Giddy About “Glee”
If you would have told me a year ago that one of my favorite new shows of the season, one of my favorite shows on television, for that matter would be a cast of relative unknowns in a musical dramedy based on a failing high school glee club, I would have told you you were crazy. However, Fox’s new hit show “Glee” has broken through many a viewer’s definition of good TV, and there are a few basic reasons why:
1. Feel Good Factor
Though the members of “Glee” lack popularity, social skills and in some, general likability, the kids of “Glee” are far from pathetic. They’ve got real talent, and even more than that, a true sense of self, whether they are standing up for themselves and each other to the popular kids or coming out to their redneck fathers. Viewers cheer and root for these underdogs, not out of sympathy for their sorry lot in high school life, but out of admiration for the courage these characters have to be themselves, no matter what the cost.
2. Smart Writing
Whether the issue of the day be teenage pregnancy, alcoholism or sexual identity,”Glee” tackles the issues that are pertinent to kids AND parents today in a seemingly implausible way: with both humor and sensitivity. While the writers aren’t afraid to poke fun at the naiveté of the characters, as in Finn, who believes that he impregnated his girlfriend without intercourse in a hot tub, viewers care so much about these characters and their success that a laugh is quickly replaced with genuine empathy and the realization that it is not easy to be a kid today.
3. Contemporary Music
Perhaps one of the most surprising things about “Glee”s success is not the show itself, but the music featured in the show. Songs performed by the cast during this season’s episodes held10 spots on the iTunes list of top 200 downloaded songs and four places on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week. “Glee” kids aren’t just crowing standards from “Oklahoma” or “Fiddler on the Roof.” These kids are busting out HOT versions of current hits from Amy Winehouse, Kanye West and Carrie Underwood. The songs have been such a hit that Fox is producing a soundtrack album for the show, the first volume to be released in November.
4. Talent
The main players of Glee can either act well or sing well, or in many cases, both. While many cast members are new to TV, such as the attractive Spanish teacher turned director, Matthew Morrison, and the lead Glee singers, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith, the cast also features one big reason to watch: veteran comedic actress Jane Lynch. Lynch is spot on as the agressive cheerleader coach without a filter, and delivers such snappy, quick lines with conviction that if you don’t listen carefully, you might miss the funniest/most offensive thing you’ve heard all week, like: “it’s why I pay taxes — it keeps garbage men earning a living, so they can afford tacos for their family.”
If you’ve yet to catch an episode of “Glee,” fear not, you can watch full episodes of the show here. Don’t be surprised if you end up smiling, and maybe singing out loud.
