Delight, pleasure, joy, elation, jubilation! These are synonyms for Glee, the new TV show on Fox. These words not only describe the show’s title, but also describe the atmosphere on the television series. There is a kind of brightness and quirkiness that radiates from this show which simply makes you smile. Glee’s pilot episode aired on May 19th but the first season officially began on September 9th.
The basic plot of Glee is simple so far, which makes it a little unique in the television world (a nice break from Lost, anyone?). Glee focuses on an extracurricular club called Glee Club, and the members in it which are described as “the misfit toys” by the more popular kids in the high school, the Cheerios (cheerleaders). This group of misfits goes through hardships together with their advisor, Will. Will (played by Matthew Morrison) has his own issues to deal with involving his family life and to deal with the haughty cheerleading advisor, Sue (played by Jane Lynch). The high school atmosphere is extremely stereotypical, but that is what makes it so fun and easy to watch.
Along with the drama that occurs in Glee, there is another main component of the show: the music. Songs performed by the characters of Glee include “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Gold Digger”, and “Take a Bow”. This part of the show reminds me of High School Musical with songs that demonstrate characters’ feelings, but the show maintains a certain edge at the same time. The songs are all modern, which makes it interesting to hear them in the Glee style. The music has a clearness and preciseness to it, and even the colors on the show seem vivid, reflecting the characters of Glee.
One of the aspects of this show that makes it so unique is the characters. Each character has their own background, story, and quirks about them and you never know what they are going to do next. For example, there is the school counselor, Emma (played by Jayma Mays) who has a pathological fear of contact with dirt. There is also a student, Rachel (played by Lea Michele) who takes the Glee club as serious business, but is the laughing stock of the school. There are also other members of the club such as Kirk (Chris Colfer) who is always bullied by the football team, but ends up being their star kicker. Then there is Artie (Kevin McHale) who is confined to a wheelchair. There are many other quirky young characters and they all come together to create a drama-filled and dynamic high school setting.
This is a light hearted television series, but it also has serious concepts involved. Glee is all about stereotypes and the effects they have on teenagers. Although the stereotypes can get a little bit obnoxious and unrealistic, this is a feel-good TV show that is a nice break from the action-packed television schedule. I would recommend it to any person who loves music, laughs, or just needs a little variety in their life.