extraordinary merry christmas extraordinary merry christmas ninth episode mid season finale season american musical television series glee overall written directed episode aired fox united_states december features members starring black white christmas television special presented episode songs performed course episode come second glee christmas soundtrack album glee music christmas album volume episode original song album extraordinary merry christmas written glee executive music producer song producer remaining songs covers released singles reviewers generally praised music episode reviewers views episode special episode received favorable comments rest episode deemed light plot aspects framing sequences criticized rachel excessive demands christmas presents despite fact jewish initial airing episode viewed million american viewers garnered nielsen rating share demographic total viewership marginally previous episode hold sixteen plot sue recruits glee club sing homeless shelter distract christmas sister jean died earlier year finn cory_monteith tells rachel lea_michele wants christmas rachel lea_michele replies wants gives finn cory_monteith long list christmas present suggestions dialogue want coming want fair share homage christmas list scene christmas classic christmas finn appalled rachel wants assures items later hints early gift surprises donation rachel unhappy reminds finn recommends stick list avoid embarrassment mentioning celebrates holidays sings want christmas song blue christmas family christmas away sam chord offers home true american christmas glee club director announces asked create holiday special local pbs station director station manager agrees concept black white homage star wars holiday special christmas special feature hosts kurt welcoming friends happy cheerful songs play holiday sam points happy ending little sadness christmas wants present merry fit sam decides participate sue rehearsal singing homeless shelter friday special set friday asks sue says expected adamant friday night club members decide broadcast sue leaves disgust kurt lead glee holiday spectacular performing let snow rachel mercedes arrive sing favorite things hosts finn real star wars characters perform santa coming town christmas wrapping sung backup rivera tina mike arrives dismayed says reading instead reads biblical story gospel according luke quinn sam homeless shelter sue helping serve rapidly disappearing meal arrives late food presents glee club sings know christmas people rachel change heart names finn gift finn wanted ultimately returns returns gave donate money manned sam stay help production episode directorial debut glee star plays announced directing episode acoustic set grammy museum spotlight series late september ultimately direct eighth episode originally planned ninth instead second annual glee christmas episode songs come second annual glee christmas soundtrack album glee music christmas album volume song included album favorite things musical sound music released single songs episode features riley morrison stated interview episode include songs santa baby sung rivera previously released soundtrack cut episode running long video available online week episode aired scene giving ring kurt shown promotional photos episode cut reported night episode aired scene included season dvd instead youtube video containing scene tweeted august episode original song album extraordinary merry christmas written glee executive music producer song producer sung second christmas soundtrack album perform episode episode includes covers songs seven soundtrack album mariah carey want christmas performed blue christmas sung river performed let snow sung santa coming town performed sings song album bruce street band version christmas wrapping sung morris band aid fundraiser know christmas performed filming piece shot thanksgiving eve involved lots children proceeds cast version know christmas interview morrison revealed episode features christmas special episode throwback tribute star wars holiday special christmas special combined way gave permission glee use star wars character sequence actor currently plays flown day filming doesn sing episode episode serves mid season finale season started creator announced structured mini seasons mimic school episode ends fall semester filming began november eighth episode hold sixteen shooting continued parallel november episode completed filming extraordinary merry christmas completed filming november recurring guest stars appear episode members reception ratings extraordinary merry christmas broadcast december united_states fox received nielsen rating share demographic attracted million american viewers initial airing identical rating share marginally higher audience compared million viewers previous episode hold sixteen broadcast december episode broadcast evening canada million viewers watched episode lowest number viewers season point thirteenth viewed week slots million viewers watched hold sixteen previous week viewership increased united_kingdom declined australia united_kingdom extraordinary merry christmas watched days later viewers growing hold sixteen week viewers watching australia extraordinary merry christmas broadcast february watched viewers lowest season far glee fifteenth watched program night thirteenth week viewership previous episode hold sixteen seen viewers critical reception critics reactions episode agree washington_post heavy holiday music light plot wall_street_journal called mess buddytv total mess characterized entertaining mtv said confusing episodes glee guide reviewing team described oddly hilarious kinda weird glee los_angeles_times wrote sad perfect balance factor high reviewers approved black white television special took half episode episode consisted entirely special ign robert_canning regretted good stuff awkward real world stories rolling_stone preferred episode atlantic called middle segments love letter specials honored said bold series mainstream youth appeal billboard thought homage shining example glee given strange different wished run entire episode hand left cold utterly pointless christmas special called acting huffington_post said weird sounds like described special bold todd_vanderwerff pointed pitch perfect parody star wars specials inherent problem originals pretty awful accurate parody glee awful rachel characterization especially christmas greed jewish singled criticism reviews vanderwerff wrote episode rachel excited going christmas jewish end episode shout happy minute patch job stay true characters time sullivan discussed characterization noted character makes point jewish heritage added basically horrible played character entire episode eventually realize awful change ways bell criticized rachel list gifts spray tan teeth square nose job storyline second season finn contribution charity pig honor deemed wrong levels reviewers pleased new friendship sam said officially favorite thing entire season glee bell approved said writers don know use disappointed relationship finn vanderwerff singled reading bible canning ripped charlie brown christmas reads passage takes perfectly beautiful little moment nearly perfect special makes gag sue sudden change behavior episode caused ask moral compass bell wondered expect like character continually changes given new direction heads glee club ways point sam quinn seemingly right thing choosing shelter special eventually message music performances reviewers generally praised music episode wrote musically episode season overall strongest reference holiday songs sullivan pointed songs songs felt blatant attempt sell christmas albums noted opening number want christmas sounded vibrant fresh mercedes lead called utterly joyful favorite song episode martin declared amber riley shines episode commands attention sullivan called nice rendition presented incredibly awkward cuts original song entertainment_weekly wrote blue christmas smooth lovely gave agreed assessment beautiful said song perfectly suits vocals unimpressed standing song noted static staging filming number gave said sang fine said didn sell gave rachel rendition river received assessments gave remarked knows emotion song said damn didn sound amazing pointed rachel having stated song uptempo way sing song vanderwerff agreed good reason rachel sing called forgettable version conclusion feels little doesn emotionally connect original song episode named extraordinary merry christmas received decent marks reviewers gave called fun slight sullivan said okay high praise glee original bell noted rachel sound great martin praised spirited performances said song sounded generic wrote awful original song characterized weird techno called undeniably catchy opening number black white special let snow featuring garnered praise gave described uptempo seasonal classic gorgeous harmonies retro dancing said christmas duet baby cold outside star enjoyed number preferred previous year offering called let snow admirable job characterized seasonal spirit said spot tribute male knowing romance explicit gave wondered inclusion song favorite things technically isn holiday song number received bell described taking turn worse noted didn said drag real purpose west called wonderful effort wrote little welcome party reviewers gave performance finn rendition santa coming town received referred mildly rocking gave said fun deeply exciting called competent martin wrote packs cheesy powerful christmas punch favorite number second favorite number christmas wrapping sung brittany described good said improved little dancing vanderwerff credited morris gifted mimic singing called performance gave song wrote song got cut short favorite line provided world smallest turkey number reviewers problem know christmas set homeless shelter west called odd choice said struggled location called lyrics found singers smiling faces phrase doom weird song given good marks called episode best performance brought special said new directions channels emotion original fitting vocal cap night west gave declared sang chart history cover versions original song released singles cover debuted canadian charts know christmas debuted number ninety billboard hot number eighty hot glee music christmas album volume released november source songs favorite things included album moved number thirteen billboard week fifth chart having number nineteen previous week originally debuted number
Extraordinary Merry Christmas