[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/glee2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[Music/JourneyBand Don't Stop Believin']]]]
!!!Summary

"Pilot" is the first episode of ''Glee''.

The show is set at William [=McKinley=] High School in Lima, Ohio. Will Schuester, the Spanish teacher, takes over the glee club after its previous teacher Sandy Ryerson's firing, much to the chagrin of cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester. Will manages to recruit ambitious Broadway wannabe Rachel Berry, diva-in-training Mercedes, fashionable and gay Kurt, shy Tina, and wheelchair-bound Artie. Will also blackmails popular quarterback Finn to join, although Finn is conflicted about joining the unpopular glee club: his head cheerleader girlfriend Quinn and fellow jock best friend Puck both disapprove.

Rehearsals begin. The school guidance counselor Emma takes the kids to visit Vocal Adrenaline, one of the best teams in the region. Will's wife Terri tells him she is pregnant, causing him to question if he should continue being the director. Emma reminds him of his national show choir performance from the early 90’s, inspiring him to keep going. The glee club performs "Don't Stop Believin'" in the auditorium as Sue, Puck and Quinn look on.


!!!Songs from the episode
* "Where is Love" from ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}'', performed by Sandy Ryerson and Hank Saunders.
* "Respect" by Music/ArethaFranklin, performed by Mercedes Jones
* "Mr. Cellophane" from ''Theatre/{{Chicago}}'', performed by Kurt Hummel
* "I Kissed a Girl" by Music/KatyPerry, performed by Tina Cohen-Chang
* "On My Own" from ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', performed by Rachel Berry.
* "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" from ''Theatre/GuysAndDolls'', performed by Artie Abrams and New Directions
* "Can't Fight This Feeling" by Music/REOSpeedwagon, performed by Finn Hudson
* "You're the One that I Want" from Film/{{Grease}}, performed by Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry, and New Directions
* "Rehab" by Music/AmyWinehouse, performed by Vocal Adrenaline
* "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul, and Mary, performed by Will Schuester [[note]] this was only in the director's cut of the pilot[[/note]].
* "Don't Stop Believin'" by Music/{{Journey|Band}}, performed by Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson, and New Directions.

!!! This episode contains examples of:
* ActorAllusion: Rachel sings "On My Own" as her audition song. Creator/LeaMichele, who plays Rachel, made her Broadway debut in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', and was going to be in the revival, but instead decided to be in ''Theatre/SpringAwakening''.
* AllGuysWantCheerleaders: Finn mentions he is dating head cheerleader Quinn Fabray.
* BlatantLies: Rachel says that she was not the one who turned in Sandy Ryerson. Cue a cut to her in Figgins' office.
-->'''Rachel''': He was touching Hank, caressing him. It was '''so wrong''.
* FiveTokenBand: New Directions, especially before Finn joined. Rachel is [[InformedJudaism Jewish]], Kurt is [[CampGay gay]], Mercedes is [[SassyBlackWoman black]], Tina is [[AsianAndNerdy Asian]], and Artie is [[DisabledSnarker in a wheelchair.]]
* INeedToGoIronMyDog: Finn's lie to miss football practice so he can go on the glee club trip is that his mom has to have her prostate out.
* NeatFreak: Emma, who is shown eating grapes and wiping each one before she puts it in her mouth.
* NotMeThisTime: Finn says this when Kurt accuses him of nailing all of the latter's lawn furniture to the roof:
-->'''Finn:''' I wasn't actually there for that, but I am very, ''very'' sorry.
* OneHourWorkWeek: Lampshaded by Terri. "I'm on my feet four hours a day, three times a week here. Now I have to go home and cook dinner for myself?"
* StuffedIntoATrashcan: Kurt is tossed into a trashcan by bullies early in the episode.
* UrineTrouble: A bed-wetter returns sheets to Terri's store.
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