The Substitute (Glee)
Encyclopedia
"The Substitute" is the seventh episode of the second season
of the American television series Glee
, and the 29th episode overall. It was written by Ian Brennan
, directed by Ryan Murphy, and premiered on Fox
on November 16, 2010. The episode guest stars Gwyneth Paltrow
as Holly Holliday, a substitute teacher who takes the place of glee club director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
) while he is ill. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
) becomes principal of William McKinley High School, and glee club members Mercedes Jones
(Amber Riley
) and Kurt Hummel
(Chris Colfer
) experience tension in their friendship.
The episode features cover version
s of six songs, which received mixed reviews from critics. While the Glee cover of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" and mash-up
of "Singin' in the Rain
" with Rihanna
's "Umbrella
" attracted critical praise and charted both on the Billboard Hot 100
and internationally, the episode's dance-based performances were criticized for their choreography and strict adherence to the original versions. The episode was watched by 11.70 million US viewers, and was the top scripted show among adults aged 18–49 for the week of broadcast. Paltrow's guest appearance attracted positive commentary, however the episode's sub-plots were less well-received. Aly Semigran of MTV
, Robert Canning of IGN
and Entertainment Weekly
Tim Stack all deemed the episode one of the best of the season. Time
James Poniewozik felt that it was a relatively subdued, mediocre episode, and Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
found it to be an improvement on the previous two episodes, if not genuinely good. The National Alliance on Mental Illness
criticized the episode for its depiction of bipolar disorder
. Paltrow won the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance.
(Jane Lynch
) is appointed acting principal of William McKinley High School after having Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
) infected with the flu. Glee club director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
) is also infected, and takes time off work to recover. He is cared for by his ex-wife Terri
(Jessalyn Gilsig
), which leads to them sleeping together.
Glee club co-captain Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
) attempts to take over for Will, but this results in chaos. At the request of Kurt Hummel
(Chris Colfer
), club lessons are instead covered by substitute teacher Holly Holliday
(Gwyneth Paltrow
), whose unconventional methods include discussing Lindsay Lohan
's rehabilitation in Spanish, singing "Conjunction Junction" to her English class, and roleplaying as a bipolar Mary Todd Lincoln
for the History class. When Holly first arrives at glee club rehearsal, she impresses the club with her rendition of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You". Rachel is annoyed and worries that Holly may be unable to sufficiently prepare them for the upcoming Sectionals competition. Holly later wins over Rachel by duetting with her on "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago
.
Kurt neglects his best friend Mercedes Jones
(Amber Riley
) in favor of his new friend Blaine Anderson
(Darren Criss
). Mercedes is offended when Kurt tries to set her up on a date with a football player on the basis that they are both black, and feels left out when she accompanies Kurt and Blaine to dinner, where conversation is dominated by gay issues and icons. When Sue begins a healthy eating initiative and declares a ban on "Potater Tots
", Mercedes organizes a student protest and fills the tailpipe of Sue's car with Tots, causing $17,000 worth of damage.
Sue's initiative proves popular with the students' parents, and her appointment as principal is made permanent. She fires Will, who is later visited by Holly seeking advice. Holly feels out of her depth as a teacher, having enabled Mercedes' behavior. She confesses that she originally took her work seriously, until a student (Lindsay Sims-Lewis) punched her in the face, prompting her more laid-back approach. Terri arrives while they are talking and is angered by Holly's presence. Will asks her to leave, telling her that their reunion was a mistake and concluding their relationship for good.
Kurt confronts Mercedes, suggesting that she is substituting food for love and their friendship for a romantic relationship. Mercedes decides to talk to the student Kurt attempted to set her up with. As she departs, Kurt is approached by school bully Dave Karofsky
(Max Adler), who threatens to kill him if Kurt reveals his closeted
homosexuality.
At the urging of the glee club members, Sue reinstates Will. He suggests a group performance of "Singin' in the Rain", but asks for Holly's help to modernize it, resulting in a mash-up with Rihanna's "Umbrella".
