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 Oliver!, performed by Sandy Ryerson and Hank Saunders.
- "Respect" by Aretha Franklin, performed by Mercedes Jones
- "Mr. Cellophane" from Chicago, performed by Kurt Hummel
- "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry, performed by Tina Cohen-Chang
- "On My Own" from Les Misérables, performed by Rachel Berry.
- "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" from Guys and Dolls, performed by Artie Abrams and New Directions
- "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon, performed by Finn Hudson
- "You're the One that I Want" from Grease, performed by Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry, and New Directions
- "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse, performed by Vocal Adrenaline
- "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul, and Mary, performed by Will Schuester note .
- "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, performed by Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson, and New Directions.
This episode contains examples of:
- Actor Allusion: Rachel sings "On My Own" as her audition song. Lea Michele, who plays Rachel, made her Broadway debut in Les Misérables, and was going to be in the revival, but instead decided to be in Spring Awakening.
- All Guys Want Cheerleaders: Finn mentions he is dating head cheerleader Quinn Fabray.
- Blatant Lies: 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.
- Five-Token Band: New Directions, especially before Finn joined. Rachel is Jewish, Kurt is gay, Mercedes is black, Tina is Asian, and Artie is in a wheelchair.
- I Need to Go Iron My Dog: 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.
- Neat Freak: Emma, who is shown eating grapes and wiping each one before she puts it in her mouth.
- Not Me This Time: 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.
- One-Hour Work Week: 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?"
- Stuffed into a Trashcan: Kurt is tossed into a trashcan by bullies early in the episode.
- Urine Trouble: A bed-wetter returns sheets to Terri's store.
