All episodes Season 4 S04E01 2012-09-13 60 min 2000s Fox

Glee

The New Rachel

TV Flash files “The New Rachel” as a desk essential hour — Glee (2009–2015) on Fox, season 4, episode 1, aired 2012-09-13, 60 min.

From the desk

How this hour is filed

This leaf is S04E01: listed hour 67 of 121 in the Glee guide, first listed hour of season 4. It aired 2012-09-13 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Goodbye” (S03E22). Next is “Britney 2.0” (S04E02).

Essential hour

Essential hour: “The New Rachel”. The New Rachel titles a post-graduation reset: the phenomenon trying to clone its center, Fox event TV admitting the original choir had left the building.

Glee — The New Rachel (S04E01)

Catalog log

Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.

In the season premiere episode, the members of New Directions compete amongst themselves to become the next star of the glee club. During open auditions, a fresh crop of students is introduced, including Marley and Jake Puckerman, Puck's half-brother. Meanwhile, Rachel has a rocky start at NYADA and struggles to please her demanding dance teacher, Cassandra July. She also meets Brody, a handsome upperclassman.

Viewer FAQ

Where does The New Rachel sit in the Glee guide?

S04E01 is listed hour 67 of 121 — first listed hour of season 4, season 4 episode 1.

When did Glee S04E01 air?

The New Rachel aired 2012-09-13 and is listed at 60 minutes.

Early Glee or the whole run?

Impact peaked early as a Fox event that launched stars and singles. Later seasons (through 2015) divided fans on how hard the phenomenon was worked.

In the series

Why this series still plays

Show choir as a Billboard weather system: mashups, slushies, and Jane Lynch's Sue as a comic superweapon. Glee turned high-school musical into a Fox event that launched stars and singles — then split the room on how hard the later seasons worked the phenomenon.

The first look is a slushie stain and a mashup, which is to say costume and chart position in the same frame. A high-school glee club fights for respect while belting pop covers — music, identity, and teen soap fused into a Fox phenomenon. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan (2009–2015) made show choir a Billboard weather system: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Jane Lynch's Sue as a comic superweapon in a tracksuit, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley. Songs routinely charted. Mashups and slushies…

Open the Glee package · Season 4 hub

Filed against

Also in season 4

← Full episode guide · Show package · All shows