HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Finn Christopher Hudson is a fictional character from the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
musical comedy-drama series ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''. The character was portrayed by
Cory Monteith Cory Allan Michael Monteith (; May 11, 1982 July 13, 2013) was a Canadian actor and musician who played Finn Hudson on the Fox television series ''Glee''. As an actor based in British Columbia, Monteith had minor roles on television series before ...
and first appeared on television when ''Glee'' premiered its
pilot episode A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
on Fox on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by ''Glee'' creators Ryan Murphy,
Brad Falchuk Bradley Douglas Falchuk (born March 1, 1971) is an American television writer, director, and producer, best known for co-creating with Ryan Murphy the comedy-drama television series '' Glee'', the drama series '' Pose'', the horror comedy '' S ...
, and Ian Brennan. ''Glee'' follows the trials of the New Directions
glee club A glee club in the United States is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs by trios or quartets. In the late 19th century it w ...
at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of
Lima, Ohio Lima ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwest Ohio along Interstate 75 in Ohio, Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton, southwest of Toledo, Ohio, T ...
. Finn is initially the quarterback of his high school football team. A selfish, unkind, popular jock at the top of the school's social hierarchy, when he finds himself forced to join the school's
glee club A glee club in the United States is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs by trios or quartets. In the late 19th century it w ...
, he discovers that he loves it, although he risks alienation from his friends by remaining a member. His storylines see him struggle with his decision to stay in the club, which is at the bottom of the social ladder, while he maintains his popular reputation and the respect of the other jocks. The character has dealt with his attraction to both head cheerleader
Quinn Fabray Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the TV series '' Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in ''Glee'' from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is the cheerleading captain at the ...
(
Dianna Agron Dianna Elise Agron ( ; born April 30, 1986) is an American actress and singer. After primarily dancing and starring in small musical theater productions in her youth, Agron made her screen debut in 2006, and in 2007, she played recurring charac ...
) and glee club star singer Rachel Berry (
Lea Michele Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway (theatre), Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables (musical), Les Misérab ...
), the series' female lead. Following Monteith's death on July 13, 2013, it was announced that Finn's own death would occur in the third episode of the fifth season, titled " The Quarterback". Monteith felt that Finn has had to grow up a lot during his time on the show. The actor said, "Finn started off as the stereotypical dumb jock but as the show has gone on, Finn's not dumb anymore, really, he’s just a little naïve." Early reviews of Finn from television critics were mixed; Emily VanDerWerff of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' said that he and Michele were "both agreeable and a little desperate for an outlet" in the pilot episode. Commenting on the fifth episode of the first season, Eric Goldman of ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' wrote, "We got to see a bit of a darker side to Finn ..it's good to see this, because up until now, Finn's been a bit too straight-laced to totally invest in." In the second season's eighth episode, "
Furt "Furt" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American musical television series ''Glee'', and the thirtieth episode overall. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy, directed by Carol Banker, and premiered on Fox in the United ...
", ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' Tim Stack said, "It's been a while since we’ve gotten some Finn focus, and I think I just missed Cory Monteith. But I also forgot what a good, natural actor he can be." Monteith as Finn won the 2011 Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Actor Comedy, and was nominated in the same category in 2010. Although he was not a singer before being cast as Finn, Monteith sang lead or joint lead on many songs on the show, most of which have charted in the US and abroad. "
Jessie's Girl "Jessie's Girl" is a song written and performed by Australian singer Rick Springfield. It was released on the album '' Working Class Dog'', which was released in February 1981. The song is about unrequited love and centers on a young man in love ...
", which Finn performed as a solo, was certified gold in Australia, one of only three singles to do so from the show's releases in that country; he was joint lead on "
Don't Stop Believin' "Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin'" shares writ ...
in the pilot episode, the show's first single sung by the glee club, which was certified gold and platinum in Australia and the US.


