Burt Hummel

Burt Hummel is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character is portrayed by actor Mike O'Malley, and first appeared on ''Glee'' in the fourth episode of the first season, "Preggers". Burt was developed by ''Glee'' creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. He is the father of gay glee club member Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), and works as a mechanic in Lima, Ohio, where the series is set. He eventually begins a relationship with Carole Hudson (Romy Rosemont), the mother of another glee club member, Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), and the two marry in the second season episode "Furt". In the third season, Burt runs in a special congressional election and wins. O'Malley was a recurring cast member during the first season, and was upgraded to a series regular for the second season of the show, but returned to the recurring cast for the third season onward.

The character has been well received by critics, particularly for his total, loving acceptance of and support for his gay son. James Poniewozik of ''Time'' wrote, "the fact that Dad (Mike O'Malley, who has turned out to be a pretty good character actor) ends up not being the boor we think he's going to be is one of the first signs that ''Glee'' is growing up as a series, that having established a world of primary-color stereotypes, it's now willing to subvert those expectations." IGN's Robert Canning commented that the Hummels' relationship is "the most affecting" of the show, and praised O'Malley's "outstandingly nuanced" performance as Burt. Murphy has said, "Mike's talent is deep. I will always write for Mike O'Malley." O'Malley was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series in 2010 for his portrayal of Burt.

Storylines

Season 1

Burt first appears in "Preggers", the show's fourth episode. He catches his son Kurt dancing to Beyoncé's " Single Ladies", and Kurt claims that it is a football exercise, and that he is now a kicker on the William McKinley High football team. Fortunately for Kurt, fellow glee club member and football quarterback Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) helps him get a tryout for the team, and he becomes its kicker in reality. Burt attends Kurt's first game, and after a final-second touchdown ties the game, Kurt kicks the extra point to win it. Buoyed by his success, Kurt comes out to his father. Burt tells him he knew all along Kurt was gay and loves him just as much.

When Kurt is upset at not being considered for the solo on " Defying Gravity" in the episode "Wheels"—the song, originally written for a female character in the musical ''Wicked'', is initially given to Rachel (Lea Michele)—Burt complains to Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba) that his son is being discriminated against, and Kurt is allowed to audition. Burt receives an anonymous abusive phone call about his son's sexual orientation, and when Kurt sees how upset his father is, he deliberately sabotages his audition to spare Burt more pain.

Kurt sets Burt up with Finn's widowed mother Carole (Romy Rosemont) in the episode "Home", hoping it will help him become closer to Finn, who he has a crush on. The relationship has become serious before Finn finds out about it, and he is initially hostile to it, but begins to bond with Burt over sports when the two families go out to dinner. It is implied that Burt's motivation to build a connection with Finn is more out of his knowledge that Finn never had a father to do things with, and not favoritism over his own son. However, Kurt feels left out, and later asks Finn to help him break up their parents. Finn initially agrees, but changes his mind after Burt tells him that he loves Carole and would never hurt her. In "Laryngitis", Kurt feels increasingly jealous of how much time Burt is spending with Finn, so he attempts to emulate Burt's personality to regain Burt's attention. When Burt takes Finn to yet another event without including Kurt, a hurt and angry Kurt drops his emulation of his father and sings "Rose's Turn". Burt overhears his performance, praises Kurt's singing and apologizes for not spending enough time with him. He assures Kurt that he still loves him and always will, no matter what his son chooses to be.

In the episode "Theatricality", Burt invites Carole and Finn to move in with him and Kurt. Aware of Kurt's attraction to him, Finn is uncomfortable with sharing a bedroom with Kurt. In the hopes of pleasing Finn, Kurt redecorates their bedroom, but Finn is appalled by its fancy appearance and lack of privacy. During the ensuing argument, when Kurt refuses to acknowledge his infatuation, Finn loses his temper and calls the new furnishings "faggy". Burt overhears Finn's homophobic words, delivers a stinging reprimand, and throws him out, even though doing so risks costing Burt his relationship with Carole. However, later on Burt is also disappointed with Kurt when he finds out from Carole that Kurt's ulterior motive for setting them up was so he could get closer to Finn, and that while he accepts him for being gay, he does not accept him pursuing a straight boy who he knows does not feel the same way.

Season 2

Burt suffers a heart attack brought on by a severe arrhythmia in the third episode of the second season, " Grilled Cheesus", and is in a coma for several days before recovering consciousness. Kurt is at his bedside when he finally wakes, and takes charge of his father's recovery once Burt is back home. The eighth episode, entitled "Furt", opens with Burt and Carole telling their sons that they are engaged. Kurt insists that New Directions perform at the wedding and reception. At the wedding, New Directions perform "Marry You" by Bruno Mars as they, and then Burt and Carole, dance down the aisle. The couple marry, but use their honeymoon savings to transfer Kurt to Dalton Academy when a homophobic bully who has threatened Kurt's life is allowed to resume attending McKinley High.

The Hummel and Hudson households combine subsequent to the marriage. After Kurt and his friend Blaine (Darren Criss) attend a party where Blaine gets drunk, Kurt drives them to his own house, and the two sleep, fully clothed, in Kurt's bed. Burt discovers Blaine there in the morning, and later tells Kurt that this was inappropriate behavior. Kurt apologizes, but asks Burt to learn about homosexual relationships so if Kurt has questions, he can ask Burt like a boy would normally ask his father. As it turns out, Kurt is quite ignorant about sexual matters and refuses to educate himself; this so alarms Blaine that he asks Burt to consider broaching the subject with Kurt, citing safety concerns. Burt subsequently gives Kurt "the talk" about sex. He later reluctantly agrees to Kurt's return to McKinley High, and recommends that Kurt dress less flamboyantly for the McKinley junior prom, a suggestion endorsed by Kurt's new boyfriend and date, Blaine. Their advice is rejected, and at the prom Kurt is appalled to discover that he has been named prom queen.

