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.

As McKinley High School's glee club begins new routines, a restriction forces them to make some choices. Will must decide whether to continue with his passion or provide for his wife, which ultimately brings him closer to Emma. As some members of New Directions grow closer romantically, other's intentions aren't supportive of the group.

As Will aims towards completing New Directions, a visit from his father reminds him how much this all means to him. New songs are introduced and a song originally given to a star, is given to a celibate. Will forms an all-male a cappella group, but when he neglects the glee club, the kids decide to hire a well-known choreographer to coach them. Meanwhile, Mercedes falls in love. The other six additions to New Directions are introduced. Josh Groban appears as himself.

While Kurt tries out for the football team (taking a page from the glee playbook with him), Rachel storms out of glee practice when Will gives a plum part to Tina. Meanwhile, Sue comes up with a new plot to boost her program at glee's expense; and Quinn has news for Finn.

Will thinks the glee club desperately needs more of an edge, so he brings in his former classmate, April Rhodes, to spice things up. Will’s plan seems to be going smoothly until he realizes he may be losing a key member of the club.

Will decides to give New Directions some competition between them by having the boys go against the girls. Terri becomes the school nurse to check on Will.

To cause distension among the Glee Club members, Sue forces the students to compete against each other, but the real showdown happens when she and Will get called into the principal’s office. Meanwhile, the Glee kids rally to support Quinn after some shocking news is revealed.

Mr. Schuester has the Glee Club split up into pairs to sing their favorite ballad, but when one kid gets sick, he’s forced to step in and winds up in a sticky situation. Meanwhile, Finn and Quinn have to face the music when dinner with her parents goes awry.

Concerned that Sue is up to no good, Will pays a visit to an instructor of a competing Glee Club to see what information Sue may be leaking, which leads to the club getting a look at their hair-rising competition. Meanwhile, Kurt gives Rachel a makeover to impress Finn, but he may have ulterior motives.

When the Glee Club is left out of the yearbook because of budget cuts, everyone seems to be relieved that they won’t have to suffer the ridicule of years past. Everyone except Rachel, that is, who wants her legacy cemented in print. Meanwhile, Quinn makes it her mission to be in the Cheerios yearbook photo, and Will and Terri’s relationship is shaken to its core.

Sectionals is finally here for the Glee Club, but when Quinn’s secret unravels, the club may not be able to recover in time to compete. Meanwhile, Sue’s scheming hits an all-time high, and with Emma and Ken’s marriage looming, Will makes a decision that could change his life forever.

Fresh off their monumental win at Sectionals, New Directions is on top of the world. With an extra spring in their step, they get to work on new numbers for regionals. But when Rachel and Finn’s budding romance hits a bump in the road after she becomes involved with a competitor, Jesse St. James, it threatens to derail the entire club. Mr. Schuester pays a visit to Shelby Corcoran, coach of Vocal Adrenaline, to confirm Jesse’s motives. Meanwhile, Will is newly single, but is he ready to take his relationship with Emma to the next level? And to top it all off, Sue Sylvester returns from her condo in Boca with a renewed focus on destroying Will and disbanding the glee club.

Mr. Schuester is concerned that the girls in the glee club are being disrespected and bullied by the guys. Looking to Madonna and her musical message of equality as inspiration, he challenges the entire team to choose Madonna songs as their next assignment in the hopes that the girls embrace her strength, independence and confidence and that the guys will see the error of their misogynistic ways. The glee club takes the assignment to heart as they perform some of Madonna’s greatest hits, including “Express Yourself” and “Like A Prayer.” Meanwhile, Kurt and Mercedes give Sue a vote of confidence with a makeover that is definitely in “Vogue”.

When Kurt sets his dad, Burt, up with an unexpected partner his plan for a nuclear family may backfire. Sue demands that the Cheerios! go on a crazy diet in preparation for a big interview with “Splits” magazine and April Rhodes returns to save Will and the glee club.

Mr. Schuester starts an investigation when a salacious list about members of the glee club circulates the halls of McKinley High. Meanwhile, Sue is mortified when a video of her performing the Olivia Newton-John classic "Physical" surfaces

When a sore throat affects Rachel's singing voice, she goes into panic mode. Meanwhile, Kurt tries to change his persona to impress his father, and Puck makes a strategic move to elevate his social status.

Mr. Schuester’s former high school nemesis, Bryan Ryan, causes trouble for the glee club. Meanwhile, Rachel struggles with a life-long personal issue, and Artie’s dreams take him on an adventure.

Mr. Schuester encourages the glee club to express themselves using the music of Lady Gaga. Meanwhile, Rachael has a life-changing encounter, and Tina embraces her inner Goth.

The glee club gets some news that’s sure to rattle a few nerves. Meanwhile, Quinn connects with her “funky” side with a little help from Mercedes, and Will gets revenge on Sue.

The moment New Directions has been waiting for has finally arrived: it’s time for Regionals! But when Sue pulls a fast one on Will and the glee clubbers, their chances at the title could be compromised. Meanwhile, Quinn’s life changes forever.

