06.08.09: Why I Love Glee- A personal testimony

Why I Love Glee…


I know there are a lot of people out there that, just like me, absolutely adore the television series “Glee.” On the other hand, I have several friends that just “don’t get it.” What’s so special about Glee?

What Glee is NOT:

…reality television or drama.

First off, I think the most important thing going into this show is to NOT expect reality. It’s not a traditional sitcom, but has many similar elements in the construction of the characters/ensemble, the episode plotlines, and the dialogue of the writing. In fact, there are many elements of old-fashioned melodrama. The characters are probably the easiest to recognize for most: the young heroine (Rachel), her dumb, but handsome love-interest (Finn), the hero (Mr. Schuester), the villain (Sue Sylvester), etc. What you may not know, though, is that melodrama was one of the beginnings of opera, which led to the modern musical! It’s no wonder this genre speaks so closely to Glee…

…a Nobel prize winner.

Continuing, Glee, for the most part, is not trying to change the world. It’s a show meant for entertainment, not education. While they do disperse it in an episode here and there (Kurt being gay, Finn/Rachel/Emma not being ready to have sex, Quinn’s pregnancy, etc.), it’s not the main focus of the show. It just happens that these are very real story lines that people deal with on a daily basis, and therefore are pertinent issues to plug into the show. It would be foolish of the writers to ignore these things, but unnecessary for them to create the series around preaching them.

What Glee IS:

…a television musical.

Obviously, one of the most popular things about Glee is the music. It’s catchy. You have to admit it. And trust me, you know it’s going to be a ballsy show (musically) when you break out Journey to end your PILOT episode. But one of the things that makes it so unique is the fact that it’s a TELEVISION musical. And on top of that, it’s SUCCESSFUL. Sure, you’re got, for example, “Flight of the Conchords” which had a fantastic first season, got a lot of critical acclaim, and grew a cult following. However, it fell victim to not having the exposure it needed to get past its sophomore slump. Besides having an AMAZING marketing team, Glee has the bonus points of being a naturally musical show and the luxury of utilizing a variety of popular music. This killer combination has led to much of the success the show enjoys today.

…character driven.

Everyone has a favorite. Who is yours? Brittany because of the one-liners? Mike Chang for his dance moves? Puck because… well, because he’s hot? Even though Mr. Schu, Sue, Rachel, and Finn are technically the leads, it’s still a very ensemble show. Glee isn’t really as big on story line as it is character development. You have to accept that. Sometimes, though many writers would cringe at this thought, Glee WILL sacrifice logical through-lines for fun character work. And while this is untraditional, this is Glee. It’s here. It’s queer. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

…quotable.

Continuing with the characters, one of the top 4 things (in my opinion) that has made this show great (besides the marketing, music, and characters) is the one-liners. Ian Brennan is absolutely BRILLIANT writing for Sue Sylvester. Add in Brad Falchuk (I’m not sure how much Ryan Murphy is actually contributing these days…), and you’ve got a deadly combination. Look at twitter during any show. Check out the live tweets. At least a third, if not half of them tend to be people quoting little quips from the show! The next day, check Facebook statuses. You see them again, and again, and again. Personally, I adore the snippy dialogue and quick pacing of the language. But then again, I’m never one to turn down a good insult from Sue.

…an escape.

Let’s face it. To borrow a phrase from Glee, America is in a “funk.” And when hard economic times hit, people are drawn to escapism in the arts. It’s nice being able to sit back for half and hour or two hours and just zone out while watching a movie, a play, or television. Even better, watching a television show that’s about cute, peppy young people who overcome the odds. How often would it be in reality that the consistently abrasive and diva-esque likes of Rachel Berry would snag the quarterback of the football team? Nil. But on Glee? She had him at episode TWO. In reality, would a school club of 12 students really get that many costumes, lights, and musicians? Nope. But on Glee? You betcha. As I said, it’s nice having that little time away where you can root for the underdog and take part in their victories.

So, I guess the best way to sum it up… Glee is fun. When you’re watching, it’s like you’re a part of that club with them. I’ll admit that even though I had trolled on the forums and found spoilers telling how Vocal Adrenaline wins at Regionals, tonight watching the season finale I held my breathe as Sue announced the winner. Because, despite my deepest logic, I still had this tiny bit of hope that New Directions would win. I love those kids and feel like I could walk on set and know every one of them.

All-in-all, it’s a feel-good show. And even though I had tears in my eyes tonight, I had a smile on my face and a song in my heart.

Here’s to you New Directions. Thank you for a wonderful and exciting Season 1 “Glee,” and I absolutely cannot wait to share the JOURNEY of Seasons 2, and 3, and many more.