Puck (Mark Salling) is released from juvenile detention and forms a friendship with Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale), and football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones) is hurt when she learns that several of the students are visualizing her to quell their amorous moods.

Critics were less enthused by the mash-ups than the other performances; Criss's cover of "Teenage Dream" was particularly well-received, and became the first Glee single to top the Billboard Digital Songs chart.

Kurt criticizes both the school's failure to act against homophobic bullying and the lack of challenge in the club's competition; Will decides to modify the assignment to have the teams perform songs by groups of different genders.

Puck's caseworker Joan Martin (Michael Hyatt) had believed he was working to rehabilitate gang members, and tells him he will have to return to the detention center unless he finds an alternative type of service.

Some members of New Directions, who need to cool their arousal while making out, discover that picturing football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot Marie Jones) is very effective.

He explained that he wanted Kurt to reach a point where he would not accept the abusive treatment he received any more, and planned to follow the developments through the rest of the year, as all of the other characters were affected.

[4] After the episode had been written, a spate of suicides occurred around the nation among teenage victims of bullying, which Murphy said added extra significance to "Never Been Kissed" and "ignite[d] the cast and the crew to do their best and push themselves with the story.

[5] In September 2010, a casting call was released for an actor to portray a "cute, charismatic, gay high school junior" who would lead a competing glee club.

[11] Other recurring characters who appeared were glee club members Sam and Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba), jock bully Dave Karofsky, cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter), students Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman) and Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink), and Coach Shannon Beiste.

[1] Although Beiste's physical appearance was used as comedy in the episode, Jones was not offended; she called it hysterical, said "it serves a purpose for the message" and hoped "maybe it will make people think outside of the show.

[1] The episode featured cover versions of "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry, "One Love/People Get Ready" by Bob Marley & the Wailers, and mash-ups of The Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" with Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer", and The Supremes' "Stop!

[13] All of the songs performed were released as singles, available for download,[14] and "Teenage Dream" and "One Love/People Get Ready" are featured on the soundtrack album Glee: The Music, Volume 4.

[26] Jones received an Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nomination for her work on Glee's second season, and submitted her performance in the episode for final judging.

[32] Bobby Hankinson of the Houston Chronicle and James Poniewozik of Time approved of the storyline in principle—the former opined that Glee's willingness to raise mainstream awareness of such issues was "incredibly courageous", and the latter appreciated that it would span a multi-episode arc—but both were critical of its depiction in practice.

She found Blaine's advice to Kurt "misleading and dangerous", especially the suggestion that targeted children should be held responsible for confronting their attackers and putting themselves at risk of further injury, rather than for protecting themselves.

[32] VanDerWerff and Poniewozik were critical of Dalton Academy: the former found its tolerance unrealistic and the latter was disappointed that Glee declined to depict a flawed high school tackling bullying in favor of creating "an almost otherworldly paradise".

[31][34] Poniewozik also noted that the storyline was inherently flawed, as the show had previously treated bullying in a light-hearted manner, but opined that its saving grace was the focus it placed on Colfer, "probably the strongest actor with the most interesting character among the Glee kids".

"[36] MTV's Aly Semigran wrote that, should the episode inspire a single teenager to have courage in the face of discrimination, or re-consider bullying, it would be an impressive accomplishment.

Poniewozik called it the "best and most authentic of the night", with praise for Salling's performance,[34] and Canning felt that it served well as a comical break from the episode's other storylines.

[39] BuddyTV's Jen Harper enjoyed the harmonies and simple arrangement of "One Love/People Get Ready",[40] and Anthony Benigno of the Daily News gave it an "A", with praise for the vocals.

He called it a "nice performance", but incongruous in context,[35] a concern shared by Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone, who preferred Salling's rendition of "Only the Good Die Young" in the episode "Grilled Cheesus".

[43] Harper found the choreography uncomfortable viewing, and Hanh Nguyen of Zap2it agreed that the performers appeared to be "rockin' out a bit too much to it", but felt that the song worked "remarkably well" overall.

[40][44] Futterman deemed it the best song of the episode, and appreciated that it was more understated than numbers performed by rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline during the show's first season.

[45] The girls' Bon Jovi–Rolling Stones mash-up was received favorably by Stack and Milzoff—the former graded it "A", the latter called it "brash and fun", and both writers appreciated the black leather costumes.