Hell-O (Glee)

Following the suspension from her position at William McKinley High School, cheer-leading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) blackmails Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba), slipping him a date rape drug and taking an incriminating photograph of them in a compromising position. He allows her to return to work at the school, where she immediately returns to plotting to bring down New Directions. Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) and Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) are now dating, although Finn still is not over his ex-girlfriend Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron). He expresses his feelings through a performance of the Doors' "Hello, I Love You" as part of the week assignment of performing songs with the word "Hello" in the title.

Sue enlists cheerleaders Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) and Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris) to seduce Finn. He breaks up with Rachel, who angrily sings "Gives You Hell" in retaliation, and goes on a date with both Brittany and Santana, but comes to the realization that he does want to be with Rachel. In the interim, Rachel meets Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff), the lead singer of New Directions' rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, at a local music library. The two perform an impromptu duet of Lionel Richie's "Hello", and Rachel becomes enamoured with him. Eventually, the New Directions members learn about the blossoming relationship and conclude that Jesse is using Rachel, and threaten to expel her from the club unless she breaks up with him. Rachel asks Jesse to keep their relationship a secret and turns Finn down when he asks her to get back together with him.

Glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) begins dating guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays). Emma suffers from mysophobia and is uncomfortable kissing Will. She admits that she is still a virgin, and requests that they take their relationship slowly. While dancing, Will sings Neil Diamond's "Hello Again" to her. When Emma is preparing dinner for Will several nights later, his ex-wife Terri Schuester (Jessalyn Gilsig) arrives at the apartment, and tells Emma that she and Will danced to "Hello Again" at their prom in 1993, leaving Emma distressed.

On a visit to Carmel High School, Will meets Shelby Corcoran (Idina Menzel), the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, while she has the club perform a rendition of "Highway to Hell". She flirts with Will and eventually seduces him. However, Will is unable to continue and tells her about his relationship problems. Shelby suggests that as Will had been with Terri since he was 15 and has immediately moved on to a new relationship, he ought to take some time out for himself. She later observes as Jesse and Rachel kiss, and exchanges knowing looks with Jesse.

When Emma later confronts Will with a copy of his high school yearbook, confirming that "Hello Again" was his and Terri's song, he is apologetic. He and Emma decide to put their relationship on hold in order to deal with their separate issues. New Directions performs "Hello, Goodbye", with Emma watching.

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Glee was originally commissioned by Fox for a thirteen-episode run, culminating with "Sectionals". On September 21, 2009, the network announced an extension of the first season,{{cite press release |url=http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z2z268z1z8&ID=5315 |title=Fox sings praises of "Glee" with full-season pickup |publisher=Fox |date=September 21, 2009 |access-date=29 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117190742/http://foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z2z268z1z8&ID=5315 |archive-date=17 January 2010 }} ordering a further nine episodes,{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2009/scene/markets-festivals/glee-co-creator-gets-big-fox-deal-1118012049/|title='Glee' co-creator gets big Fox deal|last=Schneider|first=Michael|date=December 1, 2009|work=Variety|publisher=Reed Business Information|access-date=3 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205185437/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118012049.html?categoryid=30&cs=1|archive-date=5 December 2009|url-status=live}} of which "Hell-O" is the first. The episode's airdate was set for April 13, 2010,{{cite press release|url=http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z1z25z1z8&ID=5454 |title=Fox Announces 2009-2010 Midseason Schedule |date=November 24, 2009 |access-date=25 November 2009 |publisher=Fox |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013062514/http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z1z25z1z8&ID=5454 |archive-date=13 October 2013 }} with the announcement made that Glee would move from Wednesdays to the 9:00 pm Tuesday time-slot.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/155347/tuesday_time-slot_hell_glee_versus_lost|title=Tuesday Time-Slot Hell: Glee Versus Lost |last=Godwin|first=Jennifer|date=November 24, 2009|work=E!|access-date=June 14, 2022}} However, due to a scheduling conflict with American Idol, Glee{{'s}} return was pushed back to 9:30 pm,{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/170886/glees_mark_salling_denies_committed|title=Glee's Mark Salling Denies "Committed Relationship" With Naya Rivera|last=Dos Santos|first=Kristin|author-link=Kristin Dos Santos|date=March 9, 2010|work=E!|access-date=June 14, 2022}} and then later to 9:28 pm for "Hell-O",{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a214451/glee-returns-to-record-ratings/|title='Glee' returns to record ratings |last=Wilkes|first=Neil|date=April 14, 2010|publisher=Digital Spy|access-date=June 14, 2022}} before moving to the earlier timeslot from the next episode, "The Power of Madonna", onwards. "Hell-O" was written by Ian Brennan and directed by Brad Falchuk.{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-3-14-glee-fans-get-madonna-nph-and-lady-gaga-news-at-paleyfest|title='Glee' fans get Madonna, NPH and Lady Gaga news at PaleyFest|last=VanDerWerff|first=Emily|date=March 14, 2010|work=Hitfix|access-date=14 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731000809/http://www.hitfix.com/articles/glee-fans-get-madonna-nph-and-lady-gaga-news-at-paleyfest|archive-date=31 July 2012}} It was exclusively screened for the first time for around 2,000 Glee fans at the Paley Festival on March 13, 2010,{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/171648/glee_cast_creators_dish_on_neil_patrick|title=Glee Cast and Creators Dish on Neil Patrick Harris, "Puckleberry" and Lady Gaga!|last=Dos Santos|first=Kristin|author-link=Kristin Dos Santos|date=March 14, 2010|work=E!|access-date=June 14, 2022}} which was Paley's largest ever audience.{{cite web|url=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/03/glee-lionel-richie-the-beatles-and-the-doors-music-to-score-aprils-premiere-which-ps-rocks.html|title='Glee': Lionel Richie, The Beatles and The Doors' songs score April's premiere... which, p.s., rocks|last=Ghosh|first=Korbi|date=March 14, 2010|work=Zap2it|publisher=Tribune Media Services|access-date=14 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317144312/http://blog.zap2it.com/korbitv/2010/03/glee-lionel-richie-the-beatles-and-the-doors-music-to-score-aprils-premiere-which-ps-rocks.html|archive-date=17 March 2010|url-status=dead}}