Paltrow's Glee appearance marked her first ever scripted-series guest performance. The role of Holly was created for her by series creator Ryan Murphy, a personal friend who suggested that she showcase her vocal and dancing talent ahead of the December 2010 release of the film Country Strong, in which Paltrow plays a country singer. Upon announcing her casting in September 2010, BBC News
reported that she would appear in two episodes of the series. E! Online's Kristin dos Santos stated that Holly would serve as a love interest for Will, with Murphy later confirming that Holly's appearance would create a love quadrangle between herself, Will, guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
(Jayma Mays
) and her boyfriend Carl Howell (John Stamos
). However, Fancast later reported that Paltrow's guest-arc had been reduced to a single episode, and neither Mays nor Stamos appear in "The Substitute". Post-broadcast, Murphy stated that both he and Paltrow hoped that she would appear on Glee again in the future, depending on the right storyline. In December 2010, Paltrow confirmed that she would return to the series for another episode at a later date, and in January 2011, Murphy confirmed her reappearance, this time as a sex education
teacher planned for episodes 15 and 16. Paltrow won the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her appearance in "The Substitute".
"The Substitute" includes a fantasy sequence in which Will hallucinates the club members as kindergarten
-aged children. Child actors were hired to portray the characters' younger selves, including Jake Vaughn and Lauren Boles as a young Finn
and Rachel. The episode also features the return of Gilsig, following an absence spanning several episodes. The actress felt that Will's illness allowed viewers to see the couple with their defences down for the first time, and that the addition of Holly highlighted a double standard in their relationship. She explained that while Terri is not "the most palatable person", she is at least faithful to Will, while he has "a wandering eye" and treats Terri badly in "The Substitute". Recurring characters in this episode include glee club members Mike Chang
(Harry Shum, Jr.
) and Sam Evans
(Chord Overstreet
), Principal Figgins, school bully Dave Karofsky, cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter
), wrestler Lauren Zizes
(Ashley Fink
) and Kurt's friend Blaine Anderson.
The episode features cover version
s of six songs. Paltrow performs on four, which she recorded in a single afternoon. Her numbers include "Conjunction Junction" from Schoolhouse Rock!
, and a clean version of Cee Lo Green's "Fuck You!" entitled "Forget You". The producers considered having Paltrow sing a Coldplay
song, but decided to save the band's work for a competition episode. Morrison and Shum, Jr. enact a frame-by-frame recreation of "Make 'Em Laugh" from the musical film Singin' in the Rain
. Paltrow and Michele duet on "Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" from the musical Chicago, and the glee club with Morrison and Paltrow perform a mash-up
of "Singin' in the Rain" with "Umbrella" by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
. The staging of "Singin' in the Rain / Umbrella" required the cast to spend twelve hours filming in a tank of water.
All of the songs performed, with the exception of "Conjunction Junction", were released as singles, available for download
, and "Forget You" is featured on the soundtrack album
Glee: The Music, Volume 4
. "Forget You" and "Singing in the Rain / Umbrella" charted both on the Billboard Hot 100 and internationally. The former reached number 11 in the US and 12 in Canada, while the latter peaked at number 10 in Ireland. Green's "Fuck You!" entered the top ten of the Hot 100 for the first time following the Glee cover, with sales rising 94% in a week.
", which was watched by 10.99 million viewers and attained a 4.6/13 rating/share. In Canada, viewership also improved on "Never Been Kissed", with "The Substitute" drawing 2.29 million viewers and ranking ninth for the week, up from 1.97 million and twelfth for the previous episode. In Australia, the episode drew 1.06 million viewers, making Glee the seventh most-watched show of the night, and nineteenth of the week. Viewership declined from "Never Been Kissed", which was watched by 1.08 million viewers, however the series registered a rise from eighth and twenty-seventh in the daily and weekly program rankings respectively. In the UK, the episode was watched by 2.55 million viewers—2.11 million on E4, and 439,000 on E4+1—becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week.
Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club found it to be an improvement on the previous two episodes, writing that if not genuinely good, "The Substitute" at least proved that Glee has not been entirely subsumed by its own hype.
Time James Poniewozik felt that it was a relatively subdued, mediocre episode, which contained "a collection of good small moments".
Brett Berk of Vanity Fair
criticized the focus it placed on the adult characters at the expense of the teenagers and the disregard for continuing plot strands in favor of a celebrity cameo, but concluded that "despite all that, some of it kind of worked."
The National Alliance on Mental Illness
(NAMI) took exception to this episode, which, it stated, "mocked and trivialized bipolar disorder
" during Paltrow's history classroom scene, in which she role-plays as Mary Todd Lincoln
. NAMI encouraged people to contact Murphy and Fox TV to convey their disappointment with the scene.
Paltrow's guest appearance attracted critical praise. Both Stack and E! Online Kristin dos Santos called it Emmy-worthy, with the former rating it amongst her best ever performances, and the latter stating that Holly received "some of Glee best-ever one-liners.
VanDerWerff enjoyed her role, writing that Holly injected an effortless sense of fun, despite much of her plot being nonsensical.
Entertainment Weekly Ken Tucker praised Paltrow for being one of the first guest stars to perform well alongside Sue, and wrote that her classroom scenes made the episode "one in which the guest star both stood out and meshed with the cast."
The Atlantic Meghan Brown commented that Paltrow "brought a massive spark to what could have been a one-note role", and her Atlantic co-author Kevin Fallon wrote that her energetic performance saved an episode which may have been "in shambles without her presence."
Canning noted that Paltrow's casting could have been distracting, but instead she fit the role "seamlessly", and CNN
's Lisa Respers France compared her performance favorably to Britney Spears
cameo in the episode "Britney/Brittany
".
Several critics stated that they enjoyed Paltrow's appearance despite experiencing trepidation about it prior to broadcast. Berk found her "surprisingly great", and Poniewozik too expressed surprise at her performance, stating that while her casting was somewhat distracting, she was able to make Holly a sympathetic character without overdoing her neediness and commitment-phobia.
Jen Chaney of The Washington Post
recommended a "lengthy moratorium" on internet criticism of Paltrow, suggesting that with her Glee appearance, her "mission to charm the American public may be complete."
Critics were divided over the Schuester sub-plot. Both Semigran and Poniewozik enjoyed Will's characterization, with Poniewozik commenting that he became an "identifiable human" again, following a season throughout which his behavior has been erratic and unreliable.
In contrast, VanDerWerff criticized the sub-plot for ignoring Will's culpability in the breakdown of his marriage, and expressed displeasure at his inconsistent characterization, deeming it one of the season's biggest problems.
Stack commented negatively on the return of Terri, finding her dislikeable and unnecessary, as Glee already has a villain in Sue.
The Mercedes storyline attracted criticism. Fallon took offence at Glee sole overweight black character turning into a "fried potato-addicted junkie", and both Berk and Stack commented that while they had hoped for Mercedes to receive a major storyline, they did not want it to be centered on her weight issues. Semigran called it "rather disposable" but appreciated the "silliness and levity" it introduced, and Respers France noted that she did not mind the storyline itself, but disliked Kurt lecturing his supposed best friend. VanDerWerff felt that the Tots plot was "one element too many" in what could have been a "pretty potent emotional storyline", but praised the performances by Colfer and Riley. Stack appreciated their dinner with Blaine, finding it representative of what he enjoys about the show, commenting: "Last week, Kurt's sexuality was the central emotional storyline of the episode, and this week it was played for laughs. Kurt's character has to walk that fine line between being a role model and becoming too saintly. I think the writers are navigating that tightrope quite, quite well."
Benigno and Poniewozik criticized the sanitization of "Forget You", but while the latter found it inferior to the original version, the former preferred Paltrow's deeper voice and graded the song "A".