Development


Casting and creation

Finn Hudson is portrayed by
Cory Monteith Cory Allan Michael Monteith (; May 11, 1982 July 13, 2013) was a Canadian actor and musician who played Finn Hudson on the Fox television series ''Glee''. As an actor based in British Columbia, Monteith had minor roles on television series before ...
. He has also been portrayed as a child by Jerry Phillips in "
Pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
" and as a preschooler by Jake Vaughn in the episode "
The Substitute ''The Substitute'' is a 1996 American crime action thriller film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Marc Anthony, William Forsythe, Raymond Cruz and Luis Guzmán. It was filmed at Miami Sr. High school. Plo ...
". When ''Glee'' was being cast, Monteith's Vancouver agent, Elena Kirschner, submitted a video of him drumming with some pencils and Tupperware containers. Series creator ( Ryan Murphy) took notice of the video, but pointed out that he had to be singing, as auditioning actors for ''Glee'' with no theatrical experience were required to prove they could sing and dance as well as act. Monteith submitted a second, musical tape, in which he sang "a cheesy, '80s music-video-style version" of
REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The ...
's "
Can't Fight This Feeling "Can't Fight This Feeling" is a power ballad performed by the American rock band REO Speedwagon. The song first appeared on the 1984 album '' Wheels Are Turnin. The single reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and held the to ...
". He then attended a mass audition in Los Angeles; his vocal skills were considered weak, but he later performed very well with one of ''Glee'' casting directors, who said that his audition captured the most elusive quality of Finn's, his "naive, but not stupid sweetness". Monteith said of his casting process, "I was like a lot of kids, looking for something to be interested in. Something to be passionate about. All you need is permission. Not only for ''Glee'', but for anything in life." In December 2010, Murphy announced that some members of the cast of ''Glee'' would be replaced after the end of the third season in spring 2012, to coincide with their graduation. Murphy said: "Every year we're going to populate a new group. There's nothing more depressing than a high schooler with a bald spot." He added, "I think you have to be true to the fact that here is a group of people who come and go in these teachers' lives." Although Murphy said in July 2011 that Monteith would be one of the actors leaving at the end of the third season, Falchuk later stated that while Monteith, along with
Lea Michele Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway (theatre), Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables (musical), Les Misérab ...
and
Chris Colfer Christopher Paul Colfer (born May 27, 1990) is an American actor, singer, and author. He gained international recognition for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television musical '' Glee'' (2009–2015). Colfer's portrayal of Kurt received cr ...
, would graduate at the end of the third season, "because they're graduating doesn't mean they're leaving the show." Falchuk insisted that "it was never our plan or our intention to let them go…. They are not done with the show after this season."


Characterization

Finn originated as a character who "walks a fine line between following his dreams and balancing what other people expect of him." Monteith's former acting coach said: "You've got to be incredibly smart to understand how dim Finn can be", though Monteith appreciated the fact that Finn is more than "just a dumb jock". He has admitted that he is sometimes frustrated by Finn's "convenient dumb-guy writing", and commented, "I think every actor wants to be stretched. But it's also important to realize that whatever we're doing works. I realize that this happens to an actor about once every ten lifetimes. To be on a show that's this good, it's rarefied air." Finn has matured during his run on the series—in January 2011, Monteith noted that he had "grown up a little bit" and become "a little wiser". He later expanded, "Finn's not dumb anymore, really, he’s just naive. The opposite of me. I love Finn’s optimism. He’s very idealistic; he wants a good girl to love him, and he chases after what he wants in life—that I can relate to." The actor hoped that in time his character would be able to grow and mature more. He said in an interview with
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, "I think the harder it is for him, the better, you know? I think Finn has a lot of growing up to do and I think that Finn has a lot of struggle left for him. I think dealing with a lot of his dad stuff, the passing of his father and dealing with the unrequited love all of a sudden from Rachel, I think the more trouble he goes through, the more interesting it is for me as an actor." Over the course of his run on the series, Finn's primary relationship has been with the glee club's main singer, Rachel. In a meeting with the press at PaleyFest2011, which occurred when the characters were in the middle of a months-long breakup, Monteith commented: "That's a very important central relationship to the show. I think it's important, and I think they're endgame, but I can't be sure of when. I try not to get too attached to the pairing, so I can focus on storyline that does come my way." Falchuk said of the Finn–Rachel relationship ahead of the third season, "We're not interested in breaking them up this year but at the same time the challenge is they are graduating, they are different kinds of people and where does that take you?" During the PaleyFest2011 ''Glee'' cast interview, Monteith said, "There are a lot of people who really, really want Finn and Rachel to be together. But at the same time, I think that it's really interesting when they're clearly in love with each other but they're apart. I think it makes for good television." He added, "I think there's a different dynamic to Finn with Quinn and with Rachel, and single."


