Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that aired on the Fox network in the United States. It focuses on the William McKinley High School glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues. The show was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, and features many cover versions of songs performed on-screen by the characters. [1] Murphy is responsible for selecting all of the songs used, and strives to maintain a balance between show tunes and chart hits, as he wants there to be "something for everybody in every episode". [2] Once Murphy selects a song, rights are cleared with its publishers by music supervisor P.J. Bloom, and music producer Adam Anders rearranges it for the Glee cast. [3] Numbers are pre-recorded by the cast, while choreographer Zach Woodlee constructs the accompanying dance moves, which are then taught to the cast and filmed. [2] Studio recordings of tracks are then made. The process begins six to eight weeks before each episode is filmed, and can end as late as the day before filming begins. [3]
At the beginning of the season, Murphy intended for the performances to remain reality-based, as opposed to having the characters spontaneously burst into song. [4] As the season progressed, however, Glee began to utilize fantasy sequences, with paraplegic character Artie imagining himself dancing to "The Safety Dance", and six separate characters performing a fantasy version of "Like a Virgin". [5] The first thirteen episodes of the season averaged five songs per episode. [6] For the final nine episodes, the number of performances increased to eight. [6] The list below contains all 132 musical performances of the first season, with each performance delivering an individual song or a mashup of two or more songs in a single performance.
Murphy was surprised at the ease with which use of songs was approved by the record labels approached. [4] Recording artist Rihanna offered her single "Take a Bow" for use at a reduced licensing rate, and other artists offered use of their songs free. [7] Madonna granted the show rights to her entire catalog, and the 2010 episode "The Power of Madonna" featured cover versions of eight of her songs. [8] A series of Glee albums were released through Columbia Records. Accompanying the first season were the studio albums Glee: The Music, Volume 1 , Glee: The Music, Volume 2 and Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers , extended plays (EP) Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna and Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals , and the compilation album Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One , featuring 100 recordings from the season. Songs featured on the show are available for digital download through the iTunes Store up to two weeks before new episodes air, and through other digital outlets and mobile carriers a week later. [3]
The majority of songs are performed by New Directions, which is composed of Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale), Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.), Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz), Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron), Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley), Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera), Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris), Noah "Puck" Puckerman (Mark Salling) and Matt Rutherford (Dijon Talton). [9] Club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) also performs several songs. [10] The season features some performances by rival glee clubs Vocal Adrenaline, which is sometimes led by Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff), Jane Addams Girls Choir, Haverbrook Deaf Choir and Aural Intensity, as well as McKinley High's cheerleaders, the Cheerios, and the football team. [11] [12]
Guest stars who gave vocal performances during the season were Ben Bledsoe as former glee club member Hank Saunders, Jerry Phillips as a younger Finn, and Aaron Hendry as Darren in the pilot episode, Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris as former glee club members April Rhodes and Bryan Ryan, Zack Weinstein as Sean Fretthold, Olivia Newton-John as herself, Wendy Worthington as an auditionee for Les Misérables in "Dream On", and Idina Menzel as Vocal Adrenaline director Shelby Corcoran. [9] [13] [14]
Songs included on the three soundtrack albums accompanying the season feature additional vocals by non-cast members. Adam Anders, Kamari Copeland, Tim Davis, Emily Gomez, David Loucks, Chris Mann and Windy Wagner appear on all three albums, as does Nikki Anders, née Hassman, who is credited as Hassman on the first two and Anders on the third; Zac Poor sings on the second and third albums. Jasper Randall appears on Glee: The Music, Volume 1, [15] and David Baloche, Jenny Karr, Kerri Larson and Tiffany Palmer feature on Glee: The Music, Volume 2. [16] Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers features additional vocals by Kala Balch, David Baloche, Colin Benward, Ravaughn Brown, Storm Lee, Chaz Mason, Jeanette Olsen, Jimmy Andrew Richard, Drew Ryan Scott, Shelley Scarr and Onitsha Shaw. [17] While recurring cast members Morris, Rivera, Shum, Jr., and Talton perform in the group numbers on screen, only Rivera is credited with performing vocally on any soundtrack albums or EPs, gaining her first solo part on "Like a Virgin" in the episode "The Power of Madonna", [18] and appearing on Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers as well as the two EPs, Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna and Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals. [17] [19] [20]
Glee is an American jukebox musical comedy drama television series that aired on Fox in the United States from May 19, 2009, to March 20, 2015. It centers on the New Directions, a glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School, that is located in the American state of Ohio. The club competes as a show choir while its disparate members deal with social issues, especially regarding sexuality, race, family, teen relationships and teamwork.