Rolling Stone
Erica Futterman felt the censorship of the song did not adversely affect its success, and deemed Paltrow's rendition "charming and sassy". Megan Vick of Billboard
called it "the most exciting number" of the episode, and Stack went further in his praise, grading it "A+" and lauding it as "one of the most memorable and energetic Glee performances ever, thanks in no small part to Paltrow." Green told MTV
that he was flattered by the cover, particularly as he was not aware Paltrow would perform it when granting Glee clearance. He called her performance "great", commenting that he had not been aware she was such an accomplished vocalist.
Benigno and Stack praised the choreography of "Make 'Em Laugh", but both graded it lower than "Forget You", at a "B" and "B+" respectively. Futterman called the recreation an "impressive feat", but likened it to hallucinatory Britney Spears
covers in the episode "Britney/Brittany
" in that it "stands alone better than it fits into the plot." Vick was critical of the performance, observing that Glee covers from musicals often introduce classic songs to viewers with a modern twist, an element which was absent in "Make 'Em Laugh". The Chicago cover also left some critics wanting, with Futterman, The Wall Street Journal
Raymund Flandez and The Atlantic Patrick Burns all finding the choreography lacking. Fallon suggested that Glee should be wary of overusing recreations, having already done so in "The Power of Madonna
", "Britney/Brittany" and "The Rocky Horror Glee Show
", and VanDerWerff criticized the performances as "outright plagiarism, not homage".
Benigno and Futterman compared "Singin' in the Rain / Umbrella" favorably to mash-ups performed in the preceding episode. Benigno graded it "B", though felt that by using "Singin' in the Rain" as the chorus, the song lacked catharsis, a sentiment echoed by Flandez, who praised the costumes, props and staging, but wished the rendition had had more "bite" and "attitude". Futterman described it as a "buoyant and catchy homage to the old and the new [which] perfectly captures Glee musical spirit." In contrast, Vick felt the song could not compare to the previous episode's mash-ups. She deemed the staging implausible, questioning how a glee club in financial difficulty could afford elaborate water features for a rehearsal number. Stack was willing to overlook such improbability, writing that he loved the mash-up and grading it "A-". Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times
appreciated the choreography, and the manner in which "Paltrow's sassiness undercuts [Morrison's] overripe sweetness", naming it potentially her favorite group number of the 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...
of the American television 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...
, and the 29th episode overall. It was written by 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...
, directed by Ryan Murphy, and premiered on 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...
on November 16, 2010. The episode guest stars 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...
as Holly Holliday, a substitute teacher who takes the place of glee club 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...
) while he is ill. Cheerleading coach 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...
(Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
) becomes principal of William McKinley High School, and glee club members Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and...
(Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
) and Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel is a fictional character and one of the male leads in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied at school...
(Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
) experience tension in their friendship.
The episode features cover version
Cover 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...
s of six songs, which received mixed reviews from critics. While the Glee cover of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" and mash-up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of "Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain (song)
"Singin' In the Rain" is a song with lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown, published in 1929. However, it is unclear exactly when the song was written with some claiming that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. The song was listed as Number 3 on AFI's 100 Years.....
" with Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
" attracted critical praise and charted both on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and internationally, the episode's dance-based performances were criticized for their choreography and strict adherence to the original versions. The episode was watched by 11.70 million US viewers, and was the top scripted show among adults aged 18–49 for the week of broadcast. Paltrow's guest appearance attracted positive commentary, however the episode's sub-plots were less well-received. 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....
, Robert Canning 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...
and 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...
Tim Stack all deemed the episode one of the best of the season. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
James Poniewozik felt that it was a relatively subdued, mediocre episode, and Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
found it to be an improvement on the previous two episodes, if not genuinely good. The National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Alliance on Mental Illness
The National Alliance on Mental Illness was founded in 1979 as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. NAMI is a nation-wide American advocacy group, representing families and people affected by mental illness as a non-profit grass roots organization and has affiliates in every American state...
criticized the episode for its depiction of bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. Paltrow won the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance.
Plot
Cheerleading coach Sue SylvesterSue 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...
(Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
) is appointed acting principal of William McKinley High School after having Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba is a Pakistani-American actor. Theba currently has a recurring role as Principal Figgins in the show Glee.-Life and career:Theba became a familiar face in the 1990s when he appeared in various TV shows and commercials in the United States....
) infected with the flu. Glee club 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...
) is also infected, and takes time off work to recover. He is cared for by his ex-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...
), which leads to them sleeping together.
Glee club co-captain Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
) attempts to take over for Will, but this results in chaos. At the request of Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel is a fictional character and one of the male leads in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied at school...
(Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
), club lessons are instead covered by substitute 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...
), whose unconventional methods include discussing Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
's rehabilitation in Spanish, singing "Conjunction Junction" to her English class, and roleplaying as a bipolar Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
for the History class. When Holly first arrives at glee club rehearsal, she impresses the club with her rendition of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You". Rachel is annoyed and worries that Holly may be unable to sufficiently prepare them for the upcoming Sectionals competition. Holly later wins over Rachel by duetting with her on "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
.
Kurt neglects his best friend Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and...
(Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
) in favor of his new friend Blaine Anderson
Blaine Anderson
Blaine Anderson is a fictional character from the American musical comedy-drama television series Glee. Played by Darren Criss, Blaine was introduced in the sixth episode of the second season as the openly gay lead singer of the Dalton Academy Warblers, a rival show choir to New Directions, the...
(Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
). Mercedes is offended when Kurt tries to set her up on a date with a football player on the basis that they are both black, and feels left out when she accompanies Kurt and Blaine to dinner, where conversation is dominated by gay issues and icons. When Sue begins a healthy eating initiative and declares a ban on "Potater Tots
Tater Tots
Tater Tots, a registered trademark for a commercial form of hash browns made by Ore-Ida, are a side-dish made from deep-fried, grated taters. Tater Tots are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape and small size....
", Mercedes organizes a student protest and fills the tailpipe of Sue's car with Tots, causing $17,000 worth of damage.
Sue's initiative proves popular with the students' parents, and her appointment as principal is made permanent. She fires Will, who is later visited by Holly seeking advice. Holly feels out of her depth as a teacher, having enabled Mercedes' behavior. She confesses that she originally took her work seriously, until a student (Lindsay Sims-Lewis) punched her in the face, prompting her more laid-back approach. Terri arrives while they are talking and is angered by Holly's presence. Will asks her to leave, telling her that their reunion was a mistake and concluding their relationship for good.
Kurt confronts Mercedes, suggesting that she is substituting food for love and their friendship for a romantic relationship. Mercedes decides to talk to the student Kurt attempted to set her up with. As she departs, Kurt is approached by school bully Dave Karofsky
Dave Karofsky
David "Dave" Karofsky, often referred to as Karofsky, is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Max Adler, and has appeared in Glee since its first season episode "Mash-Up", first broadcast on October 21, 2009...
(Max Adler), who threatens to kill him if Kurt reveals his closeted
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
homosexuality.
At the urging of the glee club members, Sue reinstates Will. He suggests a group performance of "Singin' in the Rain", but asks for Holly's help to modernize it, resulting in a mash-up with Rihanna's "Umbrella".
Production
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
reported that she would appear in two episodes of the series. E! Online's Kristin dos Santos stated that Holly would serve as a love interest for Will, with Murphy later confirming that Holly's appearance would create a love quadrangle between herself, Will, guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury
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...
(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...
) and her 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...
). However, Fancast later reported that Paltrow's guest-arc had been reduced to a single episode, and neither Mays nor Stamos appear in "The Substitute". Post-broadcast, Murphy stated that both he and Paltrow hoped that she would appear on Glee again in the future, depending on the right storyline. In December 2010, Paltrow confirmed that she would return to the series for another episode at a later date, and in January 2011, Murphy confirmed her reappearance, this time as a sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
teacher planned for episodes 15 and 16. Paltrow won the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her appearance in "The Substitute".