Storylines


Season 1

Finn is introduced as a mean, aggressive quarterback of the William McKinley High School football team. He throws openly gay student Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) into a dumpster and writes inappropriate messages about the glee clubs. He is blackmailed into joining the school glee club as a punishment, New Directions, by its faculty director
Will Schuester William Michael Schuester, often referred to as Mr. Schue, is a fictional teacher character and one of the two main protagonists from the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'', alongside his student Rachel Berry. He has appeared in ''Glee'' ...
(
Matthew Morrison Matthew James Morrison (born October 30, 1978) is an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox television show ''Glee (TV series), Glee'' (2009–2015). He has s ...
). Despite being ostracized by the other football players, including his best friend Puck (
Mark Salling Mark Wayne Salling (; August 17, 1982 – January 30, 2018) was an American actor and musician known for his role as Noah "Puck" Puckerman on the television series ''Glee''. Salling studied at the Los Angeles College of Music before work ...
), Finn comes to enjoy being in the club. This worries his girlfriend, head cheerleader
Quinn Fabray Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the TV series '' Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in ''Glee'' from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is the cheerleading captain at the ...
(
Dianna Agron Dianna Elise Agron ( ; born April 30, 1986) is an American actress and singer. After primarily dancing and starring in small musical theater productions in her youth, Agron made her screen debut in 2006, and in 2007, she played recurring charac ...
), so she joins New Directions to keep an eye on him, afraid that lead singer Rachel Berry's (
Lea Michele Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway (theatre), Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables (musical), Les Misérab ...
) interest in Finn may be reciprocated. Quinn discovers that she is pregnant, as she had cheated on Finn with Puck, but tells Finn that the baby is his, though they never actually had intercourse. She subsequently moves in with Finn and his mother
Carole Carole is a feminine given name (see Carl for more information) and occasionally a surname. Carole may refer to: Given name * Carole B. Balin (born 1964), American Reform rabbi, professor of Jewish history *Carole Bayer Sager (born 1947), Ameri ...
(
Romy Rosemont Romy Rosemont (born October 28, 1964) is an American actress, who has appeared in multiple television series, including ''Shark'', ''Grey's Anatomy'', ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', ''Prison Break'', and ''Private Practice''. She got her brea ...
) after her parents find out about her pregnancy and evict her. When Rachel figures out that Puck is the father and informs Finn, he attacks Puck, breaks up with Quinn, and quits the glee club in a fury; but after cheerleading coach
Sue Sylvester Susan "Sue" Rodham Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, '' Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and appears in ''Glee'' from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009, through ...
(
Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series '' Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recog ...
) sabotages the glee club's first show choir competition, he is able to set aside his anger and return to lead the club to victory. He and Rachel briefly date, but he ends the relationship to concentrate on his own well-being. By the time Finn realizes that he truly does want to be with Rachel, he is chagrined to discover that she has started dating Jesse St. James (
Jonathan Groff Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
), the lead singer of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline. Cheerleader
Santana Lopez Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character was portrayed by Naya Rivera, and has appeared in ''Glee'' from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by ...
(
Naya Rivera Naya Marie Rivera (; January 12, 1987July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. Recognized for her work on the popular musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'', she received various awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and ...
) offers to take Finn's virginity to improve her social status and his, and he accepts, but afterward he regrets having done so and claims to Rachel that he did not go through with it; she, in turn, falsely claims to have had sex with Jesse. By the time the club reach the next stage of show choir competitions, Jesse has betrayed Rachel and broken up with her. As Finn and Rachel are about to go onstage, Finn tells her that he loves her; although they lose the competition, they become a couple and continue dating well into the next school year. Glee club member
Kurt Hummel Kurt Elizabeth Hummel is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series '' Glee''. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied ...
(
Chris Colfer Christopher Paul Colfer (born May 27, 1990) is an American actor, singer, and author. He gained international recognition for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television musical '' Glee'' (2009–2015). Colfer's portrayal of Kurt received cr ...
), who is gay, has a private crush on Finn, and sets up his father
Burt Burt is a given name and also a shortened form of other names, such as Burton and Herbert, or a place name. Burt may refer to: People *Burt Alvord (1866–after 1910), American Old West lawman and outlaw *Burt Bacharach (born 1928), American com ...
(
Mike O'Malley Michael Edward O'Malley (born October 31, 1966) is an American actor, writer and producer. Born in Boston and raised in New Hampshire, O'Malley hosted the early 1990s children's game show '' Nickelodeon Guts'' before moving to Los Angeles later ...
) with Finn's mother Carole in the hopes of spending more time with him. Finn initially opposes the relationship, worried that his mother will forget about his late father, but relents when Burt tells Finn that he loves Carole, though Kurt is dismayed by the deepening rapport between Finn and Burt. Finn and his mother eventually move in with the Hummels, but when Finn, uncomfortable about rooming with Kurt. Finn continues to harass Kurt about how he once had a crush on him, uses a homophobic slur against Kurt during an argument and scares Burt, Burt, terrified of Finn’s aggressive behavior throws him out. Finn is ashamed, and makes amends by standing up for Kurt when he is victimized by bullies. The following fall, the bullying against Kurt has intensified, but Finn refuses to stand up for him this time, concerned that it may jeopardize his position as quarterback. When their parents marry, Finn uses his best man speech as an opportunity to apologize to Kurt, which begins a brotherly bond between the two. In the spring, the two of them team up to arrange the funeral of Sue Sylvester's sister,
Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...
(Robin Trocki), when Sue is too upset to do so, after which Sue ends her long-running campaign to destroy the glee club.


