Rachel Berry was the de facto lead in the hit musical series Glee. Played by Broadway star Lea Michele, Rachel was the overly ambitious but insecure female lead in the glee club with a voice like no other. Michele earned critical acclaim for her portrayal, but the character was always divisive among the Gleek community.
Indeed, many of Rachel's behaviors come off as toxic and reprehensible, especially when looking back at them with today's eye. On her path to stardom, Rachel made many mistakes and committed some very questionable acts that seem even more problematic by today's standards.
Updated on June 24, 2022 by Amanda Bruce: Gleeks can now revisit their favorite Glee episodes thanks to Disney+ adding the show to their streaming platform. But for every great song or epic relationship storyline, there's going to be another that makes them cringe. When it comes to Rachel Berry, there are quite a few plot points that seem in poor taste today. While some of those were intentional when the series attempted to satire aspects of show choir, others were not.
Rachel Flirted With Mr. Schuester
A teenager falling for an adult is always an uncomfortable storyline, so when Glee had Rachel develop a crush on Mr. Schuester, it was obvious that things would end badly. However, Rachel's overly intense personality makes her cross the line to the point where she goes into Schuester's house to clean and cook for him. In true Glee fashion, Will tries to tell Rachel her crush is wrong, but he does it via song and chooses arguably the worst songs possible: "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and "Young Girl."
The storyline was uncomfortable back then and borderline unwatchable now. The fact that Terri allows Rachel to clean her house makes things all the more cringey.
Rachel Makes Light Of Britney Spears' Situation
Glee is known for pushing the pop culture envelope. There are plenty of unkind words about different performers over the course of the show — many of them said by Sue Sylvester or Santana Lopez. And Rachel makes a strangely insensitive comment during the Britney Spears tribute episode.
The episode is meant to honor Spears' impact on pop music, and the musician even guest stars in the show. Rachel makes the comment that she looks forward to the day she is provoked by paparazzi into attacking them. It's a reference to Spears destroying camera equipment after being repeatedly hounded by photographers. It seems in poor taste considering how much of an impact prying eyes had on the singer's life. It's especially cruel considering that Spears was placed under a 13-year conservatorship, and it has only recently been lifted.
Rachel's Friendship With Santana
Season 4 introduced a friendship that fans never knew they needed: Rachel and Santana. The two were complete opposites but found common ground and eventually developed a close bond. However, the show was more interested in having them at each other's throats, and their friendship never really took off.
Rachel and Santana are one of those Glee friendships that should've happened but didn't. The show had plenty of material to explore with them, and it's a shame it never did. Instead, their dynamic was always confrontational, sending the message that two ambitious women can't be friends because they'll always be envious of each other.
When Rachel Had An Affair With Sam
It seemed like the writers wanted Sam to date every female cast member. Throughout the show, he was involved with Quinn, Mercedes, Santana, Brittany, and Rachel, and kissed Tina in season 5. However, while he did share a meaningful bond with some of them, especially Mercedes, his relationship with Rachel came off as rushed and shoehorned.
Rachel was still recovering from Finn's passing, and by that point, it was clear that Sam fell in love with every girl whocrossed his path. Thus, the relationship didn't seem significant; instead, it came off as an attempt to have Sam date every girl in the show before it ended.
When Rachel Chose To Leave Funny Girl
Since her introduction, Rachel seemed to have only one thing on her mind: Broadway stardom. She spends her entire life preparing for that moment, and in season 5, she finally makes it. To make things even better, she gets the lead in the revival of Funny Girl, a role that is deeply meaningful to her.
But fans were shocked and angry when Rachel grew tired of Broadway and left to film a TV pilot in LA out of the blue. Having Rachel quit the show was one of the worst decisions Glee ever made because it made her seem entitled and immature. It didn't feel earned, and it wasn't the result of a long thought process. Instead, it was a decision made on a whim by a girl who was too selfish to see how fortunate she was.
Rachel's NYADA Career
Rachel's university career was full of contrived plot decisions. First of all, she chokes during her New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts audition, seemingly blowing her chances to get in. After much lobbying, she convinces the school's director, Carmen Tibideaux, to see her performing at Nationals. Rachel sings "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," one of Rachel's best performances in Glee, convincing Carmen to give her a second chance.
While at NYADA, Rachel clashes with her dance instructor, Cassandra July. Rachel then gets tired of musical theater and quits, leaving for LA to shoot the TV pilot. She makes one too many mistakes regarding her school career, to the point where she seems oblivious to her privilege. The show also states that NYADA is tough to get into, so having Rachel disregard it with such ease is the worst possible look for the character.
Rachel's Relationship With Finn
For the first four seasons, Rachel and Finn are Glee's core relationship. The two develop a mutual crush from the pilot episode and carry on with a flirtatious dynamic that eventually becomes a relationship in season 2. They have many ups and downs, and while it's clear they love each other, their relationship is very toxic when revisiting it.
For starters, their dreams and lifestyles aren't compatible. They try to change each other far too often, and they are never entirely comfortable with who the other is. Their ill-conceived engagement in season 4 is also an objectively terrible storyline. Finn's unfortunate passing ended their story abruptly, leaving many questions unanswered.
Rachel's Relationship With Jesse
After Finn's death, many fans correctly guessed that Rachel would end up with Jesse St. James. The two date during season 1, but he ultimately betrays her by returning to Vocal Adrenaline. To make things worse, he even attacks her with eggs, further humiliating her.
Jesse did show significant growth in later appearances, but getting back together with Rachel never felt earned or even logical. Instead, it seemed like the show just wanted to take advantage of the real-life friendship between Jonathan Groff and Michele. In all honesty, it would've been preferable if Rachel had ended the show alone.
Rachel's Cutthroat Personality
Rachel Berry was Glee's main character. Even if her overly ambitious personality was often off-putting, her talent was undeniable. Indeed, many of the show's other characters liked to point out how annoying she was, despite being the brightest star of them all. As Kurt once put it, "She may be difficult, but, boy, can she sing."
Still, Rachel's cutthroat personality hasn't aged well. The "do everything to get to the top" mindset that was so popular during the '80s and '90s is now seen as an unfortunate product of capitalism. People now realize that there should be limits and boundaries to a person's ambitions, and the end never justifies the means.
When Rachel Sent Sunshine To A Crack House
Out of Rachel's many petty actions, none is more unforgivable than when she sent Sunshine to a crack house to dissuade her from joining the glee club. When first hearing her sing, Rachel realizes that Sunshine is just as talented as her, so she goes out of her way to prevent her from joining the New Directions.
Rachel tries to justify her actions by saying she didn't send Sunshine to "an active crack house." She further elaborates that someone as talented as Sunshine would take the spotlight away from the lesser club members and even sings A Chorus Line's "What I Did For Love" to explain herself. It's an awful storyline from beginning to end and showcases all the worst aspects of Rachel's personality.