"Glee" Says "Hello" Again with Mid-Season Debut
After a mid-season hiatus, the return of "Glee" was music to fans' ears.
The Fox musical comedy series returned after four months off the air with an episode filled with familiar songs and appearances by two Broadway-veteran guest stars.
The episode, titled "Hell-O," wove songs with either "hell" or "hello" in the title through the storyline, which focused on the aftermath of McKinley High School's glee club, New Directions, winning their sectionals championship. Now, the group must win the regional competition in order to keep the club alive - not an easy task, as rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline has a few national championships to their name.
New Directions star Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), spurned by her glee club leading man Finn (Corey Monteith), sparks up a romance with Vocal Adrenaline star Jesse St. James (Broadway star Jonathan Groff, who starred with Michele in the Tony Award-winning musical "Spring Awakening"). However, he may just be using her to spy on New Directions.
Romance also entranced some of the teachers featured on the show. After the breakup of his marriage, McKinley glee club advisor Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) is interested in both guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) and Vocal Adrenaline head coach Shelby Corcoran, played by Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel ("Rent," "Wicked").
Songs performed throughout the episode included The Doors' "Hello I Love You", The All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell," Lionel Richie's "Hello," AC/DC's "Highway to Hell," Neil Diamond's "Hello Again" and the show's finale, "Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles.
But better than new songs and romances was the return of sharp-tongued, tracksuit-wearing cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, played by Jane Lynch. Reinstated back in the school after attempting being ousted for trying to sabotage the glee club's chances at sectionals, she's just as determined as ever to bring down Schuester and the group with her mix of diabolical schemes and hilarious one-liners.
The episode ended with a tease for next week's Madonna-themed episode, with a music video of Sylvester and other "Glee" co-stars in a recreation of the "Vogue" music video.