Characters Loved & Lost: Part II

After having a few weeks to think about the topic of character deaths, I must admit that I'm still torn about the issue. As mentioned in my previous post on the topic, I don't necessarily like my entertainment to be dark and depressing, but I also think that, in some cases, the death of a character makes sense. In order for this to happen, the death needs to fall into one of two categories: the character's death fits the storyline and/or propels the storyline forward or the actor who played the character died.

Storyline-Related Deaths - There are some instances where the death of a character fits with plot, character, and setting. For instance, if a given character has strong ties to other characters on the show, and his or her absence couldn't easily be explained away. The best example that comes to mind from my (very) limited scope is Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy. After having been established as wanting a child for several seasons, it would have been an abrupt about-face if Mark left the hospital and his family (including daughter Sofia and bffs Derek and Callie). While Shonda Rhimes has been known for killing off characters in unnecessarily violent ways (George was hit by a bus and was rendered unrecognizable to his co-workers, while Lexie died in a plane crash and was eventually eaten by wild animals), killing Mark, who actually had a pretty nice send-off by Grey's Anatomy standards, seemed fitting. Additionally, the plane crash (and Mark's and Lexie's deaths as well as Arizona's injuries) ended up providing the impetus for the following season (which wasn't that great, but at least it served a purpose).

Another, and perhaps more controversial, instance of this is the death of Henry Blake on M*A*S*H. I have enough self-awareness to know that I would have been one of the many angry fans if I had been around when Blake was killed, but in retrospect, the death seems very fitting. In times of war, there aren't always happy endings, and while the show had its share of death because of its nature and setting, having a main character die helped drive the reality of war home.

Actor-Related Deaths - While storyline-related deaths allow for the creators and show runners to work towards achieving some sort of creative vision, actor-related deaths come about as a necessity. Whether it is Coach on Cheers or Finn on Glee, killing off a character after the actor has passed away is usually the right thing to do. Not only does it give the character some closure, it also shows respect to the actor and the audience. In the case of Finn, not only was the character a central one to the show (the Ryan Murphy has mentioned numerous times that his vision for the ending of the show always involved Finn) but Cory Monteith's death received so much attention that having the character fade away into the ether would have been not just impossible but insulting.

Are there other reasons or scenarios where killing off a beloved character makes sense? Please chime in below!

Characters Loved & Lost: Part I

Warning: Spoilers (at least they are spoilers if you are a week or two or three behind on Bones) ahead

Last night, on a whim, I decided to alternate between watching Grey's Anatomy (a show that I watch more out of habit than anything else) and Bones (a show I stopped watching several seasons ago). While I had a vague sense of what was happening on Bones, I was surprised to find that it killed a series regular in the season 10 premiere. A quick Google search later, I found an article that said one of the reasons the show killed Sweets was because the actor who played him, John Francis Daley, was in demand for writing and directing other projects. Stephen Nathan, the show runner and creator, told Daley that "it would be more satisfying for the fans to conclude Sweets in a dramatic way rather then for it to be up in the air and have him come back midway through the season."

Thinking about this today, I'm torn about this reasoning. First, the more cynical part of me can't help but think that Nathan, who has a history of including shocking moments in Bones, couldn't withstand the temptation to off a character in a dramatic fashion. In the past, he had Zack Addy, Brennan's original intern, become a cannibal serial killer's apprentice, and he killed Vincent Nigel-Murray, another intern, as part of a sniper story arc. Killing Sweets in the premiere seems right up Nathan's alley.

Additionally, the idea that Sweets's death would be considered "satisfying" is puzzling to me. Since I tend to watch television as a means of entertainment and escape from the real world's myriad problems, having a regular character on (what is usually) a light-hearted procedural drama get beaten to death is jarring. I know, I know - People die all the time in real life. True, but I'm not watching Bones for its adherence to reality. Even as a one-time viewer (and a casual one at that), I found Sweets's death distinctly unsatisfying. Comments on articles and on Previously.tv's Bones forum indicate that I'm not the only who didn't think the send off was warranted (or satisfying).

This isn't to say that television characters should live in perpetuity. In some cases, a character's death is necessary, cathartic, and (yes) even satisfying. While I plan to explore this in next week's post, I'd love to hear from you on this topic. What is your take when it comes to the deaths of television characters? What works for you, and what doesn't?