"The Substitute" includes a fantasy sequence in which Will hallucinates the club members as kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
-aged children. Child actors were hired to portray the characters' younger selves, including Jake Vaughn and Lauren Boles as a young Finn
Finn Hudson
Finn Hudson is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Cory Monteith, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
and Rachel. The episode also features the return of Gilsig, following an absence spanning several episodes. The actress felt that Will's illness allowed viewers to see the couple with their defences down for the first time, and that the addition of Holly highlighted a double standard in their relationship. She explained that while Terri is not "the most palatable person", she is at least faithful to Will, while he has "a wandering eye" and treats Terri badly in "The Substitute". Recurring characters in this episode include glee club members Mike Chang
Mike Chang
Michael "Mike" Chang, Jr. is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor and dancer Harry Shum, Jr., and has appeared on Glee since the fourth episode in the first season, "Preggers", first broadcast on September 23, 2009...
(Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...
) and Sam Evans
Sam Evans
Sam Evans is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Chord Overstreet, and appeared on Glee starting with the second season premiere episode entitled "Audition", first broadcast on September 21, 2010, and ending with that...
(Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet is an American actor, singer and musician, best known for his role as Sam Evans on the television series Glee.-Early life:...
), Principal Figgins, school bully Dave Karofsky, cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter
Lauren Potter
Lauren Potter is an American actress best known for her role as Becky Jackson on the hit show Glee.-Biography:Lauren was born May 10, 1990 in Inland Empire, California, U.S.A. She is currently 21 years of age...
), wrestler Lauren Zizes
Lauren Zizes
Lauren Zizes is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Ashley Fink, and has appeared in Glee since the season one episode "Wheels", first broadcast on November 11, 2009. Lauren was developed by Glee creators Ryan...
(Ashley Fink
Ashley Fink
Ashley Rae Fink is an American actress, known for her role as Lauren Zizes in the television series Glee, and also as Carter McMahon in Huge.-Personal life:...
) and Kurt's friend Blaine Anderson.
The episode features cover version
Cover 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...
s of six songs. Paltrow performs on four, which she recorded in a single afternoon. Her numbers include "Conjunction Junction" from Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock! is an American interstitial programming series of animated musical educational short films that aired during the Saturday morning children's programming on the U.S. television network ABC. The topics covered included grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and civics...
, and a clean version of Cee Lo Green's "Fuck You!" entitled "Forget You". The producers considered having Paltrow sing a Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
song, but decided to save the band's work for a competition episode. Morrison and Shum, Jr. enact a frame-by-frame recreation of "Make 'Em Laugh" from the musical film Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
. Paltrow and Michele duet on "Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" from the musical Chicago, and the glee club with Morrison and Paltrow perform a mash-up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of "Singin' in the Rain" with "Umbrella" by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. The staging of "Singin' in the Rain / Umbrella" required the cast to spend twelve hours filming in a tank of water.
All of the songs performed, with the exception of "Conjunction Junction", were released as singles, available for download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
, and "Forget You" is featured on the 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...
Glee: The Music, Volume 4
Glee: The Music, Volume 4
Glee: The Music, Volume 4 is the fifth soundtrack album by the cast of the musical television series Glee, which airs on Fox in the United States. It was released on November 26, 2010, by Columbia Records and features cover version performances from the first half of the second season...
. "Forget You" and "Singing in the Rain / Umbrella" charted both on the Billboard Hot 100 and internationally. The former reached number 11 in the US and 12 in Canada, while the latter peaked at number 10 in Ireland. Green's "Fuck You!" entered the top ten of the Hot 100 for the first time following the Glee cover, with sales rising 94% in a week.
Ratings
During its original broadcast, "The Substitute" was watched by 11.70 million US viewers. It attained a 5.0/14 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic, making it the top-rated show of the night amongst adults aged 18–49. In the weekly programme rankings, Glee was the top scripted show among adults 18–49, and placed twentieth in overall viewers. Viewership and ratings both increased from the previous episode, "Never Been KissedNever Been Kissed (Glee)
"Never Been Kissed" is the sixth episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 28th episode overall. It was written by Brad Falchuk, directed by Bradley Buecker and premiered on Fox on November 9, 2010. In "Never Been Kissed", the glee club members are assigned a boys...
