The Quarterback (Glee)

"The Quarterback"
Glee episode
Past and current New Directions members commemorate the late Finn Hudson
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 3
Directed by	Brad Falchuk
Written by	Ryan Murphy Brad Falchuk Ian Brennan
Featured music	"Seasons of Love" "I'll Stand by You" "Fire and Rain" "If I Die Young" "No Surrender" "Make You Feel My Love"
Production code	5ARC03
Original air date	October 10, 2013 (2013-10-10)
Guest appearance(s)
Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones Mark Salling as Noah "Puck" Puckerman Jayma Mays as Emma Pillsbury Harry Shum, Jr. as Mike Chang Mike O'Malley as Burt Hummel Dot-Marie Jones as Shannon Beiste Romy Rosemont as Carole Hudson-Hummel Iqbal Theba as Principal Figgins Erinn Westbrook as Bree
Episode chronology
← Previous "Tina in the Sky with Diamonds" Next → "A Katy or a Gaga"
Glee (season 5) List of Glee episodes

"The Quarterback" is the third episode of the fifth season of the American musical television series Glee, and the ninety-first episode overall. Written by all three of the show's creators—Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan—and directed by Falchuk, it first aired on Fox in the United States on October 10, 2013. The episode features the death of character Finn Hudson, and a tribute to Finn and to actor Cory Monteith, who played Finn starting with the show's pilot, and who died on July 13, 2013. The episode's plot centers on the impact Finn's death has on the characters, specifically Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera), Noah Puckerman (Mark Salling), and Rachel Berry (Lea Michele).

The episode has been received positively by critics, though some commented negatively on the show's not revealing a cause of death for Finn. Upon its initial airing, this episode was viewed by 7.40 million American viewers and garnered a 2.9 rating in the 18–49 age group. The total viewership and ratings for this episode were up significantly from the previous episode. It was the show's highest rating since the fourth season episode "Britney 2.0."

Old and new members of New Directions perform "Seasons of Love" in the auditorium at Finn Hudson's funeral. Three weeks later, they reunite at McKinley High, where glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) invites them to honor Finn through song, as their personal memorials for him. Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley) performs "I'll Stand By You", a song Finn previously sang when he believed he was going to become a father. Principal Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) allows the students to turn Finn's old locker into a memorial, and plants a tree in his honor, which is later stolen. Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) helps his parents to sort Finn's belongings, keeping Finn's letterman jacket and giving Burt Hummel (Mike O'Malley) Finn's lamp and football. Carole Hudson-Hummel (Romy Rosemont) soon breaks down in grief and the family comes together to comfort one another.