Season 2

At the beginning of the second season, Finn is still selfish and throws a tantrum at new student Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet), and makes nasty remarks about his mouth, makes fun of the new football coach, Shannon Beiste (
Dot-Marie Jones Dorothy-Marie Jones (born January 4, 1964) is an American actress and retired athlete who has had multiple roles in television. She attended California State University, Fresno, where she set records for shot put. Jones is also a 15-time world ...
), who briefly kicks him off the team for his nasty behavior. He continues more trouble by giving cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester a list of lies about her as revenge. He is eventually reinstated after an apology from Rachel Berry, and soon becomes quarterback again. Rachel learns the truth about Finn sleeping with Santana. Hurt, she makes out with Puck to get even with Finn; this betrayal causes Finn to break up with her. The football team clinches a spot in the championship game, but animosity is running high between glee and non-glee members and harming the team's performance. In " The Sue Sylvester Shuffle", Coach Beiste and Will Schuester force the entire football team to join the glee club for a week to settle their differences and dispel their prejudices. After a promising start, the non-glee members quit the club and are kicked off the team; at the same time, Sue arranges to have the cheerleading Regionals rescheduled to conflict with the football championship to sabotage both Beiste and Will, whose glee club now has to do the halftime show. With the football team down to half strength and the glee club without its cheerleader members, football players Finn and Puck settle their differences; Puck convinces the non-glee football players to perform in the halftime show, which will also get them back on the team, while Finn convinces Quinn, Santana, and
Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
(
Heather Morris Heather Elizabeth Morris (born February 1, 1987) is an American actress, dancer, singer, and model. She played the role of Brittany Pierce, Brittany S. Pierce in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee (TV series), G ...
) to quit the Cheerios and perform in the halftime show instead. The show is a great success, and the football team wins the championship game. Emboldened by leading the team to the championship, Finn sets his eyes on a new prize: Quinn, who is in a serious relationship with football player and glee club member
Sam Evans Sam Evans is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series '' Glee''. The character is portrayed by actor Chord Overstreet, and appeared on ''Glee'' starting with the second season premiere episode entitled "Audition", first b ...
(
Chord Overstreet Chord Paul Overstreet (born February 17, 1989) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for his role as Sam Evans on the Fox television series ''Glee'' (2009–2015). He has starred in the Apple TV+ comedy series ''Acapulco'' since 20 ...
). After setting up a kissing booth ostensibly to raise money for the glee club, Finn succeeds in kissing Quinn, and they make an assignation. Although Quinn ultimately decides to stay with Sam, he finds out about her cheating on him with Finn, and breaks up with her. Finn and Quinn reunite, and campaign together for prom king and queen and go to have popularity status, but Finn is kicked out for fighting with a newly returned Jesse over Rachel, and prom king and queen are won by other students. Finn ultimately breaks up with Quinn again because he realizes how deep his feelings are for Rachel. At Nationals, as the New Directions are about to go on stage, Finn begs Rachel to come back to him, but though she professes her love, she refuses, still torn between her lifelong dream of Broadway stardom and her love for him. At the end of their duet—"Pretending", written by Finn—the audience responds with awkward silence as Rachel and Finn actually kiss; the club consequently fails to place at Nationals. Back in Ohio, Rachel tells Finn she is moving to New York for college and will not be coming back; he reminds her that they have a whole year until graduation and they kiss, renewing their relationship.


