh just as hard." Harris commented that, "Despite the sad seriousness of [Emma's love for Will], the tightly wound Emma [...]also is one of the funniest characters in Glee. Go figure. It's funny, because everything is kind of heavy that's going on in her life, with these phobias and this guy she loves who’s married, yet she still is a bit of the comic relief." Mandi Bierly for Entertainment Weekly
noted of the episode "Vitamin D
" that she had hoped Emma would decline Ken's proposal: "I want Emma to be strong and know it’s better to be without someone for the right reason than to be with someone for the wrong one." Mike Hale for the New York Times praised Mays' performance in the episode. He noted: "Jayma Mays registered Emma’s devastation with just the slightest widening of those enormous eyes. In fact all the best non-singing moments in the episode were hers."
Critics commented positively on the development of Will and Emma's relationship; TV Guide
Natalie Abrams wrote that she had been waiting for them to kiss since the pilot episode. Flandez felt that the kiss made the "poignant moment" of the glee club's final performance "even more dear", and hoped that it would not be the last between them, while Aly Semigran of MTV
praised the development and called the kiss "sweet [and] longing". Goldman wrote: "Schue and Emma finally coming together was very hard to not feel good about, even though you know it just won't be that easy when the show returns". Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times opined that it was clear Ken and Emma would not marry, and added that when Will kissed Emma: "I died". In discussing Will and Emma's conversation about how she would have left Ken if Will had shown any interest in her, Pardue commented: "That's maybe the sweetest and the saddest thing I've ever heard." She called the kiss between Will and Emma "romantic" commenting that it made her "heart happy". Entertainment Weekly Dan Snierson commented that although there was satisfaction in the episode ending on the kiss, it may have been "more intriguing" to conclude with Will finding Emma's office empty, or "before she smiled approvingly after their kiss", questioning whether it was too soon for the two of them to begin a relationship, or "about freakin' time".
Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V Club was critical of Emma in the show's second season. He said: "Emma is apparently married, but we haven’t seen her husband since October, and even when he was more of a “fixture” on the show (which is difficult to say about a character who’s appeared as little as Carl Howell has), his relationship with Emma made no sense as anything other than a plot device. Now, as it turns out, Emma and Carl haven’t consummated their marriage at all, and this has something to do with the fact that the show has combined Emma’s germ-phobia
and virginity
into some sort of terrifying psychosexual pathology that doesn’t make much sense and doesn’t resemble the somewhat levelheaded person she used to be. (The plotting in Will Schuester
’s love life is the one place where the show attempts to have even a modicum of continuity, for whatever reason.) Anyway, Carl is necessarily upset about this, and he’s also upset when Holly Holiday gets Emma to admit that she still has confusing feelings for Will, so he resolves to let her stay in the condo while he stays in the Radisson where all of the good big-name Glee guest stars go to hope their pilots for the fall are picked up."
of "I Could Have Danced All Night
" from My Fair Lady
in the episode "Mash-Up
", a studio recording
of which was included as a bonus-track on copies of Glee: The Music, Volume 1
purchased from Target
stores. Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal
called the performance "lovely", and Andrea Reiher for Zap2it
similarly praised the piece: "wow, she has a nice voice! She's no Julie Andrews
, but she'll do." Eric Goldman for IGN
commented: "Seeing Emma sing "I Could Have Danced All Night" was sweet, though was it just me (or my TV), or was the volume on her vocals a bit unusually loud? I also could have done without Will's line telling her she should sing to help her keep the beat as she danced – come on Glee, you're a musical. Embrace it and just let her sing."
Mays said that she "had fun singing," but found the experience "terrifying," as she had never given a musical performance on camera before. She derided her choreography skills, and elaborated: "I was so nervous that day. I had to keep eating bread and toast because my stomach was so sick. But it was an interesting experience. It was definitely a challenge for me. Of course if they ask me to do it again, I would do it again. But I’m not going to go begging them for it."
In her first lead solo performance since the first season, Mays performed "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
" from The Rocky Horror Show
during the themed episode "The Rocky Horror Glee Show
". Anthony Benigno of the Daily News named it 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. Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone
remarked that having Emma in the role of Janet was "ideal", but preferred the song visually to vocally. Slant Magazine
Matt 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. The track was included on the EP
Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show
. It charted at number 72 in the UK, and 96 in Canada.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the 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...
musical comedy-drama 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...
. Portrayed by actress 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...
, Emma has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode
Pilot (Glee)
"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the television series Glee, which premiered on the Fox network on May 19, 2009. An extended director's cut version aired on September 2, 2009. The show focuses on a high school show choir, also known as a glee club, set within the fictional William McKinley High...
, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
and Ian Brennan
Ian Brennan (writer)
Ian Brennan is a television writer, actor and producer. He is best known for his work on the television show Glee.-Early life:Brennan is the son of John and Charman Brennan. His sister, Sarah Brennan, is one of the founders of in Chicago...
. She is a guidance counselor at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
where the series is set. Emma suffers from mysophobia
Mysophobia
Mysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited in repeatedly washing...
— an obsessive fear of germs and contamination — and has romantic feelings for 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...
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...
), but becomes engaged to football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
Patrick Gallagher (actor)
-Career:Gallagher is best known for his television roles as Det. Joe Finn in Da Vinci's Inquest, the alcohol salesman in Entourage, Leon in The Line, Farhod the Fierce in Pair of Kings, and Ken Tanaka in Glee, and his film roles as Awkward Davies in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World...
) as Will is married. Ken ultimately breaks up with her on their wedding day because of her feelings for Will, and when Will leaves his wife Terri
Terri Schuester
Terri Schuester is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jessalyn Gilsig, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Terri was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
(Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig is a Canadian actress known for her roles in the television series Boston Public, Nip/Tuck and as Will Schuester's ex-wife Terri Schuester in Glee...
), he and Emma share a kiss. Their relationship is short-lived, and in the second season
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...
, Emma and her dentist boyfriend 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...
) marry in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Mays feels the character has a lot of depth, juxtaposing Emma's position helping the students with her own phobia of germs and love for a married man. She explained that "the character is not a stereotypical TV-style husband-stealer who immediately would be luring the dude into the sack, but rather seems like a real person facing real issues." Mays has performed three musical numbers in the show: "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...
" from My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's "Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 12, 1984 by Sire Records. It was re-released worldwide in 1985, with the inclusion of the bonus track "Into the Groove". In 2001, Warner Bros. Records released a remastered version with two bonus...
", and "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:...
" from 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"...
. The latter number was originally Mays' audition piece; her performance of it on Glee was met with critical acclaim. The songs appear on the series' soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
s and EP
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...
s.
The character has been well received by critics, including Mike Hale of the New York Times who praised Mays for being able to "[register] Emma's devastation with just the slightest widening of [her] enormous eyes." Critics responded well to the development of Emma and Will's relationship. Eric Goldman of 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...
wrote that their first kiss was "hard to not feel good about". Dan Snierson of 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...
, however, suggested that it may have been "more intriguing" to leave their romance unresolved.
Storylines
Emma is introduced as the guidance counselor at William McKinley High School. She has romantic feelings for Spanish and glee teacher Will SchuesterWill 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...
), and encourages him in his attempt to revitalise the school 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...
. She is dismayed to learn that Will's wife Terri
Terri Schuester
Terri Schuester is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jessalyn Gilsig, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Terri was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
(Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig is a Canadian actress known for her roles in the television series Boston Public, Nip/Tuck and as Will Schuester's ex-wife Terri Schuester in Glee...
) is pregnant and that he is considering leaving the teaching profession to become an accountant, but is able to convince him to reconsider by showing him a video of him singing. In an attempt to get over Will, Emma begins dating football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher
Patrick Gallagher (actor)
-Career:Gallagher is best known for his television roles as Det. Joe Finn in Da Vinci's Inquest, the alcohol salesman in Entourage, Leon in The Line, Farhod the Fierce in Pair of Kings, and Ken Tanaka in Glee, and his film roles as Awkward Davies in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World...
), and becomes engaged to him in the episode "Vitamin D
Vitamin D (Glee)
"Vitamin D" is the sixth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 7, 2009. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Elodie Keene. In the episode, glee club director Will Schuester pits the male and female club members...
". However, when Will is unable to attend a competition with the glee club, Emma volunteers to take them in his place, and postpones her own wedding by several hours. Acknowledging her continuing feelings for Will, Ken breaks up with her on their wedding day. Emma tells Will that she has resigned from the school, as she is ashamed of her behavior with Ken, and is heartbroken that she cannot be with Will. Will tells her that he has left Terri, but Emma feels it is too soon for him to move on. Regardless, as she later prepares to leave the school, Will finds her and stops her with a kiss.
Emma and Will pursue a relationship, but Emma fears that he may be repeating patterns from his relationship with Terri because of his difficulties with being alone. She reveals that she is a virgin, and though she decides to have sex with Will, she changes her mind at the last moment. Will suggests that she see a counselor for help with her debilitating issues. Emma later discovers that Will kissed another woman and verbally berates him, terminating their relationship. In the season finale, Will kisses Emma and tells her that he loves her.
Emma begins a relationship with her dentist, 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...