During its initial run of episodes, Glee fans lobbied for Broadway actress Idina Menzel to be cast as the biological mother of Rachel Berry, due to the strong resemblance between Menzel and Michele.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/idina-menzel-heading-glee-92181/ |title=Idina Menzel heading to 'Glee' |first=Nellie |last=Andreeva |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Nielsen Company |date=December 9, 2009 |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614145957/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/idina-menzel-heading-glee-92181/ |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-status=live }} On December 17, 2009, series creator Ryan Murphy commented that he had met with Menzel, but had not yet decided upon a role for her.{{cite web|url=https://people.com/tv/wicked-star-idina-menzel-not-coming-to-glee-yet/ |title=Wicked Star Idina Menzel Not Coming to Glee — Yet! |last=Colbert |first=Quantrell |date=December 17, 2009 |work=People|access-date=June 14, 2022 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220023522/http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/12/17/wicked-star-idina-menzel-not-coming-to-glee-yet/ |archive-date=20 December 2009 }} The actress was ultimately cast as the coach of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, with Murphy comparing her character to Faye Dunaway's character Diana Christensen in Network.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2010/01/21/ask-ausiello-spoilers-lost-glee-bones/ |title=Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on 'Lost,' 'Glee,' 'True Blood,' 'Gossip Girl,' and more! |last=Ausiello |first=Michael |date=January 21, 2010 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 14, 2022 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131015752/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/01/21/ask-ausiello-spoilers-lost-glee-bones/ |archive-date=31 January 2010 }} Menzel makes her first appearance in "Hell-O".{{cite web|url=http://zap2it.com/2010/01/glee-idina-menzel-gets-hot-and-heavy-with-mr-schu/|title='Glee': Idina Menzel gets hot and heavy with Mr. Schu|last=Porter|first=Rick|date=January 21, 2010|work=Zap2it|publisher=Tribune Media Services|access-date=22 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124073842/http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/01/glee-idina-menzel-gets-hot-and-heavy-with-mr-schu.html|archive-date=24 January 2010}} The episode also introduces Groff as Jesse St. James, the lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline,{{cite web|url=https://people.com/tv/get-the-glee-ful-dish-on-hit-shows-new-episodes/|title=Get the Glee-ful Dish on Hit Show's New Episodes|last=Wang|first=Cynthia|date=March 15, 2010|work=People|access-date=June 14, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317194731/http://tvwatch.people.com/2010/03/15/get-the-glee-ful-dish-on-hit-shows-new-episodes/|archive-date=17 March 2010}} and Rachel's new love-interest.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/172128/glees_lea_michele_rachels_heart_belongs|title=Glee's Lea Michele: Rachel's Heart Belongs To...|last=Malkin|first=Marc|date=March 17, 2010|work=E!|access-date=June 14, 2022}}