Season 3

As the new school year begins, Finn, a senior, has trouble figuring out what he wants to do with his life after graduation. In the fifth episode, " The First Time", Finn is not recruited to play football in college, as he had hoped. He and Rachel decide to have sex together for the first time. In the episode "
Mash Off "Mash Off" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American musical television series '' Glee'', and the fiftieth overall. The episode was written by Michael Hitchcock and directed by Eric Stoltz, and originally aired on Fox in the Un ...
", Santana, who has joined the rival Troubletones, is relentlessly bullying Finn. After a fake apology pushes him to the edge, Finn tells her to just "come out of the closet" and accuses her of being a coward for tearing other people down only because she can't admit to everyone that she's in love with Brittany. They are overheard by a girl whose uncle is running against Sue in a congressional campaign, and he uses Santana's lesbianism—because she's Sue's cheerleading co-captain—against Sue in a campaign commercial, effectively "outing" her. Santana, devastated by this, slaps Finn, but he later claims it was a "stage slap" to prevent her from being suspended. In the episode " Yes/No", Finn asks Rachel to marry him. In the episode " On My Way", the wedding is set for after the Regionals competition, which New Directions wins, but it is canceled after Quinn is badly injured in a car crash on her way to the ceremony. They change the wedding date to after graduation, but after Finn fails to get into his New York acting school while she has been accepted by hers and she decides to wait a year, he instead sends her off to New York without him, and tells her that he has enlisted in the army and is "setting her free".


Season 4

Finn has not been in touch with Rachel or Kurt all summer and into the fall—the two friends are now rooming together in Brooklyn while Rachel is attending NYADA—but he reappears unexpectedly at the end of the third episode. He has been given an early discharge from the army after injuring himself. He finds out she kissed
Brody Brody ( uk, Броди; russian: Броды, Brodï; pl, Brody; german: Brody; yi, בראָד, Brod) is a city in Zolochiv Raion of Lviv Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. It is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately ...
(
Dean Geyer Dean Stanley Geyer (born 20 March 1986) is a South African Australian singer-songwriter, actor and martial artist who finished third in the 2006 season of the talent show television series ''Australian Idol'', and has had a notable role in the ...
), a NYADA junior, and feels that he doesn't belong in her world in New York, so he returns to Lima without telling her. She then breaks up with him. In Lima, Finn is working at Burt's tire shop again, and Artie enlists his help to co-direct the school musical, '' Grease'', which had been Finn's suggestion. When Rachel comes to see the musical in the " Glease" episode, their reunion does not go well, and they agree to refrain from contact when Rachel visits Lima in the future. Will takes a leave of absence from McKinley to be a member of a blue-ribbon panel in Washington, DC, so starting in " Dynamic Duets", Finn becomes the interim director of New Directions. While he has a rocky start in the position, they come to accept him as their leader. At Sectionals, the glee club loses to the Warblers after Marley (
Melissa Benoist Melissa Marie Benoist ( ; born October 4, 1988) is an American actress, singer and producer. Her first major role was Marley Rose on the Fox musical comedy drama ''Glee'' (2012–2014), where she was a series regular during the fifth season. S ...
) passes out on stage, interrupting the performance. Afterward, Finn does what he can to keep the club together and finally succeeds despite Sue's opposition—she has deprived New Directions of rehearsal space at school. The Warblers are disqualified, and New Directions is again eligible to compete in Regionals; the choir room is returned to them. Finn enlists Emma, who is deep in wedding preparations in advance of Will's return, to help him judge a glee club competition for which member is the best diva. When he finds her panicking over the reception arrangements, he kisses her. In "
I Do I Do may refer to: * "I do", a phrase used in some marriage vows; used by brides and grooms in response to questions posed by either the officiant or the other marriage partner Film and TV Film * ''I Do'' (1921 film), a silent comedic short f ...
", when Emma flees the church the day of the wedding, Finn blames himself, but Rachel sets him straight, and he and Rachel sleep with each other post-reception. In "
Girls (and Boys) On Film "Girls (and Boys) On Film" is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of the American musical television series '' Glee'', and the eighty-first episode overall. Written by Michael Hitchcock and directed by co-creator Ian Brennan, it aired on ...
", Finn teams up with Artie to help find Emma for Will; he later confesses to Will that he kissed Emma, and Will is unable to forgive him. Since working with Will is untenable, Finn leaves New Directions though he enjoyed directing them; Marley tells him he's a good teacher, and he should get a teaching degree. He goes to college, where he shares a dorm room with Puck—who isn't actually attending the school. Will later asks Finn to return to co-lead New Directions, and he agrees. Meanwhile, Santana has discovered that Brody, who is now living with Rachel, is a gigolo, and tells Finn, who flies to New York and warns Brody away, ultimately beating him up and saying, "Stay away from my future wife." When Rachel finds out and breaks up with Brody, she admits that the relationship never would have worked because she was using it to try to get over her heartache about Finn. Rachel later thanks him for his intervention in " Sweet Dreams" when she calls him to get advice for choosing an audition song for the upcoming Broadway revival of '' Funny Girl''.


