Sue Sylvester is probably our favourite baddie of any TV series ever. A tongue so sharp it cuts even her most robust opponents to shreds, her enduring love of red tracksuits and her fierce love for Becky are what make her character – played by the brilliant Jane Lynch – so fantastically compelling.
Now, to celebrate the release of Glee Season 5 on DVD, we’re taking a look back at Sue’s best moments throughout the last series of the hit TV show.
Getting Principal Figgins fired – Love, Love, Love (Episode 1)
At the end of Season 4 we saw Sue sacrificing her school career to protect Becky when the teenager’s gun accidentally goes off, and carving out a new role as a personal trainer. In Season 5 though, Becky ‘fesses up and Sue comes back to McKinley High in all her former glory. But she’s not prepared to be the cheer squad coach again – oh no. Take a look at this clip to see how she gets rid of Principal Figgens.
Santana and Sue fight over Finn Hudson’s memorial – The Quarterback (Episode 3)
The passing of Finn Hudson (played by the late Cory Monteith) has hit the school hard, and the kids need to grieve. So why is Principal Sylvester trying to take down their carefully constructed memorial? This scene between Santana and Sue in her office had the adrenaline pumping round our body for AGES.
…And then Sue confesses her heartbreak – The Quarterback (Episode 3)
In a very un-Sue moment, the former coach admits Santana was right about all the things she’d told her earlier and reveals that she is deeply upset that Finn died believing that she didn’t like him. “He was such a good guy. And I’ll never get to tell him,” she reflects. Aww.
Sue and Will find some common ground – New Directions (Episode 13)
We LOVE the relationship between these two – the horn-locking over Glee club, the constant put-downs from Sue – but in this episode they finally make up. And Sue makes a special effort to cheer up Mr Schuester over the demise of Glee.
Sue’s enormous rant about New York – Opening Night (Episode 15)
Sue goes off on one about “the cesspit of the world” and declares that the “real America” needs to kick New York out during her live broadcast. Only it turns out she’s never actually been there. Luckily, Will has a spare ticket as he’s jetting over to watch former student Rachel Berry on her opening night in Funny Face, and heavily pregnant Emma can’t make it. Will Sue take him up on it? Yes, yes she will. And will she find that New York holds a special attraction for her? You’ll have to buy Season 5 on DVD to find out…