Season 3

Ishe causes official funding for the school musical—which Kurt has been cast in—to be withdrawn, but Burt arranges for alternative funding from businesses in the community, and rescues the musical from cancellation. Burt decides to wage a write-in campaign against Sue, who has built up a considerable lead against her rivals in the special congressional election, and makes clear his support for the arts. Sue wages a highly negative campaign, airing outrageous ads about Burt, but doing so ultimately backfires when another candidate in the race airs attack ads against her. Burt wins the election in "I Kissed a Girl". After the election, he divides his time between Washington and Lima. He intervenes twice with his stepson Finn: first, to find out why Finn wants to enlist in the army, and again when Finn later becomes engaged to Rachel, in the hopes of causing the two to reconsider, or at least to delay their wedding plans. He and Kurt celebrate when the latter becomes a drama school finalist, and attends with Carole both the Regionals show choir competition and the graduation of their two sons.

Season 4

In the first episode of the fourth season, Burt gives Kurt an emotional sendoff when his son leaves for New York City. Burt travels to New York to surprise Kurt at Christmas in "Glee, Actually", bringing Blaine with him, and the three spend Christmas together. During his visit, Burt reveals that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but his chances of survival are very high as the diagnosis was made early and treatment appears to have been successful. Several months later, his doctor confirms that he is cancer free. During the season finale, he is approached by Blaine who wants his permission to marry Kurt. Burt tells him that he while he does understand why he wants to get married, he believes that both Blaine and his son are too young to make that kind of step.

Season 5

Burt drives Kurt to Blaine's "secret" marriage proposal at Dalton Academy in the season premiere. Kurt, who is aware of the proposal, asks his father for advice on what he should do. He tells Kurt the story about how he met his mother when he was twenty-two, and married her six months later. While married life was not easy, he says there is nothing he would change. In " The Quarterback", Burt is shown with Kurt and Carole after the death of Finn as they attempt to clean out Finn's room. He decides to keep the football from Kurt's first game, and the lamp from Kurt's basement re-decoration. He expresses his grief by saying that he should have hugged Finn more, and comforts Carole when she starts to break down. When New Directions dedicates their Nationals Show Choir Competition performance to Finn, they invite Carole and Burt to accompany them to Los Angeles for the event.

Season 6

Burt first appears in " A Wedding". Rachel does not want to sit next to Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet) at Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) and Brittany Pierce's (Heather Morris) wedding. She states that Burt and Carole will be there, and that she hasn't been talking with them recently (presumably since Finn's death), and doesn't want to hurt them. Mercedes Jones ( Amber Riley) reassures her that they'll want her to move on, just like they did with their first spouses' death. They both indeed support her to find love again with Sam. He officiates the wedding, which much to his surprise, his son is also getting married. He is in the flashback episode "2009", which is set during the same time period as the show's pilot episode. Burt is contacted by McKinley High counsellor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) to tell him that Kurt seemed to be isolated and had shown interest in a pamphlet on suicide. Burt tells Kurt that he must join a school team within a week, or face punishment. Although Burt had meant a sports team, when Kurt enthusiastically tells Burt that he has join the glee club, he accepts this as an adequate substitute in part due to its competitive aspect. In the show's final episode, " Dreams Come True", Burt and Carole attend the rededication ceremony of the McKinley High auditorium in the year 2020, when it is renamed the "Finn Hudson Memorial Auditorium". He enjoys the final performance from the New Directions of all generations and takes a bow with the other Glee Cast members.

Development

Creation and characterization

Murphy created Burt as "a working-class dude who's not okay with his son being gay, a guy who's having a tough time." The character is loosely based on his own father. He had O'Malley in mind when casting the role, and felt confident about his capability: "It's a real tour de force role and I knew what Mike could do. This isn't an after-school special. ... It's heavy and Mike has the ability to cut through the sentiment." He went on to say, "Mike's talent is deep. I will always write for Mike O'Malley." The actor did not have to audition, and was invited to read for the part by Murphy personally. The two men, along with Falchuk, had previously worked together on the television movie ''Pretty/Handsome''. While reading the first twenty pages of script, O'Malley was not initially enthusiastic about playing the role, as the character appeared to be an intolerant stereotype. He changed his mind, however, after realizing that Burt was to be portrayed as a more accepting man, with "grace and love that comes first for his son."

After appearing in five ''Glee'' episodes over the course of the first season, O'Malley was upgraded to a series regular along with Heather Morris and Naya Rivera in the show's second season. Murphy confirmed this fact on July 13, 2010, in the wake of O'Malley's nomination for an Emmy Award for his work in the role of Burt. He appeared in eight season two episodes, and is guaranteed at least six episodes during the third season. In early 2011, O'Malley was cast in the lead role in a comedy pilot entitled ''Family Album'', which prompted media speculation that his role as Burt might need to be reduced. In actuality, the actor ensured that he would be able to meet his six-episode commitment to ''Glee'' should the pilot be picked up for a full series run, and commented: "urt