Glee featured a lot of characters throughout its runtime. From the major characters we see every day in the Glee club to the side and minor characters that appear once in a while, all of them help make this TV show feel so alive, despite the constant drama that occurs in the show.
But, out of everyone who has appeared in the show, only a handful of them are deemed the best. Not every character in the show is perfect; most of them have flaws that sometimes steer them in the wrong direction, but regardless, they have good intentions and have helped the Glee Club — one way or another.
Here are the top 10 best characters from Glee, ranked.
10. Paul Karofsky
Throughout the first two seasons of Glee, David Karofsky has been bullying Kurt to the point of threatening his life. So, when the two and their fathers were sent to the principal’s office, Paul didn’t defend his son and sided with Kurt. This is something that parents rarely do, especially in real life, as they always believe that their children are “the perfect little angels.”
Paul did the right thing and understood why David was “temporarily expelled.” He still loved his son, especially when David was in serious trouble, and he just wanted him to be a good person.
9. Trent
Trent is a minor character in Glee as a Warblers member. He’s a wholesome character, yet he was able to stand up for himself and not fall victim to peer pressure when his Glee Club decided to cheat. Despite wanting to testify, he cared so much for this group as they were talented and were like brothers to him. He’s loyal to the Warblers but knows what’s right. Wished this character had more screen time.
8. Holly Holiday
Holly Holiday is an amazing character in Glee due to her charisma and talent. She’s been through a lot before she became this confident person. But she also wants what’s best for the kids. She’s very progressive when it comes to her teaching methods, but she also knows where her limits lie. While she sometimes goes overboard when helping the Glee club, she’s supportive of their talent.
7. Marley Rose
Marley is one of the newest members of the Glee club and was introduced in Season 4. She defended her mom’s obesity when the Glee club constantly made fun of her just because they were ‘popular’. And she wanted to do her best to be an excellent member of the Glee Club. Sadly, that made her a target to be bullied, especially by Kitty. But despite all that she’s been through, she didn’t change and was able to stand up for herself. She’s a humble character who just wants to sing original songs to the world.
6. Mercedes Jones
Mercedes is a powerful singer in Glee and would not take no as an answer. She had to compete to get her chance in the spotlight as she believes the Glee Club favors Rachel over her. Jones has to fight her way to earn her spot in the spotlight, even if it means joining another Glee club that would accept her talent. But just like all teenagers, she’s not perfect. She broke Kurt’s window and almost cheated on her boyfriend just to be with Sam.
In the end, this talented person got what she wished for. She became a successful singer and was able to tour with her idol, Beyoncé when she left Ohio.
5. Emma Pillsbury
Emma is a wholesome character throughout the entire Glee series, not to mention has gone through so much character development. Not to mention, she was supportive of the Glee club despite the entire school looking down on them. She’s supportive of Will Schuester and his dreams, yet she’s able to stand her ground.
Emma has to be one of the best educators in William McKinley High School throughout the whole series because she wasn’t problematic or a terrible person. She’s just someone who wants to do what’s best for the kids, yet improves on herself as the series goes on.
4. Sam Evans
Sam is a humble character that has been through so many obstacles. The first song that he performed, “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy, was a perfect choice as it pretty much foreshadowed some of his personality and life goals. He doesn’t want to be “rich” per se, but he wants to help his family get by, especially when they become homeless. He also has aspirations to become a male model, but his friends managed to convince him to not overdo it.
While he tends to be inconsiderate at times, especially towards Artie on a few occasions, he’s still a nice guy who just needs to be pushed in the right direction. Also, he’s really friendly with Britney to the point where the two have a mutual understanding.
3. Sheldon Beiste
Speaking of ‘amazing educators’, Sheldon Beiste, aka Coast Beast is also one of them. He was introduced in Season 2 as the new football coach. And despite the horrible welcome he received, he had a kind heart and forgave both of them. He also helped Mr. Schuester find a way to make the football club less hostile towards the Glee club by making them perform during the halftime show. But other than that, Beiste has gone through so many trials and challenges from abusive relationships to gender dysmorphia, and eventually became a stronger person.
2. Burt Hummel
Burt has to be the most supportive dad of all dads in the show. He will defend his own son, even if it means jeopardizing his relationship with Carole. Not to mention, would run for congress (and win) just to defend the arts in schools. At the same time, he wants what’s best for Kurt, even if it means working really hard to send him to a private school. He doesn’t want Kurt to be alone so he insisted on him joining the football club so he’d learn what it’s like to be in a team. Of course, he’s not a perfect dad. He’s stubborn and regretted not giving Finn hugs when he was still alive. But regardless, he’s an amazing person.
1. Sue Sylvester
Sue is a problematic coach throughout all of Glee. But despite her negative behavior towards the Glee Club and constant harassment towards its members (and alumni), she’s still a caring person. She accepted Coach Beiste’s transition and made sure that the school environment was safe when he returned to campus. And she befriended Becky Jackson – a student with Down Syndrome, to the point where she’d take the blame when Jackson brought a gun to school.
Also, she managed to convince Santana’s grandmother to push away her homophobia and accept her granddaughter during her wedding. While she did some heinous acts against the Glee Club, she’s also a kind person who’s willing to do what’s right, even if it took them long enough to make it happen.
Glee is a show filled with diverse characters with multiple stories that intertwine with one another. And the fact that show lasted up to six seasons showed how successful it was. Not only did it introduce us to rising indie artists and made us fall in love with the classics, but it also showed us a world that somewhat followed with the times, especially when it came to rising social issues that teenagers and adults face. But despite the plethora of people that were seen, it’s the best ones that help drive the story along.