", which was watched by 10.99 million viewers and attained a 4.6/13 rating/share. In Canada, viewership also improved on "Never Been Kissed", with "The Substitute" drawing 2.29 million viewers and ranking ninth for the week, up from 1.97 million and twelfth for the previous episode. In Australia, the episode drew 1.06 million viewers, making Glee the seventh most-watched show of the night, and nineteenth of the week. Viewership declined from "Never Been Kissed", which was watched by 1.08 million viewers, however the series registered a rise from eighth and twenty-seventh in the daily and weekly program rankings respectively. In the UK, the episode was watched by 2.55 million viewers—2.11 million on E4, and 439,000 on E4+1—becoming the most-watched show on cable for the week.
Critical response
The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Aly Semigran of MTV, Robert Canning of IGN and Entertainment Weekly Tim Stack all deemed it one of the best of the season, with Canning rating it an "incredible" 9.5/10, and Semigran stating that it contained all of the series' best elements: "surprising musical numbers, with the right balance of humor and life lessons."Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club found it to be an improvement on the previous two episodes, writing that if not genuinely good, "The Substitute" at least proved that Glee has not been entirely subsumed by its own hype.
Time James Poniewozik felt that it was a relatively subdued, mediocre episode, which contained "a collection of good small moments".
Brett Berk of Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
criticized the focus it placed on the adult characters at the expense of the teenagers and the disregard for continuing plot strands in favor of a celebrity cameo, but concluded that "despite all that, some of it kind of worked."
The National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Alliance on Mental Illness
The National Alliance on Mental Illness was founded in 1979 as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. NAMI is a nation-wide American advocacy group, representing families and people affected by mental illness as a non-profit grass roots organization and has affiliates in every American state...
(NAMI) took exception to this episode, which, it stated, "mocked and trivialized bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
" during Paltrow's history classroom scene, in which she role-plays as Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
. NAMI encouraged people to contact Murphy and Fox TV to convey their disappointment with the scene.
Paltrow's guest appearance attracted critical praise. Both Stack and E! Online Kristin dos Santos called it Emmy-worthy, with the former rating it amongst her best ever performances, and the latter stating that Holly received "some of Glee best-ever one-liners.
VanDerWerff enjoyed her role, writing that Holly injected an effortless sense of fun, despite much of her plot being nonsensical.
Entertainment Weekly Ken Tucker praised Paltrow for being one of the first guest stars to perform well alongside Sue, and wrote that her classroom scenes made the episode "one in which the guest star both stood out and meshed with the cast."
The Atlantic Meghan Brown commented that Paltrow "brought a massive spark to what could have been a one-note role", and her Atlantic co-author Kevin Fallon wrote that her energetic performance saved an episode which may have been "in shambles without her presence."
Canning noted that Paltrow's casting could have been distracting, but instead she fit the role "seamlessly", and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Lisa Respers France compared her performance favorably to 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...
cameo in the episode "Britney/Brittany
Britney/Brittany
"Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 24th episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, 2010, and pays tribute to Britney Spears...
".
Several critics stated that they enjoyed Paltrow's appearance despite experiencing trepidation about it prior to broadcast. Berk found her "surprisingly great", and Poniewozik too expressed surprise at her performance, stating that while her casting was somewhat distracting, she was able to make Holly a sympathetic character without overdoing her neediness and commitment-phobia.
Jen Chaney of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
recommended a "lengthy moratorium" on internet criticism of Paltrow, suggesting that with her Glee appearance, her "mission to charm the American public may be complete."
Critics were divided over the Schuester sub-plot. Both Semigran and Poniewozik enjoyed Will's characterization, with Poniewozik commenting that he became an "identifiable human" again, following a season throughout which his behavior has been erratic and unreliable.
In contrast, VanDerWerff criticized the sub-plot for ignoring Will's culpability in the breakdown of his marriage, and expressed displeasure at his inconsistent characterization, deeming it one of the season's biggest problems.
