The Essential Show

Glee:

I’ll admit that when I first saw promos for Glee, I was more than a little skeptical. I mean, a show about a high school glee club? Talk about a narrow focus. Not to mention the fact that watching a show about the quintessential high school outcasts, the dorkiest kids in school seems a bit…well, dorky. Still, I decided to give the show a try because I’m a huge, huge fan of the fabulous Lea Michele. This Broadway star (best known for originating the role of Wendla in Spring Awakening) turned small screen leading lady has absolutely astounding talent, and is – in my opinion – the best part of the show. She’s certainly not the only reason to give Glee a chance, though.

Maybe Glee isn’t as popular as more mainstream comedies like The Office, but it’s already drawn an incredibly devoted fan base. Dubbed “gleeks”, these people embrace the underdog spirit of the show. Yes, I am a gleek. Yes, my friends make fun of me for watching this show so ardently. No, I don’t care.

So what makes Glee so groundbreaking? For one thing, it’s chock full of tasteful humor, something that is becoming increasingly rare in sexual-humor driven market. Glee manages tackle issues like social heirarchy, heterosexism, and racism in a way that is both innofffesive and genuinely hilarious. Whenever one of these issues comes up, it’s clear that the show isn’t attacking the issue itself, but the people who make it an issue; many circumstances make a mockery of people who play into stereotypes rather than those who are harmed by them.

The cast is as eclectic as it is entertaining – the world of Glee is one in which a gay, baby-faced fashion lover and a sassy black girl can be best friends. At some point or another, everyone is an outcast on Glee. No one serves as a golden standard for others; each character is equal parts endearing and reprehensible, and the honesty with which they are constructed is unspeakably refreshing.

And if the pro-social underlying theme isn’t enough, tune in for the musical performances. Lea Michele as the ingratiating, unpopular diva Rachel Barry, is clearly the musical star of the bunch, but there are solid performances from everyone involved. Like the stars of the show, the music is incredibly wide-ranging, covering everything from Broadway power ballads to old school hip hop

Get a little taste of what they can do here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CGRwqtMDaQ. If you like what you hear, the soundtrack is available on iTunes now, and look out for the cast’s second tour.

And do I even need to mention how HOT Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson) is? YUM.

Photo: tvtropes.org