Season 5

" The Quarterback", the third episode of the fifth season, opens three weeks after Finn's funeral. No cause of death is given. Kurt, in a voiceover, explains that it is not the circumstances of Finn's death that matter, but how he lived his life.


Season 6

In the flashback episode "
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
", the original Glee club members have second thoughts about Finn being the leader of the new club. After talking about how different Finn is from the other school jocks, they decide to let him stay in the club. The scene moves to the New Directions, with Finn, singing
Don't Stop Believing "Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin'" shares writ ...
from the "
Pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
" episode. In the series finale " Dreams Come True", U.S. Vice President Sue Sylvester rededicates the McKinley High auditorium to be named in honor of Finn.


Musical performances

As Finn is the most frequent male lead in New Directions numbers, Monteith features in a great many musical performances which have been released as
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
available for digital download and are also featured in the show's
soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...
s. He frequently shares vocal leads with the main female singer, Rachel, as in the pilot episode's closing song,
Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
's "
Don't Stop Believin' "Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin'" shares writ ...
, the single of which has sold over a million copies and been certified platinum in the US and Australia. Like Finn, Monteith was a novice singer when the show started. In an interview with '' GQ'' Alex Pappademus, he noted that, early on, "you could hear the Auto-Tune." He was not called on to sing much on the first few episodes, as he rapped in " Push It" for "
Showmance A showmance (sometimes show-mance), also known as show romance, is a romance that develops between two individuals in theater, or on films and television series and between reality show contestants or participants for the running period of the s ...
", had a short solo phrase in the song "
I Wanna Sex You Up "I Wanna Sex You Up" is a song by American R&B group Color Me Badd, released in March 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, ''C.M.B.'' (1991). The song was produced by Dr. Freeze and was also featured on the soundtrack to the 1991 fil ...
" in "
Acafellas "Acafellas" is the third episode of the American television series '' Glee''. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 16, 2009. It was directed by John Scott and written by series creator Ryan Murphy. The episode sees glee club d ...
", and was not featured as a vocal lead in "
Preggers "Preggers" is the fourth episode of the American television series ''Glee''. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 23, 2009, and was written and directed by executive producer Brad Falchuk. "Preggers" sees glee club member Kurt (C ...
". Over the next three episodes, he shares the lead on four group numbers. Two are with Rachel and One with Artie, Rachel, and Mercedes:
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
's " Somebody to Love", "
No Air "No Air" is a song by American singers Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. The song was written by James Fauntleroy II, Harvey Mason Jr., Steve Russell, Erik Griggs and Damon Thomas. It was released in the United States on February 11, 2008, and serv ...
" and "
Keep Holding On "Keep Holding On" is a power ballad by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, appearing as the last track on Lavigne's third studio album, ''The Best Damn Thing'' (2007), which was released on April 17, 2007. Lavigne has described the rest ...
". The fourth is a boys-only mash-up of
Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
's " It's My Life" with Usher's "
Confessions Part II "Confessions Part II" is a song by R&B singer Usher, produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for Usher's fourth album '' Confessions''. Written by Usher, Dupri and Cox, the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregn ...
", where Finn sings lead on the "It's My Life" sections and Artie on the rest. Excluding a scene from the pilot of him singing a portion of "Can't Fight This Feeling" in the shower, Finn's first solo songs are not until the show's tenth episode, "
Ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
". Finn sings "
I'll Stand By You "I'll Stand by You" is a song recorded by English-American rock band the Pretenders from their sixth studio album, '' Last of the Independents'' (1994). The song was written by Chrissie Hynde and the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy ...
" to the unborn child he thinks is his, and later sings " (You're) Having My Baby" to Quinn, the mother of the child, in front of her parents, who respond with her mother being forced to watch as her father evicts her from the family home. He has two solo numbers later in the season: "
Hello, I Love You "Hello, I Love You" is a song recorded by American rock band the Doors for their 1968 album '' Waiting for the Sun''. Elektra Records released it as a single that same year, which topped the charts in the U.S. and Canada. Although the Doors are ...
" by
The Doors The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...
, characterized by Bobby Hankinson of the ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' as "one of Finn's best vocal performances to date", and "
Jessie's Girl "Jessie's Girl" is a song written and performed by Australian singer Rick Springfield. It was released on the album '' Working Class Dog'', which was released in February 1981. The song is about unrequited love and centers on a young man in love ...
