Born This Way (Glee)
Most of the major plots of the episode center on the topic of homosexuality, as Kurt (Chris Colfer) lays the groundwork for his longtime bully Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) to come to terms with his sexuality, Quinn (Dianna Agron) deals with her past as a victim of bullying, and Santana (Naya Rivera) plots to run for school prom queen in the hopes of winning her love interest Brittany (Heather Morris) from Artie (Kevin McHale).
Other musical works featured in the episode include cover versions of the Keane song "Somewhere Only We Know" and "I've Gotta Be Me" from the 1968 Broadway production Golden Rainbow.
Upon its initial airing, the episode was viewed by 8.62 million American viewers, and garnered a 3.4/11 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic, the lowest ratings and total viewership of the season.
During dance rehearsals for the upcoming Nationals competition, New Directions glee club co-captain Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) accidentally breaks Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) nose.
Her doctor (George Wyner) recommends septoplasty and elective rhinoplasty; Rachel considers modelling her nose after Finn's current girlfriend Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron), and the two girls duet on the mash-up "I Feel Pretty/Unpretty".
Aiming to help them achieve self-acceptance, glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) urges them to embrace their perceived flaws by printing them on T-shirts to be worn during a group performance of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way".
He also encourages school guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) to confront her OCD; she begins treatment with a psychiatrist, Dr. Shane (Kathleen Quinlan).
Santana, who is a closeted lesbian, decides to run for school prom queen in the hope that she can win the love of her best friend Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris), who is dating Artie (Kevin McHale).
As Kurt arrives back at McKinley, the Dalton Academy Warblers glee club that he had joined while he was away—fronted by his boyfriend Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss)—serenades him in farewell with a rendition of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know".
[1] The plot arc, which began in the season's sixth episode, "Never Been Kissed",[9] is intended by series creator Ryan Murphy to have a happy ending.
[5] He explained that, while someone like Karofsky could turn to drugs or alcohol or commit suicide, Glee is "by nature optimistic", so he plans to conclude the storyline positively.
[5] For fellow closeted character Santana, "Born This Way" set up the final three episodes of the season, which will increase focus on her love for her best friend Brittany.
[10] The episode additionally marked the first appearance of guest star Dr. Shane,[11] "a very smart, cool and kind psychiatrist" who may become a recurring character.
[12] Other characters seen in "Born This Way" include glee club members Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.), Sam Evans and Lauren Zizes, Kurt's boyfriend Blaine Anderson, school bully Azimio (James Earl),[13] Principal Figgins, and Karofsky's father, Paul (Daniel Roebuck).
[20] The first hour of the show garnered 8.3 million American viewers and a 3.3/9 rating in the 18–49 demographic, despite airing simultaneously with a rerun of NCIS on CBS, The Biggest Loser on NBC, No Ordinary Family on ABC, and One Tree Hill on The CW.
[21] The last half-hour of the episode had 8.5 million American viewers, as well as a 3.4/9 rating in the 18–49 demographic, despite airing alongside a rerun of NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS, Dancing with the Stars on ABC, The Voice on NBC, and Hellcats on The CW.
[21] The total viewership and ratings were the lowest of the second season of Glee,[21] and was down from those of the previous episode, "Night of Neglect", which was watched by 9.80 million American viewers and acquired a 3.8/11 rating/share upon first airing.
[27] Emily Yahr of The Washington Post agreed about the extended length, and did not like what she called "lame attempts to fill time", which she said "detracted from what started as a decent episode".
[33] Matt Zoller Seitz of Salon thought that "Born This Way" was "the show's best episode to date", and "an epic about a hero returning from a long journey, walking serenely through halls that once scared him, and performing with such skill and sincerity that his friends stared at him with love and awe.
The reveal about Santana hasn't washed away her less savory qualities; indeed, it's heightened them, to a degree, as she struggles to be true to herself and still maintain her status as the hottest girl in school.
[37] CNN's Lisa Respers France considered Santana the episode's highlight, and went on to write, "She embraced her inner lesbian (sort of) and rattled off the best [lines] like 'the only straight I am is straight-up [bitch].'
[40] In an interview with ABC News, conservative media critic Dan Gainor felt that it was Ryan Murphy's "latest depraved initiative to promote his gay agenda."
Gonzalez gave the performance an "A" and commented: "While part of me would have said that pairing Rachel and Quinn for a duet would vocally be like putting a pit bull in a cage match with a Maltipoo, it actually worked!
"[26] All three writers of The Atlantic's review praised the mash-up: Patrick Burns said it was beautiful, and noted that "the arrangement was clever, the ladies sounded great, and the song was placed perfectly into the plot of two characters who were restored a bit of their depth in this episode", Brown stated that the song was lovely, and Kevin Fallon felt that it was "unexpectedly gorgeous and haunting", and noted that it was "yet another example of how skilled the music directors are at these mash-ups.
"[43] Flandez commented that the song "floated like gossamer between Rachel and Quinn as they beautifully poured the sentiments of ugly ducklings",[36] and Futterman wrote, "It's a poignant moment, and the inclusion of West Side Story's 'I Feel Pretty' makes for a great pop/theater mash-up that reminds us of what Glee is at its heart.
[42] Gonzalez gave the song an "A−" and wrote, "Kurt apparently picked up a few helpful notes ... from his Warbler brothers and emerged an even better solo singer than I recall.
[33] Zoller Seitz called the performance "spellbinding" and concluded, "Chris Colfer turns 'As if We Never Said Goodbye' into a valentine to self-knowledge and self-improvement—and a young, gay singer's dream of treating the world as a stage and commanding it like a star.
[33] Slezak was less impressed: "The jazz band arrangement and the Mike-teaches-Finn-some-moves choreography was cute, I guess, but it's not a good sign that I spent half the number focusing on Mike's matching green t-shirt and shoe laces."
He went on to question the song's inclusion—"In an episode about confronting one's greatest teenage insecurities, I wonder if there might have been a better choice for a solo than the popular football player with the cheerleader girlfriend lamenting his inability to dance"—and ultimately gave the performance a "B−".
[45][46] The mash-up of "I Feel Pretty / Unpretty" was the highest charted single featured in the episode, debuting at number twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100.