), which leads to a Vegas wedding. Her reservations about sex lead her to become faculty advisor to the school's celibacy club. Carl arranges a meeting with sex education teacher Holly Holliday
Holly Holliday
Holly Holliday is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, and appeared three times during the show's the second season. Holly is Paltrow's first-ever role in a scripted television show...
(Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
), and reveals that they have yet to sleep together. Emma confesses that she may still have feelings for Will, and Carl tells her he will be moving into a hotel until she is certain of her feelings. In "A Night of Neglect
A Night of Neglect
"A Night of Neglect" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 39th episode overall. It was written by Ian Brennan, directed by Carol Banker, and aired on Fox in the United States on April 19, 2011...
", Emma reveals to Will that Carl has left her for good and wants an annulment, since their marriage was never consummated. Because of the stress, Emma's OCD affects her far more than usual, and she feels regretful because she thought she would have overcome it by that point in her life. Will tells Emma that he will be there for her no matter what, and also urges her to get treatment for her OCD. She starts seeing a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
in the episode "Born This Way
Born This Way (Glee)
"Born This Way" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 40th episode overall. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 26, 2011. The episode was written by Brad Falchuk and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and is a tribute to...
", and is showing signs of improvement by the end of season two. Over the summer, Will and Emma move in together, although they have not consummated their relationship. That they are both thinking of an eventual marriage is made clear in the episode "Asian F
Asian F
"Asian F" is the third episode of the third season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 47th overall. Written by series co-creator Ian Brennan and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, it first aired on Fox in the United States on October 4, 2011...
", and when Will invites her parents to dinner in that episode, he discovers that they are "ginger supremacists" who mock Emma's OCD, the roots of which are shown in flashbacks with them and an eight-year-old Emma.
Casting and creation
Emma is portrayed by actress Jayma MaysJayma 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...
. In the third season episode "Asian F", Hannah Spiros plays an eight-year-old Emma. Prior to her casting in Glee, Mays was already an established actress in both the television and film industry, but had little theatrical experience. In casting Glee, series creator Ryan Murphy sought actors who could identify with the rush of starring in theatrical roles. Auditioning actors with no theatrical experience were required to prove they could sing and dance as well as act, and Mays auditioned with the song "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:...
" from 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"...
. Asked what originally drew her to the role of Emma, Mays said:
Characterization
In the first episodePilot (Glee)
"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the television series Glee, which premiered on the Fox network on May 19, 2009. An extended director's cut version aired on September 2, 2009. The show focuses on a high school show choir, also known as a glee club, set within the fictional William McKinley High...
, it is revealed that Emma has mysophobia
Mysophobia
Mysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited in repeatedly washing...
, a fear of germs. Bill Harris
Bill Harris (writer / producer)
William Harris is a New York, United States, based television executive currently serving as Senior Vice-President of Production and Broadcast Operations for the A&E Television Networks, which includes cable services A&E, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, Crime and Investigation, History...
of the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
assessed that her phobia is "comical", and that Emma's initial role in the series is comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
. Mays has explained that "the character is not a stereotypical TV-style husband-stealer who immediately would be luring the dude into the sack, but rather seems like a real person facing real issues." Mays added: "This is something that’s part of a lot of people’s lives. But Emma is not a cheater
Emotional affair
An "emotional affair" is an affair, which excludes physical intimacy but includes emotional intimacy and can begin as innocently as a friendship. It may also be called an affair of the heart. Where one partner is in a committed monogamous relationship, an emotional affair is a type of chaste...
. They’ve portrayed her as being somewhat virginal. There’s purity there. She doesn’t just hone in and say, ‘I want to destroy this guy’s relationship.' So Emma is hopeful and sad at the same time. Funny, too. Sounds like real life, where, as stated earlier, you can’t help who you love." David Hinckley of the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
described her as "good-hearted and smart. Emma is also so obsessive-compulsive she counts the bristles on her toothbrush."
Mays has deemed Emma an "amazing" character to play, and has explained: "I don't find that female characters are always written with a lot of depth, but she's so well defined on the page. Sure, she's terrified of germs and in love with a married man, so seeing her as the voice of reason for the kids is amazing." Emma's relationship with Will will continue to grow, as "she has these moments of clarity when she's talking to Will because he calms her." Mays described her in an interview with TheTVChick: "She is a romantic at heart. But she’s practical. She’s very interesting, because she does have those dreams and hopes of finding the right man. And in her mind, even though 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...