" by
Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut ...
; the latter song charted in the top ten in Australia, Canada and Ireland, and was certified gold in Australia, one of only three singles from ''Glee'' to have received gold certification in that country. Finn sings lead more frequently in the second half of the first season, as he is featured in over a dozen songs, including several with Rachel. However, in ''Glee'' second season, he sings lead in fewer songs than in the first, though he again sings a significant proportion with Rachel, including the duets "
Don't Go Breaking My Heart "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a 1976 duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche", respectively, and intended as an affection ...
", "
With You I'm Born Again "With You I'm Born Again" is a 1979 duet written by Carol Connors and David Shire that originated on the soundtrack of the 1979 motion picture ''Fast Break''. It was performed by Motown recording artists Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright (credit ...
", "
Last Christmas "Last Christmas" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, originally released in December 1984 on CBS Records internationally and as a double A-side on Epic Records with "Everything She Wants" in the UK. Described as a "high watermark of mid-80s Br ...
", and the one ostensibly written by Finn at the end of the season, "Pretending". His first solo performance of the second season, in the episode " Grilled Cheesus", is
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
's "
Losing My Religion "Losing My Religion" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in February 1991 as the first single from the group's seventh album, '' Out of Time'' (1991). Built on a mandolin riff, the song was an unlikely hit for the group ...
". Monteith said he and series music producer Adam Anders "had a bit of a different idea" about how the song should be performed. While Anders "always brings the songs in very positive, very upbeat", he felt the song "was expressing a betrayal", and with Finn feeling both betrayal and anger, Monteith wanted his performance to reflect that. Anthony Benigno of the '' Daily News'' commented positively on the arrangement of Monteith's song, and graded the performance an "A", but Erica Futterman of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' was critical of the arrangement, and said Monteith's performance was "more awkward than inspired." Finn's other solo is "I've Gotta Be Me" in the episode " Born This Way". In the episode "
Furt "Furt" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American musical television series ''Glee'', and the thirtieth episode overall. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy, directed by Carol Banker, and premiered on Fox in the United ...
", when Finn's mother marries Kurt's father and the glee club provides music for the wedding, two of the songs are by Bruno Mars: "
Marry You "Marry You" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his debut studio album, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' (2010). Written and produced by the Smeezingtons, it serves as the record's sixth track and was released as a single outsi ...
", which is sung by the entire club as a big processional production number, and " Just the Way You Are", which is sung by Finn to Kurt at the reception. Raymund Flandez of ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' characterized the "two Bruno Mars songs" as "brilliant in execution and touching in sentiment", and Futterman agreed: "the Bruno Mars songs gave the show two of its best performances this season". While Benigno and Stack also praised "Just the Way You Are", and both gave the song an "A", Jen Harper of ''
BuddyTV BuddyTV is an entertainment-based website, which generates content about television programs and sporting events. The website publishes information about celebrity and related entertainment news through a series of articles, entertainment profile ...
'' thought Monteith's vocals as Finn "aren't the strongest" and ''
AOL TV AOL TV was the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display (rather than a monitor), and the online service that supports it, both of which were launched in June 2000 to compete with WebTV. The product and service were develo ...
'' Jean Bentley also wished Finn had not been the soloist. In "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle", Finn led his football teammates, some of whom were performing with the glee club under duress, in
The Zombies The Zombies are an English rock band formed in the early 1960s in St Albans and led by keyboardist and vocalist Rod Argent and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group had a British and American hit in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the US, two fu ...
' "She's Not There". VanDerWerff called it "one of the better numbers of the season", and Futterman felt that Monteith's vocals were a "perfect fit" for the song. Finn's sole duet with Quinn,
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
's "I Don't Want to Know" from the episode " Rumours", was given an "A−" by ''Entertainment Weekly'' Sandra Gonzalez, and Futterman said it was "better than Quinn and Sam's 'Lucky, which she had called "charming" when it was performed in "
Duets A duet is a musical composition or piece for two performers. Duets or The Duets may also refer to: Films and television * ''Duets'' (film), a 2000 film, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti and Huey Lewis * "Duets" (''Glee''), a 2010 episo ...
".


