"Glee" (2009) TV series

Creators:

Ian Brennan
Brad Falchuk
Ryan Murphy

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Musical

Tagline:

A biting comedy for the underdog in all of us.

Plot:

A high-school Spanish teacher becomes the director of the school's Glee club, hoping to restore it to its former glory.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Football Player | High School Drama | Gay Interest | Wheel Chair Bound

Awards:

3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Nov. 25	9:00 PM	Fox	Hairography	#1.11
Wed. Dec. 2	9:00 PM	Fox	Mattress	#1.12

Cast

Dianna Agron	...	Quinn Fabray (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Chris Colfer	...	Kurt Hummel (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Jessalyn Gilsig	...	Terri Schuester (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Jane Lynch	...	Sue Sylvester (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Jayma Mays	...	Emma Pillsbury (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Kevin McHale	...	Artie Abrams (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Lea Michele	...	Rachel Berry (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Cory Monteith	...	Finn Hudson (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Matthew Morrison	...	Will Schuester (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Amber Riley	...	Mercedes Jones (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Mark Salling	...	Noah 'Puck' Puckerman (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Jenna Ushkowitz	...	Tina Cohen-Chang (22 episodes, 2009-2010)
Naya Rivera	...	Santana Lopez (12 episodes, 2009)
Heather Elizabeth Morris	...	Brittany (12 episodes, 2009)
Iqbal Theba	...	Principal Figgins (10 episodes, 2009)
Harry Shum Jr.	...	Mike Chang (10 episodes, 2009)
Dijon Talton	...	Matt Rutherford (10 episodes, 2009)

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Ryan Murphy Productions

Trivia:

70 songs were used in the first thirteen episodes.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Sue Sylvester: You think this is hard?
[insert something harder than a cheerleading routine]
Sue Sylvester: , *that's* hard!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Late Show with David Letterman: (#17.20)" (2009)

Just What the Doctor Ordered!

I can just picture the creator, Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck) tossing ideas around with producers or writers or what-have-you and just saying "Let's do something happy." If this is the goal, "Glee" delivers.

With the combination of dreary times and warm weather "Glee" is just what the doctor ordered! Was the plot amazing? Not according to what we're used to. Shows these days seem to continually descend in to a deeper and deeper spiral of darkness. Don't get me wrong, I love it! Prickly characters are called "love-to-hate" for good reason, but there's a reason there is more than one category on the food pyramid. "Glee" is the perfect answer to a well- rounded entertainment diet.

At the very least "Glee" has set itself up to be a showcase for amazing talent including Lea Michele who rightfully earned a name for herself on Broadway with the hit "Spring Awakening" as Rachel Berry and newcomer Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson who may not be as talented as Michele, but was perfectly cast for the part. He does exactly what he's supposed to do which is to keep up with and support Michele who will send chills down your spine.

"Glee" seems like a familiar tale "The football player wants to sing and the unpopular girl also wants to sing!" but when was the last time we really saw this? Okay... disregard "High School Musical." This isn't "HSM." This is "HSM" done right--with real talent--and not actually a musical. The songs are all time-tested and well loved familiar tunes, i.e. Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and the show isn't designed around the songs or for the songs like a musical... you'll know what I mean when you see it!

*Synopsis* A bright eyed and optimistic teacher, Will Schuester (played by Matthew Morrison) decides to revamp the Glee club. He dreams of making it something truly great around which the school can come together. From where we, the audience stand, he came into a glee club already filled with tremendous talent including Rachel Berry who dreams of fame and carving a niche for herself, but what was missing was a strong male lead. To do this Will (nefariously) recruits the star football player who finds himself right at home. *End Synopsis*

There may be moments in the pilot where the not-instant-fan may consider "I'll bet this moment was meant to make me laugh out loud... but I'm not," but I say to you that is not what this show is about. It's about the average... the conceivable, but if you and the people around you just wanted to sing and were good at it too. Most importantly it's a showcase just meant to keep you smiling.

Even if characters were to, in the course of time in the sometimes unpredictable television world, jump into bed with each other or perform a murder, I take comfort in the feeling this show will not be about that. It will be about happy entertainment with an "I wish I could buy the world a Coke" attitude.

Because this show does not have the (ironically) familiar twists, dips, flips, turns and drama other shows offer, I feel the logical grade to assign this show would have to be a B- for being somewhat "undeveloped" by modern standards. (Nobody has been abused to speak of yet.) However, despite the undeniable likelihood this show will never be listed in my top five, even for the year, I can pretty much guarantee it will be the show which I most look forward to watching out of any other. For this reason, "Glee" gets an A+ in my heart and I hope to form a "Glee" club of my own taking place Tuesday nights on my living room couch.

Glee is certainly a welcome summer booster shot of summer fun.