’s married, that sort of guy is like the perfect guy for her. She’s very practical in the fact that she doesn’t want to be alone and she knows that she’s somewhat limited in a small town to men. And Ken Tanaka
Characters of Glee
Glee is a musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States. 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...
is a very nice man, he’s not exactly like Will, but he’s good to her and he’s solid. He’s got a job, and he understands her and he understands all her quirks and stuff. So she’s practical, she knows that just might be her lot in life. So it’s weird. She’s got this very dreamy side about her and who she wants to be and what she wants her life to be like. But she’s also got this very practical, down-to-earth, well this is kind of the best I can do thing. It’s funny a lot of people have thought that part about her is weak. Like a weak character flaw, but I actually don’t think that’s true. I really just think that’s the practical side of her. I think that’s her being practical. And I think a lot of people are like that sometimes."
Discussing Emma's style and costuming, Glee
Pilot (Glee)
"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the television series Glee, which premiered on the Fox network on May 19, 2009. An extended director's cut version aired on September 2, 2009. The show focuses on a high school show choir, also known as a glee club, set within the fictional William McKinley High...
, we made her look much more teacher-y. Now we're having more fun with her character, keeping her bright and unusual. Quirky is the word. Emma’s also always in stacked Mary Janes
Mary Jane (shoe)
Mary Jane is an American term for a strap shoe or bar shoe that typically has low heels, broad and rounded closed toes, and a single-buckle strap across the instep and/or around the ankle...
or T-strap heels. It takes the outfit down from being too stylish or too sexy. It makes her look prim and almost old-fashioned."
Relationships
Emma's relationship with glee club coach Will SchuesterWill 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...
is an integral part of her character. They have had an on and off relationship since the show's first season
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...
. Television critics have responded extremely well to the pairing between the two. Mandi Bierly for 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...
said of the episode "Vitamin D
Vitamin D (Glee)
"Vitamin D" is the sixth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 7, 2009. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Elodie Keene. In the episode, glee club director Will Schuester pits the male and female club members...
": "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...
communicates so much with his eyes. There’s a softness and a longing in them that I’m always surprised Emma (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...
) matches." Critics also commented positively on the development of Will and Emma's relationship in the episode Sectionals
Sectionals
"Sectionals" is the 13th episode of the American television series Glee. It premiered on the Fox network on December 9, 2009. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Brad Falchuk, and serves as the mid-season finale for the show's first season. "Sectionals" sees the glee club win...
. Natalie Abrams of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
noted that she had been waiting for them to kiss since the pilot episode, and Eric Goldman of 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...
has deemed their coming together "very hard to not feel good about". Dan Snierson, however, wrote that although there was satisfaction in the episode ending on the kiss, it may have been "more intriguing" to conclude when Will finds Emma's empty office, and having him then question whether it was too soon for the two of them to begin a relationship. Eric Goldman of IGN commented of the following episode: " I would have liked to at least see Shue and Emma as a couple for a few episodes, rather than such a quick split. It felt rushed." Todd VanDerWerff added: "I loved Emma's eruption to Will about how 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...
must have cheated and the kids deserved to win." Robert Canning said of 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...
oriented episode: "The true focus of the episode was Will dealing with his lack of spontaneity. This stood as a contrast to the impulsiveness of Emma's new boyfriend, sexy dentist Carl played by the somehow always charming 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...
. There's a fun love triangle building here which should only get better as Will becomes less of an insecure whiner."
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...
commented of their relationship: " Oh no! I don’t know if I can say! That’s a hard question because when you see the scenes of Emma and Will, you obviously think 'Oh of course they’re supposed to be together, of course, of course!' but the fact is, is that he’s a married man and Emma knows that’s wrong, and she doesn’t want to be a homewrecker. She doesn’t want to ruin a relationship. So I guess in a perfect world, she could find someone like Will, or maybe Ken Tanaka (laughs) can become a little bit more like Will. But maybe it’s all about respect. Maybe if she can respect Ken enough, that will develop into true love." She also commented of her co-star 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...
(Will): "We were friends. We knew each other before we started this job. We worked together once before. So, that’s always helpful when you know the person that you’re working with, and you already feel comfortable around them. But yeah, he’s a really good friend, so that makes that stuff a little bit easier."
Reception
VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
Brian Lowry deemed the adult cast of early Glee "over-the-top buffoons", however opined that Emma offered "modest redemption". 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....
Denise Martin called Mays as Emma "just as funny" as Lynch's Sue, and noted: "Emma doesn't get the zingers Coach Sue gets, but she makes me laugh just as hard." Harris commented that, "Despite the sad seriousness of [Emma's love for Will], the tightly wound Emma [...]also is one of the funniest characters in Glee. Go figure. It's funny, because everything is kind of heavy that's going on in her life, with these phobias and this guy she loves who’s married, yet she still is a bit of the comic relief." Mandi Bierly for 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...
noted of the episode "Vitamin D
Vitamin D (Glee)
"Vitamin D" is the sixth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 7, 2009. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Elodie Keene. In the episode, glee club director Will Schuester pits the male and female club members...
