The Synopsis
Season 1 finale: Regionals are looming and Sue is scheming, jeopardizing the glee kids’ chances once again. Meanwhile, Quinn has a life-changing event. Olivia Newton-John and Josh Groban have cameos as themselves.

The Soundtrack

• Faithfully (Journey)
• Any Way You Want It/Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’ (Journey)
• Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey)
• Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
• To Sir, With Love (Lulu)
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole)

The Soundbites

• I’m having a hard time hearing anything you’re saying today, because your hair looks like a briar patch. I keep expecting racist Disney characters to pop out and sing about livin’ on the bayou.
• He’s always been very impressed with my oral hygiene.
• Nine months ago, there were five in you here. And we sucked. I mean, we sucked bad.
• We’ve got something the other groups don’t: Finn’s dancing!
• There’s so much you could teach me. That only you could teach me.
• Two questions. One, are you single?
• Brunettes have no place in show business.
• When Josh Groban was their age, he was already in the Mickey Mouse Club or something.
• As you all know, Glee Club is an important . . . and I honestly can’t even finish that sentence.
• I love you, Emma. There, I finally said it.
• We don’t care what the judges say. We won.
• What kind of world would that be? A world where I couldn’t ridicule you for tearing up more than Michael Landon in a sweeps week.
• I’m seriously going to puke in your mouth.

My Thoughts

• Emma still has an attitude with Will, and I like that. She should.
• I can’t blame Rachel. Finn with a backbone is kind of hot, no?
• Really, Glee? You expect me to believe that New Directions came up with the arrangement and choreography for their Journey medley the week of Regionals and managed to look and sound that good? I don’t think so.
• Faithfully is my very favorite song of all time. And even Finn’s singing and Rachel’s facial expressions can’t mess that up.
• On the other hand, I’m not sure I’ll ever hear Don’t Stop Believing again without thinking of Glee. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)
• They all look so incredibly beautiful.
• I would have LOVED to sing Bohemian Rhapsody with my show choir. How fun would THAT be?!
• I totally teared up when Quinn said she wanted Mercedes with her.
• I like the way Vocal Adrenaline had actual choreography. And I also liked the juxtaposition of the song and the birth. Nice.
• Never have I seen a newborn with such wide-open eyes and perfectly rounded head!
• “I missed out on my chance with you . . .” That is BULL! Argggh! This stupid situation makes me so mad!
• I’ve had friends adopt. And you don’t just decide on a whim and make it happen overnight. This whole plot line (with Rachel’s mom) has done nothing but annoy me and make me (yes, irrationally) hate Idina Menzel a little.

Solid finale. I ran to the bathroom during a commercial break at 8:30 and couldn’t believe we’d only seen half the show. It was definitely jam-packed!

A lot of love was being thrown around in this episode. At first, I wasn’t sure I bought the renewed romance between Finn and Rachel. But then I remembered they’re in high school. And the over-the-top dramatics about the choir ending didn’t faze me at all. Again, it’s high school, and it’s like that.

I also liked the love scene (not the one in the flashback) between Puck and Quinn. But the scene between Emma and Will? I thought it was great while Emma was ranting, but once Will starting talking . . . UGH. I can’t stand the way he talks to her. I just don’t buy it.

The music. Let’s talk about the music! Love, love, LOVED it. And ending with Matthew Morrison and Puck (no, I can’t remember his real name) singing together? And singing that song? *sigh* Love.

What did you think about the finale? And what about the season overall? I wouldn’t say it lived up to all my grand expectations, but I still enjoyed it. And despite the ridiculous plot lines, occasional inconsistency and cheesy acting – well, I just thought it was a good time with great music! How about you?