Finn Christopher Hudson is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character was portrayed by Cory Monteith and first appeared on television when Glee premiered its pilot episode on Fox on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. Glee follows the trials of the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio. Finn is initially quarterback of his high school football team. A popular jock at the top of the school's social hierarchy, when he finds himself forced to join the school's glee club, he discovers that he loves it, although he risks alienation from his friends by remaining a member. His storylines see him struggle with his decision to stay in the club, which is at the bottom of the social ladder, while he maintains his popular reputation and the respect of the other jocks. The character has dealt with his attraction to both self-centered head cheerleader Quinn Fabray and ambitious yet kindhearted glee club star singer Rachel Berry, the series' female lead. Following Monteith's death on July 13, 2013, it was announced that Finn's own death would occur in the third episode of the fifth season, titled "The Quarterback".
Susan "Sue" Rodham Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and appears in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009, through the show's final episode, first broadcast on March 20, 2015.
Emma Pillsbury Schuester is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Portrayed by actress Jayma Mays, Emma appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. She is a guidance counselor at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the series is set. Emma suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and has romantic feelings for glee club director Will Schuester, but she becomes engaged to football coach Ken Tanaka, as Will is married. Ken ultimately breaks up with her on their wedding day because of her feelings for Will, and when Will leaves his wife, Terri, he and Emma share a kiss. Their relationship is short-lived, and in the second season, Emma and her dentist boyfriend Carl Howell marry in Las Vegas. The marriage is later annulled, as it was unconsummated. At the beginning of the third season, she and Will are living together; they become engaged shortly after New Year, and they consummate their relationship near the end of the school year. Emma leaves Will at the altar midway through the fourth season, but the two later reconcile and marry in the season finale. She becomes pregnant during the middle of the fifth season.
Arthur "Artie" Abrams is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee portrayed as the "glue" of the glee club. The character is portrayed by actor Kevin McHale, and appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Artie was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. He is a guitarist and paraplegic manual wheelchair user who is a member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Artie uses a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury he sustained in a car crash at the age of eight. His storylines have seen him accept his disability, pine for the affections of fellow New Directions members, and dabble in film directing.
Tina Cohen-Chang is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jenna Ushkowitz and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Tina was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. Initially, she is a shy and insecure performer with a fake stutter, and member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. As the series progressed, she became more independent and confident.
Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the TV series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is the cheerleading captain at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, as well as a member of the school's glee club. In the first episode, Quinn is introduced as an antagonistic queen bee stock character. She joins the school glee club to spy on her boyfriend Finn Hudson and becomes a spy for cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester ; she remains part of the club after she is removed from the cheerleading team, the "Cheerios", due to her pregnancy. Over the course of the first season, her character matures and builds friendships with the other outcasts who make up the glee club. Quinn gives birth at the end of the first season to a baby girl, Beth, whom she gives up for adoption. Quinn was 16 years old when she had her baby.
Noah "Puck" Puckerman is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character was portrayed by Mark Salling, and appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009, to the series finale, broadcast on March 20, 2015. Puck was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. He is Finn's best friend and football teammate, who initially disapproves of Finn joining the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set, but he eventually joins it himself. In 2010, Salling was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Breakout Star Male for his work as Puck, and in 2011 for the Choice TV: Scene Stealer Male category.
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. She is a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back-up, and is a member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.
"Throwdown" is the seventh episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 14, 2009. It was directed by series creator Ryan Murphy and written by Brad Falchuk. The episode includes a clash between glee club director Will Schuester and cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester when she is named co-director of the glee club. As Sue tries to divide the club by turning the students against Will, his wife Terri blackmails her OB/GYN into colluding with her over her fake pregnancy.
"Mash-Up" is the eighth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on October 21, 2009. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan and directed by Elodie Keene. The episode sees glee club director Will Schuester attempt to create a wedding medley in the style of a mash-up for his colleagues Emma and Ken. Students Finn and Quinn find that they are no longer considered popular, while glee club members Rachel and Puck become romantically involved, as do cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester and local news anchor Rod Remington.