" that she had hoped Emma would decline Ken's proposal: "I want Emma to be strong and know it’s better to be without someone for the right reason than to be with someone for the wrong one." Mike Hale for the New York Times praised Mays' performance in the episode. He noted: "Jayma Mays registered Emma’s devastation with just the slightest widening of those enormous eyes. In fact all the best non-singing moments in the episode were hers."
Critics commented positively on the development of Will and Emma's relationship; TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Natalie Abrams wrote that she had been waiting for them to kiss since the pilot episode. Flandez felt that the kiss made the "poignant moment" of the glee club's final performance "even more dear", and hoped that it would not be the last between them, while 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....
praised the development and called the kiss "sweet [and] longing". Goldman wrote: "Schue and Emma finally coming together was very hard to not feel good about, even though you know it just won't be that easy when the show returns". Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times opined that it was clear Ken and Emma would not marry, and added that when Will kissed Emma: "I died". In discussing Will and Emma's conversation about how she would have left Ken if Will had shown any interest in her, Pardue commented: "That's maybe the sweetest and the saddest thing I've ever heard." She called the kiss between Will and Emma "romantic" commenting that it made her "heart happy". Entertainment Weekly Dan Snierson commented that although there was satisfaction in the episode ending on the kiss, it may have been "more intriguing" to conclude with Will finding Emma's office empty, or "before she smiled approvingly after their kiss", questioning whether it was too soon for the two of them to begin a relationship, or "about freakin' time".
Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V Club was critical of Emma in the show's second season. He said: "Emma is apparently married, but we haven’t seen her husband since October, and even when he was more of a “fixture” on the show (which is difficult to say about a character who’s appeared as little as Carl Howell has), his relationship with Emma made no sense as anything other than a plot device. Now, as it turns out, Emma and Carl haven’t consummated their marriage at all, and this has something to do with the fact that the show has combined Emma’s germ-phobia
Mysophobia
Mysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited in repeatedly washing...
and virginity
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
into some sort of terrifying psychosexual pathology that doesn’t make much sense and doesn’t resemble the somewhat levelheaded person she used to be. (The plotting in 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...
’s love life is the one place where the show attempts to have even a modicum of continuity, for whatever reason.) Anyway, Carl is necessarily upset about this, and he’s also upset when Holly Holiday gets Emma to admit that she still has confusing feelings for Will, so he resolves to let her stay in the condo while he stays in the Radisson where all of the good big-name Glee guest stars go to hope their pilots for the fall are picked up."
Musical performances
Mays performed a cover versionCover 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...
of "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...
" from My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
in the episode "Mash-Up
Mash-Up (Glee)
"Mash-Up" is the eighth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 21, 2009. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan and directed by Elodie Keene...
", a studio recording
Studio recording
The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance.-Studio cast recordings:...
of which was included as a bonus-track on copies of Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical television series Glee, which airs on Fox in the United States. It features cover versions from the first nine episodes of the first season and was released on November 2, 2009 by Columbia Records and 20th...
purchased from Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
stores. 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....
called the performance "lovely", and Andrea Reiher for Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
similarly praised the piece: "wow, she has a nice voice! She's no Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
, but she'll do." Eric Goldman for 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...
commented: "Seeing Emma sing "I Could Have Danced All Night" was sweet, though was it just me (or my TV), or was the volume on her vocals a bit unusually loud? I also could have done without Will's line telling her she should sing to help her keep the beat as she danced – come on Glee, you're a musical. Embrace it and just let her sing."
Mays said that she "had fun singing," but found the experience "terrifying," as she had never given a musical performance on camera before. She derided her choreography skills, and elaborated: "I was so nervous that day. I had to keep eating bread and toast because my stomach was so sick. But it was an interesting experience. It was definitely a challenge for me. Of course if they ask me to do it again, I would do it again. But I’m not going to go begging them for it."
In her first lead solo performance since the first season, Mays performed "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:...
" from 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"...
during the themed episode "The Rocky Horror Glee Show
The Rocky Horror Glee Show
"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...
". Anthony Benigno of the Daily News named it 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. 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...
remarked that having Emma in the role of Janet was "ideal", but preferred the song visually to vocally. 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 :...
Matt 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. The track was included on the EP
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...
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...
. It charted at number 72 in the UK, and 96 in Canada.
External links
- Emma Pillsbury at Fox.com