Reception


Critical response

The character of Finn has gotten mixed to positive reviews from television critics. VanDerWerff praised the "terrific" cast in the pilot episode, and wrote that Monteith and Michele "are both agreeable and a little desperate for an outlet as the show choir's central two singers". The ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' Maureen Ryan opined that "Cory Monteith gives quarterback Finn Hudson a jock-ish authority mixed with an appealingly square naivete." Korbi Ghosh of '' Zap2it'' enjoyed Finn's "sweet nature" and observed, "it's clear that at Finn's core, he's a good person." Shawna Malcom of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' noted a contradiction in his characterization in the episode "
Preggers "Preggers" is the fourth episode of the American television series ''Glee''. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 23, 2009, and was written and directed by executive producer Brad Falchuk. "Preggers" sees glee club member Kurt (C ...
"—she questioned whether the intelligence he demonstrated in striving for a football scholarship was incongruent in a character who believed he had impregnated Quinn by sharing a hot tub with her. Goldman welcomed the emergence of Finn's "darker side" as he manipulated Rachel in "
The Rhodes Not Taken "The Rhodes Not Taken" is the fifth episode of the American television series '' Glee''. It premiered on the Fox network on September 30, 2009 and was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan and directed by John Scott. The episode features gle ...
", as "up until now, Finn's been a bit too straight-laced to totally invest in". Denise Martin of the ''Los Angeles Times'' added, "Did anyone ''not'' want to kill Finn for coming on to Rachel to get her to come back to the club? (Yes, the logic was there. He wants to win a scholarship so he can provide for the baby he thinks is his. But a girl's heart is a fragile thing, and like Rachel tells him, he could have just tried being honest.)" In his review of "
Ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
", Goldman commented: "Finn singing 'I'll Stand By You' to the unborn baby he thinks is his was very sweet". He found the scene that followed Finn's revelation of Quinn's pregnancy to her parents the grimmest on ''Glee'' to that point. The intense sequence featuring Finn, Kurt and Burt in "
Theatricality "Theatricality" is the twentieth episode of the American television series '' Glee''. The episode was written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, and premiered on the Fox network on May 25, 2010. In "Theatricality", glee club member Tin ...
" garnered praise for Monteith from James Poniewozik of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', who wrote: "One thing I love about his performance, here and throughout ''Glee'', is that he plays Finn as a kid, which of course he still is. He's basically a good kid, but as his 'faggy' outburst shows, he's flawed and often overwhelmed. And while he has little to do during Burt's lecture but react, his reactions are great: he's scared and defensive, but shows Finn's guilt at the same time." When Finn's mother marries Kurt's father in the second season's eighth episode, "Furt", Stack was pleased to see Finn being featured: "It’s been a while since we’ve gotten some Finn focus, and I think I just missed Cory Monteith. But I also forgot what a good, natural actor he can be." While giving "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle" episode a "C" grade, VanDerWerff wrote as an aside, "Let’s pause for a moment to give Cory Monteith some praise, though, since he was asked to do a lot of difficult things in this episode, in regards to selling the idea of Finn as a leader, bringing disparate groups together, and he mostly managed that task, much better than he has in past episodes." While reviewing "
Funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
", the season's penultimate episode, Gonzalez said, "I was glad that the writers chose ��Finn and Kurt to be the ones to connect with Sue because I think they're two of the most genuine characters on the show. ��I think they pulled it off well." In his review of "Funeral", VanDerVerff noted that Finn was not the best vocalist among the male students: "the show hits on something very odd in its DNA: Finn continues to be the male lead of the group because he’s the male lead of the show, less because he’s the best singer New Directions has. ..But because he’s trying to get better, that’s OK". At the conclusion of the second season, Poniewozik wrote that he had not found the relationship between Finn and Rachel "the most compelling story" of the season, and as such "didn't enjoy '
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
' as much as emight have", and VanDerWerff commented that their storyline had "ceased being too interesting long ago." However, the former conceded "I may not be that invested in Finn/Rachel, but the startling moment where the audience disappeared in the middle of their kiss made me feel like I was", and the latter opined that their kiss resonated, despite being unoriginal and "too neat way of suggesting that Rachel can't have both Finn and her Broadway dreams".


Accolades

Monteith won the 2011
Teen Choice Award The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United S ...
in the Choice TV: Actor Comedy category for his portrayal of Finn, and was a member of the ''Glee'' cast ensemble given the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series award at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards. He received several other nominations for the role, including Teen Choice Awards in 2009 for Choice TV: Breakout Star Male and in 2010 for Choice TV: Comedy Actor, and the
17th Screen Actors Guild Awards The 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, honoring the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 2010, was presented on January 30, 2011 at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California for the fifteenth con ...
ensemble nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.


References


External links


Finn Hudson
at
Fox.com The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations and ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hudson, Finn Glee (TV series) characters Fictional basketball players Fictional characters from Ohio Television characters introduced in 2009 Fictional players of American football Male characters in television Fictional rock musicians Fictional singers Fictional mechanics Teenage characters in television pt:Anexo:Lista de personagens de Glee#Finn Hudson