Glee
Pilot
TV Flash files “Pilot” as a desk essential hour — Glee (2009–2015) on Fox, season 1, episode 1, aired 2009-05-19, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E01: listed hour 1 of 121 in the Glee guide, first listed hour of season 1. It aired 2009-05-19 (60 min). No earlier hour is listed in this guide. Next is “Showmance” (S01E02).
Essential hour: “Pilot”. Pilot puts show choir on Fox as a Billboard weather system: mashups, slushies, Jane Lynch's Sue already a comic superweapon.
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
Optimistic high school teacher Will Schuester tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing the McKinley High School's glee club and challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential. Going up against McKinley's cruel high school caste system and facing harsh criticism from everyone around him, Will is determined to prove them all wrong.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Pilot sit in the Glee guide?
S01E01 is listed hour 1 of 121 — first listed hour of season 1, season 1 episode 1.
When did Glee S01E01 air?
Pilot aired 2009-05-19 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Early Glee or the whole run?
Impact peaked early as a Fox event that launched stars and singles. Later seasons (through 2015) divided fans on how hard the phenomenon was worked.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Show choir as a Billboard weather system: mashups, slushies, and Jane Lynch's Sue as a comic superweapon. Glee turned high-school musical into a Fox event that launched stars and singles — then split the room on how hard the later seasons worked the phenomenon.
The first look is a slushie stain and a mashup, which is to say costume and chart position in the same frame. A high-school glee club fights for respect while belting pop covers — music, identity, and teen soap fused into a Fox phenomenon. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan (2009–2015) made show choir a Billboard weather system: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Jane Lynch's Sue as a comic superweapon in a tracksuit, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley. Songs routinely charted. Mashups and slushies…
Filed against
- Lea Michele as Rachel Berry
Lea Michele's Rachel Berry made Glee a Billboard weather system — show choir as Fox event, mashups, slushies, Jane Lynch's Sue as comic superweapon, stars and singles launched in public. Later seasons split the room. TV Flash tracks her…
- Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson
Cory Monteith’s Finn Hudson was Glee’s quarterback in a show choir — mashups, slushies, and Fox event television that launched stars and singles from a high-school auditorium. Jane Lynch’s Sue chewed scenery; Finn held the earnest center.…
- Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel
Chris Colfer played Kurt Hummel on Glee — show choir as a Billboard weather system, mashups, slushies, Jane Lynch's Sue as a comic superweapon. Fox event television that launched stars and singles, then split the room on how hard later…
- Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester
Jane Lynch’s Sue Sylvester turned Glee into a comic superweapon — show choir as a Billboard weather system, mashups, slushies, Fox event television that launched stars and singles. Tracksuit as a throne. TV Flash files her as the coach…
- Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester
Matthew Morrison conducted the slushie as Will Schuester on Glee — show choir as a Billboard weather system, mashups, Jane Lynch’s Sue as a comic superweapon. Fox event that launched stars and singles, then split the room on how hard…
- Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones
Amber Riley’s Mercedes Jones made Glee a Billboard weather system you could actually hear — mashups, slushies, show choir as Fox event, Jane Lynch’s Sue as comic superweapon. High-school musical that launched stars and singles, then split…