A somewhat odd amalgam of an idea co-created by Ryan Murphy, head writer of Nip/Tuck, Glee combines romantic comedy and mocking satire with coming-of-age awkwardness and some breathtakingly good musical numbers into a singular blend of fun whose broad appeal has become catnip for older and younger viewers alike.
Matthew Morrison stars as former Glee Club alum Will Schuester. Once bushy tailed and starry-eyed, Will now teaches high school Spanish by day and acts as doormat to his yuppie shrew of a wife (Jessalyn Gilsig) who fritters their money on a crafts addiction while nagging him to quit teaching to become an accountant. Desperate to do something halfway meaningful, Schuester looks to revive the mothballed Glee Club despite unhelpful ribbing from his fellow teachers and widespread apathy from much of the student body.
Tonally the show is absolutely all over the place and moves from sequences of bright enthusiasm to mean-spirited mockery at the flick of a switch. While it doesn’t always gel together as smoothly as it might, the writing remains sharp throughout. Lea Michelle is a little tough to buy as the ostracized plain-Jane as she’s blatantly drop dead gorgeous, but the rest of the cast are just the right kind of ugly ducklings that can facilitate the “look, they’re beautiful” makeover this kind of show will likely require over the long haul.
But Glee’s secret weapon, and the thing that has transformed it from odd curiosity to a global phenomenon, is the song and dance numbers. Wow, these kids can sing! And whether its checking out the competition at a rival high school or just easing into rehearsals with some show tunes, it’s all you can do not to jump out of your seat and start whirling around the living room delivering a shrieking rendition of “You’re The One That I Want.”
One of the more fun ideas rolling around Glee’s almost overloaded noggin is the idea that the adult world, and in particular the workplace, is little more than the high school caste system continued. The overtly masculine cheerleading coach, Sue, (Jane Lynch) thinks he’s a nerd. The knuckle-dragging football coach, Ken (Patrick Gallagher), who is all too aware that hot teacher Emma (Jayma Mays) likes Will more than she likes him, thinks Will is gay. Scene stealing Indian bean-counter principal Thiggins (Iqbal Theba) thinks he’s just a pain in the ass and agrees to Glee Club on the grounds that Will not only pay for it but run detention after school for a month.
With the show having clearly established that whatever they think of him, no one thinks he’s cool, Will assembles his misfits team of closet-cases, divas-in-training, bullied cripples, and stuttering Goths. Yet the show is all too aware that life is all about looking after number one and cleverly mocks the mixed-messages of those formative years, where one minute you are encouraged to come together for the good of the whole and in the next breath someone is telling you to do whatever it takes to ensure you come out on top.
DVD Bonus Features
This Glee set contains just about everything that you could want to see from Glee. There are full-length audition pieces (Rachel sings 'On My Own' and Mercedes sings 'Respect'), Welcome to McKinley, Fox Movie Channel Presents Casting Sessions, Deconstructing Glee with Ryan Murphy, Dance Boot Camp, Jane Lynch: A to Glee, Meet Jane Lynch, Five Things You Don't Know About Jayma, Seven Things You Don't Know About Cory, Six Things You Don't Know About Amber, Seven Things You Don't Know About Chris, Video Diaries, a Glee music video, a Glee music juke box, a Glee sing-along karaoke, Staying in Step with Glee, Sue's Corner, Bite Their Style: Dress Like Your Favorite Gleek, Behind The Scenes of "The Power of Madonna", and Making of a Showstopper.
"Glee: The Complete First Season" is on sale September 14, 2010 and is not rated. Comedy, Musical, Television. Directed by Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy. Written by Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk. Starring Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Jessalyn Gilsig, Lea Michelle, Matthew Morrison, Patrick Gallagher.