"Hell-O" features cover versions of six songs, five of which were released as singles, available for digital download.{{cite web|url=http://www.fox.com/glee/recaps/season-1/episode-14/|title=Hell-O|publisher=Fox|access-date=29 February 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321085129/http://www.fox.com/glee/recaps/season-1/episode-14/|archive-date=21 March 2012}} Monteith performs the Doors' "Hello, I Love You", Michele sings "Gives You Hell" by the All-American Rejects, Michele and Groff duet on Lionel Richie's "Hello", Jesse and Vocal Adrenaline perform AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", and New Directions sing "Hello, Goodbye" by The Beatles. Each of these songs were released as singles. The episode also includes Morrison performing Neil Diamond's "Hello Again".{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/recap/glee-recap-season1-episode14/|title='Glee' recap: The Way We Were |last=Snierson|first=Dan|date=April 14, 2010|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Time Inc.|access-date=14 April 2010}} Diamond previously licensed his song "Sweet Caroline" for use in the Glee episode "Mash-Up". He experienced some trepidation over the decision, and retracted clearance after the performance had already been recorded. Glee{{'s}} music supervisor P.J. Bloom was able to convince him to reverse his decision, and Diamond went on to also license Glee the song "Hello Again".{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2009/tv/features/keeping-glee-in-tune-1118012245/|title=Keeping 'Glee' in tune |last=Morris|first=Christopher|date=December 4, 2009|work=Variety|access-date=June 14, 2022}} "Gives You Hell" charted at number one on the Irish Singles Chart, while "Hello, Goodbye" reached number 45.{{cite web|url=http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p/musicvideo/music/archive/index_test.jsp&ct=240001&arch=t&lyr=2010&year=2010&week=15|title=Top 50 Singles, Week Ending 15 April 2010|work=Chart-Track|publisher=GfK|access-date=16 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916225442/http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240001&arch=t&lyr=2010&year=2010&week=15|archive-date=16 September 2017|url-status=dead}}

A scene with Rachel and Jesse that included a performance of the song "Montage, Part 1: Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love" from A Chorus Line was filmed for the episode, but was cut before it aired. Over two years later, on August 3, 2012, Murphy uploaded the complete scene to his YouTube page.{{cite tweet|user=MrRPMurphy|number=231546558917779456|title=Happy Friday, Gleeks! Have a great weekend! http://youtu.be/x9M2NfGkXaE and http://youtu.be/0QrLL1-9XS8|first=Ryan|last=Murphy|date=August 3, 2012|access-date=August 5, 2012}} An instrumental version of the song was played in the following episode, "The Power of Madonna", as background in the scene near the beginning in which Rachel and Jesse were making out.

In its original broadcast, "Hell-O" was watched by 13.66 million American viewers and attained a 5.6/15 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic.{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/04/14/broadcast-finals-tuesday-dancing-lost-adjusted-up-v-adjusted-down/48563 |title=Broadcast Finals Tuesday: Dancing, Lost Adjusted Up; V Adjusted Down |first=BilL |last=Gorman |date=April 14, 2010 |work=TV by the Numbers |access-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420181136/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/04/14/broadcast-finals-tuesday-dancing-lost-adjusted-up-v-adjusted-down/48563 |archive-date=20 April 2010 }} This was a 46 percent increase on Glee{{'s}} previous series high, and made it the most watched episode of the series since its premiere.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/176325/will_schuester_put_moves_on_sue|title= Will Schuester to Put the Moves on Sue Sylvester?! The Glee Romance Scoop You Can't Miss|first=Kristin|last=Dos Santos|author-link=Kristin Dos Santos|date=April 14, 2010|access-date=June 14, 2022|work=E!}} In Canada, Glee was the ninth most-watched show of the week, bringing in 2.12 million viewers.{{cite web|url=http://bbm.ca/_documents/top_30_tv_programs_english/2010/nat04122010.pdf|title=Top Programs – Total Canada (English): April 12–April 18, 2009|publisher=BBM Canada|access-date=April 14, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302193130/http://bbm.ca/_documents/top_30_tv_programs_english/2010/nat04122010.pdf|archive-date=March 2, 2012}} In the United Kingdom, "Hell-O" also attained Glee{{'s}} ratings high at the time.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/apr/20/glee-tv-ratings|title=TV ratings: Glee hits new high after mid-series break|first=Jason|last=Deans|work=The Guardian|date=April 20, 2010|access-date=June 17, 2010}} It was watched by 2.041 million viewers, and was the second most-watched show of the week on the non-terrestrial channels, beaten only by the Sky News general election debate.{{Cite web |url=http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-30/? |title=Weekly Top 30 Programmes w/e 25 Apr 2010 |publisher=Broadcasters' Audience Research Board |access-date=June 18, 2010}} In Australia, Glee again attained a new ratings high,{{cite web|url=http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/tv-ratings/Glee-returns-with-its-highest-audience-to-date-1-19-million-viewers-300410.html |title=Glee returns with its highest audience to date - 1.19 million viewers |work=ebroadcast |date=April 30, 2010 |access-date=June 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501192751/http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/tv-ratings/Glee-returns-with-its-highest-audience-to-date-1-19-million-viewers-300410.html |archive-date=May 1, 2010 |url-status=dead }} watched by 1.27 million viewers, making "Hell-O" the 17th most-viewed program of the week.{{cite web|url=http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2010/E_20100502.pdf|title=Consolidated Metropolitan Top 20 Programs|publisher=OzTAM|date=May 1, 2010|access-date=June 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705073436/http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2010/E_20100502.pdf|archive-date=July 5, 2010|url-status=dead}}

