With six seasons and more than seven hundred musical numbers to its name, Glee amassed a huge fanbase that enjoys the musical comedy-drama for its charming characters and their ridiculous show choir exploits. The Fox series premiered in 2009 under Ryan Murphy's creative direction and is known for its examination of social issues and relationships.
During its heyday, Glee enjoyed high ratings and praise from critics and viewers alike, making it one of the most successful shows of the late 2000s. According to the online database platform IMDb, its ten best episodes, which consist mostly of season finales, have all been granted ratings at or above 9.0.
10 "Original Song" Is An All-Time Fan Favorite (9.0)
As Regionals approaches, the New Directions decide to go with Rachel's idea of competing with original songs and try their hands at writing and composing.
"Original Song" was the first episode to feature completely original music. Both "Loser Like Me" and "Get It Right" were written by Glee executive producer Adam Anders and made it into the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking within the top 20 songs. "Original Song" was also announced by Rachel Berry's actress Lea Michele to be the fan-voted all-time Favorite Episode during Glee: The Final Countdown.
9 "On My Way" Tackles Important Social Topics (9.0)
As the New Directions prepare to go up against the Warblers at Regionals, Sebastian tries to blackmail Rachel into dropping out of the competition. Meanwhile, Dave Karofsky deals with bullies and spirals into a suicidal episode.
"On My Way" tackles homophobia, bullying, and texting while driving all in one episode. The shocking scenes of Karofsky's attempted suicide and Quinn's car accident are some of the strongest in Glee's history and impacted the audience significantly. Calls to the LGBTQ+ youth organization The Trevor Project's suicide hotline reportedly increased by 300%. The episode was written by Nip/Tuck's Bradley Buecker and Riverdale's Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
8 "100" Celebrates Glee's Longevity (9.0)
Current and past New Directions members return to McKinley to reminisce about their past one hundred lessons now that the Glee Club has been disbanded by Sue. Friends of the club April Rhodes and Holly Holliday also drop by the choir room to dish out some wisdom and great tunes.
"100" celebrates Glee's hundredth episode with a bang. It brings back several fan favorite characters who had been absent for a while, like Quinn and Brittany, and marks Artie's hundredth appearance in the show. Fans took on the role of DJs, as they were able to choose the featured music for the episode. Selections included Britney Spears's "Toxic" and The Zutons' "Valerie."
7 The Glee Club Graduates In "New Directions" (9.0)
The last original members of New Directions finally graduate, alumni return to confront their differences with one another, and Holly and April do their very best to keep the Glee Club afloat.
Tina, Brittany, Blaine, and other fellow senior members of the McKinley Glee Club move on to higher education in the aptly named "New Directions." The episode was both written and directed by Glee creator Brad Falchuk, who had previously penned fan favorite episodes "Grilled Cheesus" and "Born This Way." "New Directions" features the sixth performance of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and the second of the original song, "Loser Like Me."
6 "Sectionals" Is Glee At Its Best (9.1)
The New Directions finally head to Sectionals in the show's eponymous episode. When their competition shocks them by performing their setlist, the McKinley High Glee Club must come up with a new one before they step on stage.
"Sectionals" is an important episode in Glee's history. It revealed several important plot points, including Brittany and Santana's romance and the paternity of Quinn's baby, and provided fans with some of the most iconic Glee covers like "Don't Rain On My Parade," originally from Funny Girl. Critics responded well to the positive energy of the episode, highlighting the musical performances and plot development.
5 "Dreams Come True" Marks The End Of An Era (9.1)
The New Directions alumni celebrate their time in the Glee Club and achieving their dreams in "Dreams Come True," the f of the show. The series finale was written by the three Glee co-creators — Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, and Brad Falchuk — and featured most of the cast of the show, who returned one last time to reprise their roles as guest stars.
"Dreams Come True" also flashes forward into the characters' futures in a COVID-free 2020, showing how they're doing five years after their last goodbye. The episode also includes six musical numbers, including "This Time," an original song by Darren Criss that was sung by Rachel as her last solo song in the show.
4 "2009" Takes Fans Back In Time To Glee's Golden Years (9.1)
Rachel, Kurt, Tina, Mercedes, and Artie join their high school's Glee Club and deal with the consequences in "2009," a flashback episode that delves deeper into the hidden backstories of the five original New Directions members. It showed their club auditions, including never-before-seen footage of Artie singing "Pony," and paid homage to the pilot episode.
"2009" is the most-watched episode of season six, with over two and a half million viewers. It aired an hour before the series finale, "Dreams Come True," and included archival footage of Cory Monteith during the first "Don't Stop Believin'" performance. Jessalyn Gilsig also returned as Will's ex-wife Terri, her first appearance since season four.
3 "Journey To Regionals" Is Packed With Celebrity Guest Stars (9.2)
The New Directions face their first Regionals competition with a setlist of Journey songs. When Quinn goes into labor right after their performance, all hell breaks loose as the Glee Club tries to decide how to proceed.
"Journey To Regionals" was watched by a whopping 11 million viewers during its first broadcast on American television. It was received positively by critics, who praised the high energy of the episode and Glee's particular blend of comedy and drama. Olivia Newton-John and Josh Groban guest-starred as judges alongside Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester. As the season one finale, "Journey To Regionals" showed the culmination of various character arcs throughout the season, including Quinn's pregnancy and New Directions' preparations to compete.
2 "Nationals" Is The Culmination Of A Journey (9.2)
With Nationals right around the corner, the New Directions succumb to their nerves and desperately try to overcome them before the competition. After getting it together, they perform their setlist successfully, and, to their delight, finally win Nationals.
"Nationals" is a rewarding end to the New Directions' journey from losers to winners, giving them the triumph they deserved. Now National champions, they return to McKinley to be joyfully received by their fellow classmates, who congratulate them with confetti and cheers. Critics highlighted the episode's showstopping performances, particularly Vocal Adrenaline's rendition of "Starships," and Rachel's solo, "It's All Coming Back To Me Now," which was one of Glee's most powerful covers.
1 "The Quarterback" Is A Celebration Of Life (9.6)
After Finn's untimely death, current and past New Directions members reunite in the choir room to remember him with songs and memories.
"The Quarterback" is an homage to Cory Monteith's life, his work on Glee, and his friendships with his fellow cast members. The Canadian actor's death prompted all three showrunners to craft an episode remembering him and his character, Finn Hudson. Seven and a half million fans celebrated Monteith's legacy on the episode's premiere date, giving Glee its highest rating in a year. The cast performed various songs related to either Finn or Monteith, including "I'll Stand By You" and "Make You Feel My Love," which were then released in an accompanying EP.