"Ballad" is the tenth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on November 18, 2009, and was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk. "Ballad" sees the glee club split into pairs to sing ballads to one another. Rachel is paired with club director Will and develops a crush on him. Quinn's parents learn that Quinn is pregnant, and she moves in with Finn and his mother when her own parents evict her. Gregg Henry and Charlotte Ross guest-star as Quinn's parents Russell and Judy Fabray, and Sarah Drew appears as Suzy Pepper, a student with a former crush on Will. Romy Rosemont returns as Finn's mother, Carole Hudson.
Michael Robert Chang Jr. is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor and dancer Harry Shum Jr., and has appeared on Glee since the fourth episode in the first season, "Preggers", first broadcast on September 23, 2009. Glee follows the trials of the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio, of which Mike is a member. He is introduced as a football player who joins the club together with a few of his teammates, and quickly shows himself to be an excellent dancer, being the best ones in the group along with Brittany Pierce. His character is slowly developed throughout the series, pairing him with Tina Cohen-Chang in the second season. He was promoted to the main cast in the third season with a prominent storyline in his senior year. He reverts to the recurring cast in the fifth season and final season.
The first season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired on Fox in the United States. The pilot episode was broadcast as an advanced preview of the series on May 19, 2009, with the remainder of the season airing between September 9, 2009, and June 8, 2010. The season consisted of 22 episodes; the first 13 aired on Wednesdays at 9 pm (ET) and the final 9 aired on Tuesdays at 9 pm (ET). The season was executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Dante Di Loreto; Murphy's production company helped co-produce the series alongside 20th Century Fox.
"Home" is the sixteenth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on April 27, 2010. It was directed by Paris Barclay and written by series creator Brad Falchuk. "Home" sees new cheerleader Mercedes Jones deal with body image issues, while Kurt Hummel sets his dad and Finn Hudson's mom together, in an attempt to get closer to Finn, and club director Will Schuester is reunited with his friend April Rhodes. Chenoweth first appeared in Glee in the episode "The Rhodes Not Taken". She enjoyed the role of April so much that she agreed to return for "Home", and has expressed an interest in reappearing in the future.
"Dream On" is the nineteenth episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on May 18, 2010. It was directed by Joss Whedon and written by series creator Brad Falchuk. Neil Patrick Harris guest-stars as former glee club star Bryan Ryan. Working as a school board auditor, he threatens to cut the glee club out of the budget, bitter at never having attained his own show-business dreams. Rachel attempts to find her birth mother, and Artie struggles with his desire to walk. The episode title is a reference to Aerosmith's song "Dream On", also performed during the episode.
Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals is the second extended play (EP) by the cast of musical television series Glee. Containing six songs from the season one finale "Journey to Regionals", it was released on June 8, 2010, the same day the episode aired. Half of the tracks are cover versions of songs by American rock band Journey. The EP debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200 and Soundtrack charts, with first-week sales of 154,000 copies. Unlike previous Glee releases, no singles were released from this album, but all of its tracks managed to appear on multiple national charts. Songs were generally received favorably, with many enjoying the Journey covers. The setlist of Glee Live! In Concert!, the cast's first concert tour, included three songs from the Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals.
"Journey to Regionals" is the twenty-second episode and first season finale of the American television series Glee. The episode was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk, and premiered on the Fox network on June 8, 2010. In "Journey to Regionals", New Directions performs at Regionals in front of celebrity judges Josh Groban, Olivia Newton-John, Rod Remington and Sue Sylvester. Club member Quinn gives birth to her daughter, Beth, whom rival glee club coach Shelby Corcoran adopts. Co-captains Finn and Rachel reunite, and director Will Schuester professes his love for guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury. Although New Directions comes in last in the competition, Sue persuades Principal Figgins not to disband the club for another year.
The American television series Glee has generated a range of merchandise including soundtracks, DVD and Blu-ray sets, young adult novels and apparel. The show's musical releases have been a commercial success, including several number one, platinum-selling albums. A Glee karaoke game based on the series by Karaoke Revolution was released in November 2009 only on Wii, as well as the fictional autobiography of the character Sue Sylvester.