Image Credit: Carin Baer/Fox; PRN/PR PhotosWe’re mere hours away from the return of Glee, which of course means Gleeks everywhere are tingling with anticipation (Check out my Glee primer gallery to get ready for the premiere.) Full confession: I’ve seen the first three episodes of Glee‘s next nine episodes and they are some of the best we’ve seen so far from the Fox series. (Next week’s Madonna episode, in particular, is a showstopper.) Tonight also marks the first appearance of guest stars Idina Menzel (Wicked) and Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening) as Vocal Adrenaline’s coach and star singer, respectively. Menzel and Groff are just the first of a slew of guest stars highlighting this next run of episodes. Here’s who else to look out for:
- Kristin Chenoweth returns as April Rhodes, the boozy former glee club member, and tackles three major musical numbers including a duet of Bruce Springsteen’s “Fire” with Will.
- Olivia Newton-John playing a version of herself who tracks down Sue Sylvester and records a new version of “Physical” with the Cheerios Head coach; Newton-John will also reappear as a regionals judge in the finale.
- Neil Patrick Harris pops up in May as Will’s old classmate (and glee club member) Bryan Ryan, who attempts to cut funding to the club and duets with Will on a phenomenal version of Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”
- Molly Shannon as McKinley’s badminton coach, Brenda Castle, who develops a prickly, combative relationship with Sue.
- Josh Groban, returning as the hilarious version of himself seen last fall, will join Newton-John and Sue as one of the celebrity judges for regionals in the season finale.
So who are you most excited to see Gleeks? Vote below in the PopWatch poll!
Oh my….all of them really!! LOL. Idina takes my top place though…I hope we get to hear her sing!
The Madonna episode should be great! I’ve already snippets of all the Madonna songs they are doing, and all I can say is Santana should sing more! She’s got a great voice!
This show should be called, “Revenge of the Jazz-Hands.”
Olivia Newton-John FTW! Lets get physical.. physical.. I wanna get physical!
NPH all the way!!!
I’m so damn excited about NPH’s appearance that there is NO way the episode can live up to it, I’m afraid.
I want Kristin & Neil in one episode. Will’s glee club reunites and competes with the kids, anyone?
OMG that would be incredible!!
Except for the fact that she has already been on the show, Kristin Chenoweth might have been a contender. NPH is the bomb – there has got to be a way he can do split duty with HIMYM and put 4 or 5 episodes of GLEE in the can.
I am on a GLEE high right now!!!! IDINA! NPH! KRISTEN!! I love then all! Seriously I might go die now.
SAME!!! OMG
Cheno, NPH, and Betty White.
I’d also like to see Ming Na Wen play Tina’s mother.
None of the above. I’d rather see a focus on the main cast. Too many guest stars is what made the second season of Friends suck.
When will Justin Bieber be a guest star? Please!!!
Fox execs please ignore this post!!!
Josh Groban!!!!! So happy to hear that he will be returning!!!! There has been a serious Josh drought while he works on his album.
ONJ! ONJ! ONJ! Psyched to see Olivia!! A blast from the past.
Lea Salonga
gleeks rule !!! … don’t miss the first 4 minutes per my sources
Do these “sources” also tell you to tamp the flame a little bit?
EVERYONE!!! though idina, nph, and jon groff are probably my tops