Glee/Recap/S1/E22 Journey to Regionals

Will hangs up a poster telling people to support New Directions at Regionals (it doesn't say the time or place). Sue walks past and tells him that she's looking forward to seeing him at Regionals. Will is surprised that she'd show up to support them, but she isn't going to be there for support, she's going to be a judge.

In Figgins' office, Will screams that Figgins can't let Sue judge. Figgins tells Will that he doesn't actually have any control over who the Show Choir governing board decides to make a judge. Sue says that they invited celebrities to be the judges, and Sue is definitely a celebrity. She's also offended that Will would think that she would be anything but an impartial judge. Will reminds Sue that she leaked their set list last time, and Figgins reminds Will that the club has to place, or they're out.

Flashback. Quinn and Puck make out. Quinn keeps raising objections to them sleeping together, but Puck bypasses them. End flashback. The Glee club are at Will's place for a party, and also to decide their set list. Wait, they're only doing this now? The club are incredibly depressed because they've decided that since Sue is a judge, they'll never win. Finn wonders why they're all acting as if everything's going to be over. Rachel points out that outside of Glee club, it's not like Puck or Santana will want to talk to any of them.

In Emma's office, Will relates how sad the club is making him. She reminds him of how happy singing makes him, and he needs to remind the kids that the joy of singing together is more important than winning or losing. Will tells her how much he misses her, and she tells him that she's dating her dentist.

Finn convinces Rachel not to give up. He says that she can help the club feel better about the competition, and they're going to win this damn thing. In the music room, Will gives the club a speech and tells them that they're doing a Journey medley.

At Regionals, the judges are announced: Rod Remington, Sue, Olivia Newton-John, and Josh Groban.

Aural Intensity performs a mash-up of Olivia Newton-John and Josh Groban. Oh, for fuck's sake. Will gives the club another inspiring speech. The club gets ready for their performance. Finn and Rachel perform 'Faithfully'. The club then performs a mash-up of 'Any Way You Want It' and 'Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'", followed by 'Don't Stop Believing'. Part of the way through, Quinn's mother turns up.

On their way back, Quinn gets ambushed by her mother. Said mother says that she threw Quinn's father out for having an affair and she wants Quinn to come home and keep the baby. Quinn says that her water just broke. Oh, this can't end well.

Vocal Adrenaline performs 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in a montage laced with scenes of Quinn giving birth. By the end of the performance (a five-minute birth? Seriously? Seriously?), Quinn has her perfectly healthy baby resting in her arms. Awwww.

Rachel and Shelby talk. Rachel tells Shelby that ND just won, because VA doesn't have a heart. She thinks Shelby should come teach Glee with Will. Shelby says no, she's getting out of the business to have a family. A family that doesn't include Rachel, BTW.

Judges' room. Olivia thinks Aural Intensity should win. The other judges slam ND and Sue, questioning her status as a celebrity. And then they vote.

Decision time. For some reason, even though this is Regionals, there's only three choirs. Right. Anyway. Vocal Adrenaline win, and Aural Intensity come in second. The club realises that they're doomed.

At the hospital, Puck and Quinn are looking at their baby. Puck asks if Quinn wants to keep her. She doesn't. Quinn asks if Puck loved her. Puck says he did. Shelby arrives and asks which is their baby, and if she has a name. Quinn says the baby has no name, but Puck says that it's 'Beth'.

In Figgins' office, Emma is screaming at him about his decision to shut down Glee club. She and Will talk. She's angry that he's going to just lie down and take it, because she thinks that some things are worth fighting over. He asks if she's talking about their relationship or the Glee club. Emma says she means the Glee club, it isn't about the two of them. Will thinks that's bullshit and kisses her. Oooh. Rachel interrupts them to ask Will to come to the auditorium.

In the auditorium, the Club tells Will how happy they are, even though they lost- see, having Will as their teacher gave them all the chance to do things nobody else cared about. They sing him 'To Sir With Love'.

In the music room, Will is cleaning up when Sue walks in. Will congratulates her on her victory and asks how she could think that ND wasn't good enough. Sue says that she can't talk about the judging process. In a flashback, we see her decision- ND first, AI second, and VA third. Her voiceover says that she voted for the team she honestly thought should win. Will concedes that he lost and she won. Sue says that initially she felt good, but she thought for a while and she likes having Will as a rival, as she really admires what he's doing with the club. She talked to Figgins and blackmailed him to give ND another year.

In the music room, Will tells the club that they've got another year. They're all ecstatic. Rachel wants to start rehearsing, but Will tells them to relax over the summer. They perform 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', cut with scenes of Shelby adopting Beth. The performance ends, and so does the episode.

Songs from this episode

 * "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban/"Magic" by Olivia Newton John, performed by Aural Intensity
 * "Faithfully" by Journey, performed by Finn, Rachel, and the New Directions
 * "Any Way You Want It/ Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'" by Journey, performed by Rachel, Finn, Puck and the New Directions
 * "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey, performed by Rachel, Finn, Santana, Puck, Artie, and the New Directions
 * "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, performed by Jesse and Vocal Adrenaline
 * "To Sir With Love" performed by New Directions
 * "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz, performed by Mr. Schue and Puck.

Tropes from this Episode

 * Bi the Way: Rod Remington partied hard with Freddie Mercury in the '80s and isn't a fan of labels.
 * Enforced Method Acting: Jayma Mays, who plays Emma, had no idea that Will was going to kiss Emma in the hallway
 * Heroic Blue Screen of Death: pretty much everyone in the glee club has one of these once it's announced that Sue will be judging at regionals
 * Call Back: To the pilot, "Acafellas", "Bad Reputation", and "Theatricality" amongst others.
 * It's All About Me: Olivia Newton-John
 * Took a Level In Jerkass: Josh Groban and Olivia Newton-John