William "Will" Schuester – Upon learning that William McKinley High School's glee club director Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) has been fired for inappropriate conduct, Spanish teacher Will Schuester volunteers to reform the club, hoping to restore it to its former glory.

Susan "Sue" Sylvester – Sue makes numerous attempts at sabotaging the William McKinley High School glee club, New Directions. She enlists members of her cheerleading squad, the Cheerios, to bring the club down from the inside,[2] and conspires to lure away its star member, Rachel Berry (Lea Michele).

Emma Pillsbury-Howell – Emma has romantic feelings for glee club director Will Schuester, and accompanies him to a rival glee club performance to spend more time with him. She is dismayed to learn that Will's wife is pregnant and that he is considering leaving the teaching profession to become an accountant, but is able to convince him to reconsider.

Rachel Berry – Rachel is the daughter of an inter-racial same-sex couple.[8] It is revealed that she gets her name because her fathers are "big Friends fans", making reference to Jennifer Aniston's character in the sitcom, Rachel Green.[9] She joins the glee club hoping that fame will increase her popularity and help her find a boyfriend.