Stack commented negatively on the return of Terri, finding her dislikeable and unnecessary, as Glee already has a villain in Sue.
The Mercedes storyline attracted criticism. Fallon took offence at Glee sole overweight black character turning into a "fried potato-addicted junkie", and both Berk and Stack commented that while they had hoped for Mercedes to receive a major storyline, they did not want it to be centered on her weight issues. Semigran called it "rather disposable" but appreciated the "silliness and levity" it introduced, and Respers France noted that she did not mind the storyline itself, but disliked Kurt lecturing his supposed best friend. VanDerWerff felt that the Tots plot was "one element too many" in what could have been a "pretty potent emotional storyline", but praised the performances by Colfer and Riley. Stack appreciated their dinner with Blaine, finding it representative of what he enjoys about the show, commenting: "Last week, Kurt's sexuality was the central emotional storyline of the episode, and this week it was played for laughs. Kurt's character has to walk that fine line between being a role model and becoming too saintly. I think the writers are navigating that tightrope quite, quite well."
Music
Musical performances also received mixed reviews. Anthony Benigno of the Daily News graded "Conjunction Junction" "A", noting that ordinarily he would have declined to review it due to its short length, but commenting "what a glorious ten seconds it is."Benigno and Poniewozik criticized the sanitization of "Forget You", but while the latter found it inferior to the original version, the former preferred Paltrow's deeper voice and graded the song "A".
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...
Erica Futterman felt the censorship of the song did not adversely affect its success, and deemed Paltrow's rendition "charming and sassy". Megan Vick of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
called it "the most exciting number" of the episode, and Stack went further in his praise, grading it "A+" and lauding it as "one of the most memorable and energetic Glee performances ever, thanks in no small part to Paltrow." Green told 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....
that he was flattered by the cover, particularly as he was not aware Paltrow would perform it when granting Glee clearance. He called her performance "great", commenting that he had not been aware she was such an accomplished vocalist.
Benigno and Stack praised the choreography of "Make 'Em Laugh", but both graded it lower than "Forget You", at a "B" and "B+" respectively. Futterman called the recreation an "impressive feat", but likened it to hallucinatory 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...
covers in the episode "Britney/Brittany
Britney/Brittany
"Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 24th episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, 2010, and pays tribute to Britney Spears...
" in that it "stands alone better than it fits into the plot." Vick was critical of the performance, observing that Glee covers from musicals often introduce classic songs to viewers with a modern twist, an element which was absent in "Make 'Em Laugh". The Chicago cover also left some critics wanting, with Futterman, 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....
Raymund Flandez and The Atlantic Patrick Burns all finding the choreography lacking. Fallon suggested that Glee should be wary of overusing recreations, having already done so in "The Power of Madonna
The Power of Madonna
"The Power of Madonna" is the 15th episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on April 20, 2010...
", "Britney/Brittany" and "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...
", and VanDerWerff criticized the performances as "outright plagiarism, not homage".
Benigno and Futterman compared "Singin' in the Rain / Umbrella" favorably to mash-ups performed in the preceding episode. Benigno graded it "B", though felt that by using "Singin' in the Rain" as the chorus, the song lacked catharsis, a sentiment echoed by Flandez, who praised the costumes, props and staging, but wished the rendition had had more "bite" and "attitude". Futterman described it as a "buoyant and catchy homage to the old and the new [which] perfectly captures Glee musical spirit." In contrast, Vick felt the song could not compare to the previous episode's mash-ups. She deemed the staging implausible, questioning how a glee club in financial difficulty could afford elaborate water features for a rehearsal number. Stack was willing to overlook such improbability, writing that he loved the mash-up and grading it "A-". Amy Reiter of 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....
appreciated the choreography, and the manner in which "Paltrow's sassiness undercuts [Morrison's] overripe sweetness", naming it potentially her favorite group number of the season.
External links
- "The Substitute" at Fox.comFox Broadcasting CompanyFox 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...