Glee was famous, or perhaps infamous, for its silly storylines. Indeed, plenty of absurd events took place in McKinley High, from out-of-the-blue musical numbers to physical fights; at one point, there were even hounds patrolling the hallways.
Yes, Glee was as subtle as a hammer to the head. However, a few of its storylines actually managed to surprise audiences, some in a pleasant way and others not so much. Still, these developments kept the show fresh, or at the very least, turned it into a guilty pleasure that hardcore fans couldn't quit even if they tried.
Rachel Choking On Her NYADA Audition
For three seasons, fans heard over and over again how Rachel Berry was New York-bound, destined to become a star of the stage. Nothing would stand in her way, except maybe herself, as her erratic and mature choices threatened her career more than once.
Still, seeing her choking her NYADA audition was shocking. Rachel always was the show's biggest star, and while fans appreciated the cold dose of reality the incident gave her, it was still surprising to see. She would later find her way into the school, although she'd eventually quit because Glee really was a chaotic mess.
Puck & Shelby's Relationship
Adult-teenage relationships used to be one of the most clichéd and over-used plot points in television shows. Nearly every teen show of the 2000s, from One Tree Hill, featured one of these uncomfortable stories, and Glee was not the exception.
However, the romance between Puck and Shelby was surprising because it came out of nowhere. One day, Puck woke up and decided he liked Shelby. The storyline came across as lazy and unnecessary, especially because it didn't even receive a proper conclusion. The romance simply ended as unceremoniously as it began.
Quinn Getting Into Yale
Quinn was one of the Glee characters who got the short end of the writing stick. Her characterization was inconsistent at best, to the point where she became a walking plot point instead of a three-dimensional figure.
Season three was the messiest. Quinn becomes a rebel and tries to recover the baby she gave up for adoption before doing a complete 180. Putting her act together, she then sends an apparently sublime essay to the Yale istration's Office that's good enough to give her early ission, all in the span of one month. At no point in the previous three seasons did the show bother to portray her as a straight-A student, so getting into an Ivy League school after neglecting her studies for three whole seasons was certainly surprising.
Finn ing The Army
One of Glee's most unexpected stories came midway through season three when Finn finds out his father wasn't a war hero like he believed, but a tragic figure who died of a drug overdose after being discharged from the army. The news comes as a shock to Finn, who spends the rest of the season trying to process them.
Fans were thus shocked when Finn revealed his intentions of ing the army during the season finale. His intentions to restore his father's memory made sense, but the story's execution came off as abrupt and somewhat clumsy. Even worse, Finn's time in the army is short-lived, depriving the storyline of all the meaning it could've had.
Sebastian Throwing A Slushie At Blaine
Sebastian is one of the best Glee characters introduced after season 1. He arrives in season 3 as the new leader of the Warblers and a rival to Kurt for Blaine's attention. Aside from Sue, Sebastian was also the show's only real villain, a sneaky preppy boy willing to do everything to secure the Warbler's victory at Regionals.
By that point, fans were used to Sue's schemes to win that came off as more ridiculous than dangerous, which is why Sebastian's attack on Blaine during the Michael Jackson tribute seemed all the more shocking. Sebastian put rock salt on the slushie, severely injuring Blaine's eye. The attack could've had serious consequences, making it the first time a Glee villain seemed genuinely dangerous.
Sue Being A Klaine Shipper
Season 6 of Glee was increasingly absurd when it came to storylines, like making Sue an obsessive Klaine shipper, hellbent on reuniting them to fulfill her dream of being a "flower-girl at their fabulous gay wedding."
It was more than a little surprising for fans to discover Sue's apparent fascination with the couple, considering the many insults Sue threw their way over the years. Her plot to bring them back together, which involved a puppet version of herself in the style of Saw's Jigsaw, was also shocking and somewhat disturbing.
Rachel Making It To Broadway (& Then Quitting)
As previously mentioned, Rachel was supposedly the greatest star in the show. Her talent was undeniable, and the show promised fans she would make it to Broadway sooner rather than later. And she does, albeit in an out-of-the-blue way that almost makes it seem impossible.
Still, fans were willing to suspend belief and go along with the story, which featured Rachel getting her dream role, Fanny Brice, after only auditioning two times. However, the most surprising thing comes when Rachel grows tired of the job after only a couple of months and quits to pursue a Hollywood career. The choice flabbergasted audiences and remains one of the things about Rachel Berry that aged the worst.
Quinn's Car Crash
The second half of Season 3 seemed to turn things around for Quinn; she got into Yale, pulled her act together, and seemed ready to enter the next stage of her life. However, a shocking accident sent her to the hospital and put her in a wheelchair for several episodes.
The storyline surprised audiences, with many wondering if the show would leave Quinn in the wheelchair. The accident provided some nice bonding moments between Quinn and Artie, but it ultimately led to nothing other than unnecessary drama for a character who already had more than her fair share of it.
Sue's Tenure As Principal
Many of Sue's behaviors have aged poorly, but her worst came out during her tenure as principal of McKinley. In season six, she rules over the school with an iron fist, prohibiting any form of art or self-expression. She also enforces a strict and potentially dangerous diet involving protein shakes and raw kale.
However, the worst part is her treatment of overweight students, who she forces to wear pig noses while locked in cages. She also "occasionally (releases) hounds," making life a living hell for the already traumatized students of McKinley.
Brittany Being A Genius
Glee went out of its way to portray Brittany as dumb. The show presented her as oblivious and lacking even the simplest comprehension of how the real world worked. For example, in season two, she believes that babies come from storks; she also still believes in Santa and thinks Rory, the exchange student, is an actual leprechaun.
Things take a turn for the shocking when season four reveals Brittany is a secret genius, capable of complex mathematic operations that secure her a place in MIT. In reality, Brittany's actress, Heather Morris, was pregnant, and the show needed to find a way to write her off the show. However, choosing this storyline went beyond the surprising and entered the truly absurd.