After a tough loss at Regionals, the glee club is back as the underdogs of McKinley High. When the school is faced with even more budget cuts, Mr. Schuester pushes the kids to help recruit new members for the club. Rachel and Finn disagree on new recruits, and aren’t sure they will be able to come together in perfect harmony.

The glee club works on a duet assignment, and Finn and Rachel plan to throw the competition so that Sam can have a shot at winning. Meanwhile, a love triangle between Mike, Tina and Artie develops.

It's all about wedding and parents with Kurt getting ready for his father Burt's upcoming marriage to Finn's mom Carole, Sue decides to compete by getting married as well which will lead to the introduction of an awesome guest star: Carol Burnett. Carol will play Sue's Nazi-hunting mother Doris, who comes to visit Sue in Ohio.

A local football championship game takes place and the "Thriller" mash-up is performed during the halftime show. The Cheerios, McKinley High's cheerleading team, compete at Regionals.

Sue Sylvester revives the school newspaper and decides to print a few inflammatory blind items. The glee club gains a whole new respect for Sam when they discover some interesting new information about his family life. Meanwhile, April Rhodes (guest star Chenoweth) returns to Lima and tries to convince Mr. Schuester to hit the road with her.

When the entertainment for prom falls through, Principal Figgins asks New Directions to perform at the dance much to prom coordinator Sue’s dismay. Things get heated as the competition for prom king and queen draws closer, and Jessie St. James returns.

New Directions heads to Nationals to compete in the ultimate singing showdown.

The glee kids are down in the dumps following their disappointing showing at Nationals, so Will assigns them a project to get them back on track. Meanwhile, Ms. Sylvester wants to go to Washington: Sue's running for Congress.

In honor of Valentine's Day, Will challenges the New Directions to find and perform the world's greatest love songs. Meanwhile, Rachel's two dads Hiram and LeRoy Berry pay a visit to McKinley High.

Much to Blaine's chagrin, his big-shot Hollywood actor brother, Cooper, comes to visit.

The Glee Club does disco in a tribute to Saturday Night Fever.

Rachel and Kurt finally get their chance to audition for the New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts. Meanwhile, Puck makes a decision about his future after a meeting with his father.

Brittany hopes the music of Britney Spears will get her out of a funk; a new friend helps Rachel adjust to life in New York.

Hopes and schemes play out as the Glee Club holds auditions for the school’s musical.

A love triangle heats up among Marley, Jake and Ryder, and Blaine has a run-in with the Warblers.

Finn thinks about his future with the glee club after Sectionals are over. Elsewhere, Rachel gets ready for NYADA's winter showcase; and Kurt gets a second chance at an audition.

A tribute to the film "Love, Actually" with different storylines all dealing with the holidays. Sam and Brittany live as if it's the end of the world as the Mayans know it. The Puckermans, including half-brothers Puck and Jake and their mothers, come together for Hanukkah. Artie has an epiphany through a dream sequence. Kurt has an unforgettable Christmas.

Will and Emma get ready for their Valentine's Day wedding with the help of past and present New Directions members.

The members of New Directions are prepping for regionals, but when an unthinkable event occurs at McKinley High, perspectives are put into order.

When Mr. Schuester comes up with the setlist for regionals, the New Directions are not pleased, Rachel sings an unexpected song for her "Funny Girl audition", and Marley writes an original song.

The New Directions remember Finn.

The members of New Directions tackle their assignment of getting out of their comfort zones and determining whether they're more like "Katy" (Perry) or (Lady) "Gaga." Kurt holds auditions for his new band and must decide if he'll let in the overly bold performer, Starchild. Meanwhile, Jake gets closer to Bree as he and Marley grow apart.

The glee club learns the dance of the hour: twerking. Meanwhile, Marley discovers Jake's relationship with Bree, and Rachel tries to convince Kurt they both should get tattoos.

The New Directions pay homage to the Piano Man: Billy Joel. As graduation looms closer, the seniors make plans for their futures beyond the halls of McKinley.

Blaine believes he has the best plan to win nationals, but the other club members think he's too controlling; members of Kurt's band disagree over the venue of their first gig; Sue gets in touch with her feminine side.

The glee club -- and two special guests -- travels to Los Angeles to compete in nationals.

The glee club are saying goodbye to each other when two old guests come and decide to save the glee club.

With the McKinley High glee club officially at an end, past and present members of New Directions look towards the future.

Rachel hopes to form a deal in which Will's glee club purposefully under-performs at their invitational; Sue wants Sam to distract Rachel.

Dalton Academy burns to the ground, and the Warblers must combine with the New Directions to form a super group. Meanwhile, Rachel begs Carmen Tibideaux to let her return to NYADA.

New Directions and the Warblers go head-to-head at sectionals. Meanwhile, Rachel must choose between returning to NYADA and doing another Broadway show with her past love, Jesse St. James.

GLEE goes back in time to see why the original members of New Directions signed up for glee club in the first place.

All of Will’s hard work and dedication to the Glee Club and to fostering the talents and dreams of his students pays off in a major way, and everyone shares in the feeling of joy that permeates the school as teachers and students reflect on their shared journey. Old rifts and wounds are healed and new sights are set on a promising future. Everyone seems to be ending up exactly as expected and right where they belong… along with more than a few unexpected surprises.