Hey Gleeks!

Are you freaking out? I'm TOTALLY freaking out! The wait is finally over, that's right, season four of Glee premieres Thursday at 9.00 et/pt!!!! Please excuse the excessive use of exclamation points, but like, as if you aren't just as excited as I am! The first episode of season four is titled The New Rachel, a name which takes on two separate meanings in the episode. We've got the inside scoop on The New Rachel as well as a reminder of where the McKinley graduates left off at the end of season three.  

And as a special bonus for all you amazing Gleeks out there, click here to listen to an exclusive preview of the Gleeks singing Carly Rae Jepsen's hit song Call me Maybe.

In the final episode of season three, we saw Rachel Big Apple-bound, ready to pursue her dreams of stardom and study at the prestigious NYADA Academy. Of course Rachel's departure wasn't all roses - Finn tricked Rachel into moving to NYC when he called off the wedding and joined the army so Rachel would follow her dreams. Finn pulled the runaway-groom because he loves Rachel that much, so we still totally heart him. This begins Rachel's journey in season four: Rachel is struggling trouble adjusting to her new life in NYC. In the first episode, Rachel will bump heads with an influential dance instructor at NYADA (guest star Kate Hudson) and make "friends" with a hunky NYADA upperclassman, Brody Weston. Alright, so most of us here are total Finchel-ites, but Brody? Why did Glee have to make him such a total babe?! We get it, Rachel. We get it.
 

Back at McKinley, the returning members of New Directions are competing to be "the new Rachel" and lead the team to another Nationals victory. This causes some serious tension within New Directions. We're also introduced to Puck's younger brother, Jake, who stands among the New Direction's newest hopefuls. Meanwhile, Kurt is struggling to adjust to his post-graduation life in Lima. Does Kurt's presence in Lima mean more amazing scenes with his dad, Burt Hummel, and possibly even another Beyoncé performance!? I sure hope so. Also, I can't wait to find out who Schue decides who takes Rachel's place as the New Directions leader.

In other news, Unique (aka. The Glee Project's Alex Newell) makes an appearance at McKinley in The New Rachel, and Sue has found herself a new sidekick named Kitty. What are you looking forward to most this season? Which couples do you think survived the summer?

Where are the Graduates?

The S3 finale of Glee left us with New Directions graduates pursuing their dreams all across the United States. Here's a little refresher on where we'll find McKinley's finest graduates, and how they got there in the first place.

Finchel 
Status: worlds apart, but may still be together in their hearts
Where are they now? Rachel has moved to NYC to attend NYADA and Finn has joined the military with the goal of redeeming his father's name. The wedding seems to be on the outs for now, and the premiere will reveal whether absence really does make the heart go stronger.

Mercedes
Status: Hollywood-bound
Where is she now? In the S3 finale, Mercedes is offered a recording contract as a backup singer and is moving to Los Angeles. No word yet on whether or not her and Sam (who is still atttending McKinley high) are still together, or what we'll expect from Mercedes this season. Congrats again Mercedes on being discovered!

Klaine 
Status: living the dream in Lima
Where are they now? After being rejected from NYADA, Kurt decides to stay in Lima so he doesn't have to be apart from Blaine (now in his senior year of high school). Season four opens with Kurt frustrated by his current situation and trying to figure out what the next step is in his life. The cat's already out of the bag that (SPOILER ALERT!) Kurt makes the move to NYC at some point in the season and will be working with guest star Sarah Jessica Parker, and I can't wait to find out how that story unfolds!

Quinn 
Status: Ivy-leaguing it
Where is she now? Quinn ends season three by sharing a passionate kiss with her former flame, Puck. The kiss gives Puck the gusto to pass high school, and rumour has it we may see him in LA this season. Quinn will be attending Yale and has extended an invite for Rachel to keep in touch and visit her this season.

Brittana
Status: divided, but conquering
Where are they now? Brittany finishes her senior year with a 0.0 grade-point average and is forced to repeat the year at McKinley. Santana received a scholarship for cheerleading from the University of Louisville, but ultimately decided to follow her dream of being a performer in NYC. Santana was given her mother's support (and money!) to move to NYC, and we'll see how the separation affects Britanna's relationship status this season.

Mike 
Status: two-stepping in Chicago
Where is he now? In the end of season three we find out Mike received a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet school in Chicago. We'll have to wait and see if Mike and Tina's relationship will stand the seperation.

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Watch Glee Thursdays at 9.00 et/pt.