Glee S4 Ep5 “The Role You Were Born To Play”

Next up?  Finn’s pursuit of his potential Danny.  He tricks the study hall teacher into leaving and sits down with Ryder.  Who is studying in study hall!

Ryder, it seems, is doing terribly in school and needs to get his grades up or his parents are going to make him quit football.  Hey, funny story!  That is Finn’s life. Therefore, Finn has a solution – Glee Club.  Music and choreography opened up his brain and made him a B student.  Glee is a gateway drug apparently and Finn won’t take no for an answer, like a good dealer.  He tells Ryder to come to the auditorium later today.  Ryder doesn’t seem too inclined but yet another poor grade pushes him to the edge.  I mean – all he does is study!  He hasn’t even seen “Dark Knight Rises” – which is a shame, his teacher points out, because it was excellent.

On the stage, Artie tries to get Finn to pick a juke box.  Fortunately for the newly arrived Ryder, the one he wants to use is filled with 80’s records and hey, isn’t it time for a musical fantasy number?

Finn picks Foreigner’s “Juke Box Hero” and tells Ryder to follow his lead.

They sound good together and the subsequent fantasy – lights! screaming girls! a rocking band! dancers on a cat walk! – is fun and energetic.  Finn has good instincts because clearly?  Ryder was born to rock from center stage.  At the breathless end of the song, back in reality, Ryder is assured he’s already auditioned.  Which is good, because he’s already addicted to the imaginary spotlight.  Welcome Ryder aka Finn 2.0.

Ryder introduces himself to a fangirling Marley; he wins her over very quickly by complimenting her mom’s awesomeness (she gives Ryder extra meatballs).  Finn told him they’re probably going to be working together in “Grease” – her Sandy to his Danny and he wanted to say “hi.”  Such a nice boy!

At the other end of the hall, this adorable moment is observed by Mean Kitty and Jealous Jake, who immediately fall into a scheme to keep those two apart.  Kitty wants that lead, Jake wants to be the only boy getting flirty smiles from Marley.  Time for a team up? You betcha.

Kitty strolls over and lays a level of vitriol on Marley, her mother, weight issues and her looks that Sue would probably find offensive.  Ryder clearly hasn’t been schooled in the perplexing way people deal with Kitty – letting her speak without interruption – and calls her a bitch.  See?  I like you already.

After she and Jake sign up for auditions, Kitty pronounces she has the prefect audition song for them.

Which leads us to a rousing song and dance number, Neon Tree’s “Everybody Talks.”  They are cute and fun on stage, showing some serious sparkage as they rock out.  Turns out Kitty has a decent set of pipes.  Who knew that throat could be used for something other than hurling insults?

The brain trust of the McKinley Theatre Department argues the last bits of “Grease” casting

Their surprising performance elicits applause and now?  The “Grease” team’s dilemma – they have two good contenders for each of the main roles.

The rest of the roles are pretty easy to figure out.  The best dancer is Brittany so she gets Cha-Cha.  Tina would make a great Jan except she won’t audition with Mike there.  Rizzo?  Finn makes a strong case for Unique.  She wants the part.  She’s the best singer.  Why not cast outside the box? Artie concedes on the grounds of Finn’s enthusiasm.  Good to see the old Finn back.

This lovely moment is ruined by Sue, who wants Finn in Figgin’s office.  Now.

Uh oh.