The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Lisa Respers France of CNN was pleased with the series' return, and praised the "drama, treachery, tension, romance, and best of all, the diabolical deliciousness that is Cheerio coach Sue Sylvester."{{cite web|url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/14/tv-recap-glee-is-back-with-a-vengence/|title=TV Recap: 'Glee' is back with a vengeance|last=Respers France|first=Lisa|date=April 14, 2010|publisher=CNN|access-date=April 14, 2010|archive-date=April 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417094841/http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/14/tv-recap-glee-is-back-with-a-vengence/|url-status=dead}} Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club graded the episode "A−".{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/glee-hell-o-1798164717|title=Glee: "Hell-o"|last=VanDerWerff|first=Emily|date=April 13, 2010|publisher=The A.V. Club|access-date=June 14, 2022}} She felt that "Hell-O" had "clumsy moments" but overall found it "a vastly enjoyable hour of television, reintroducing a show that's starting to realize just how far it can go."

IGN{{Apostrophe}}s Eric Goldman rated the episode 8.5/10. He commented that in resetting the events of "Sectionals", it "felt a bit rushed", but concluded: "Glee continues to work because it has its cake and eats it too. It's an over the top, overly cheerful musical – but also a biting comedy that always winks at the audience and acknowledges how cheesy musical theater can be, even while also proving how fun it is."{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/14/glee-hell-o-review|title=Glee:"Hell-O" Review |last=Goldman|first=Eric|date=April 13, 2010|publisher=IGN|access-date=June 14, 2022}} The Daily News{{'}} David Hinckley shared Goldman's concerns about resetting the characters, and while he believed that doing so was the right long-term move, he commented that: "the immediate effect is to make the episode feel a little jerky." Hinckley felt that the episode's greatest problems were its pace and execution, observing: "Too many twists and turns feel a little too sudden, leaving us not quite sure how we got from here to there."{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/plot-starts-thicken-glee-returns-sudden-twists-turns-mini-vacation-article-1.163909|title=Plot starts to thicken, but 'Glee' returns with too many sudden twists and turns after mini-vacation|last=Hinckley|first=David|date=April 14, 2010|work=Daily News|access-date=June 14, 2022}}

Bobby Hankinson of The Houston Chronicle wrote that he was "only so-so" about the episode, which he deemed "uneven", but was still pleased that the series was back.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.chron.com/tubular/archives/2010/04/welcome_back_gl_1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417073135/http://blogs.chron.com/tubular/archives/2010/04/welcome_back_gl_1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 17, 2010|title=Welcome back, Glee!|last=Hankinson|first=Bobby|date=April 13, 2010|work=Houston Chronicle|publisher=Hearst Corporation|access-date=April 14, 2010}} Vanity Fair{{'s}} Brett Berk called the episode "a bit haphazard", and commented: "this kind of spiraling frenzy is not only unsustainable, but ultimately dizzying and, dare I say it, a little boring."{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2010/04/the-gay-guide-to-glee-episode-14-hell-o|title=The Gay Guide to Glee: Episode 14, "Hell-O" |last=Berk|first=Brett|date=April 14, 2010|work=Vanity Fair|access-date=June 14, 2022}} Randee Dawn of The Hollywood Reporter reported that "Hell-O" had a "stagy quality", and was "not an episode that would have sold the series early on". Dawn felt that there were too many musical performances, commenting: "They might be fun performances, but they're not all necessary, and yes, it is possible to have too much music even on a successful narrative musical TV series."{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-television-glee/too-much-music-as-glee-returns-to-tv-idUSTRE63C07Y20100413|title=Too Much Music as "Glee" Returns to TV |last=Dawn|first=Randee|date=April 13, 2010|work=The Hollywood Reporter|publisher=Reuters|access-date=June 14, 2022}}

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321085129/http://www.fox.com/glee/recaps/season-1/episode-14/ "Hell-O"] at Fox.com
• {{IMDb episode|1514911|Hell-O}}

{{Glee episodes}}

{{good article}}

Category:2010 American television episodes

Category:Glee season 1 episodes