Glee Season 3: A Wish List

Glee has had quite a year, hasn't it? While there were some bright spots (I still stand by my opinion that "Grilled Cheesus" is a good episode), the season overall was uneven at best. However, I am not ready to give up on the show just yet. Here's a wish list of what I would like to see next season:

• New Directions Needs... Well, Some Direction - As a recovering theatre junkie and stage manager, one of the things that annoys me the most about Glee is that our lovable band of misfits seems to slack like no one's business. It is very hard to root for them when they are always scrambling around at the last minute to write songs or finalize a set list. I know that this is (possibly) due to the fact that the show doesn't want to subject us to watching the same song being rehearsed over and over again. However, isn't there a way that the show could set it up so that we know that the group is practicing but we don't get to see the finished product until the competition? Although I know I am supposed to hate Vocal Adrenaline for their ruthless practices, I have to admire their work ethic.
• Stop with the Original Songs - I actually liked the first set of original songs. "Get It Right" grew on me, and "Loser Like Me" (with the exception of the unforgivably awful rap section) was very infectious. By the time that Nationals rolled around, I was over original songs. The first time they were an obvious but fun gimmick. The second time, it just didn't work. Just pay the royalty fees and get some decent songs please.
• More Creative/Innovative Covers of Songs - In lieu of original songs, I'd love to see more creative takes on existing songs. One of the best (if not the best) songs of season 2 was the wonderfully unexpected and understated mash-up of "I Feel Pretty/ Unpretty." Not only did it suit the talents of the performers and make sense in terms of the plot, it was a gorgeous remake.
• Don't Mess with Schue's Relationship with Coach Bieste - Schue is often an intolerable character. He's overly familiar with the students, he tends to make everything about him, and he needs much more discipline (when it comes to his personal life and to his teaching). However, if anyone brings out the best in Mr. Schuester, it is his friendship with Shannon Bieste. In all honesty, Coach Bieste is perhaps the best change in season 2. Please don't screw up her character or her awesome friendship with Will. In fact...
• More Friends without Benefits (Please!) - I understand that this is a show about teenagers, but I'm exhausted by the romantic musical chairs. Out of all of the relationships on the show, the ones that I find the most interesting are the friendships among the characters. Kurt and Rachel, Mercedes and Rachel, Mercedes and Kurt, Puck and Artie - the list is long. I'd love to see more development of these friendships and see more of them next season.
• Take It Easy with the Guest Stars - Although I don't have the intense hatred that some people seem to have for Gwyneth Paltrow, I seriously overdosed on her this season with Glee. My problem with her guest spots is that they didn't seem to add to the episodes so much as take over the episodes. It felt like she sang every (or almost every) song and had a huge part in each of the three episodes she was in this season. While the first season's guest stars were used just enough (Josh Groban comes to mind), I felt like a lot of guest stars this past season were either shoe-horned in (see: Jonathan Groff) or completely hijacked the show.

By no means is this an exhaustive list, and there are so many more things that I could (and probably should) include. Please feel free to add your wishes for season 3 in the comments!

"Unpretty/I Feel Pretty" from Glee

With a few exceptions, I've been underwhelmed by Glee this season. Maybe it's the sophomore slump or perhaps it's because the show has been uneven (even by Glee standards), but I haven't had much to say about the show. However, last night's episode was better than most, and might even be up there with the first half of the first season.

The best number of the night (and one of the best, if not best, of the season), was Rachel and Quinn's rendition of "Unpretty/I Feel Pretty." Although the two actresses' voices don't seem like they would mesh together well, they were able to make the most of Quinn's voice, which is pretty but not particularly strong, while toning down Rachel's powerhouse voice. In addition to the beautifully balanced vocals, the direction and editing was excellent and added to the song's poignancy. Even though I had no love for "Unpretty" or "I Feel Pretty" as separate songs, I've listened to this song on repeat for the past hour.

I particularly appreciate that the understated arrangement really highlights the lyrics of the songs. Back when I worked in speech and drama at the high school level, I remember someone telling me that a student used "Unpretty" as part of her poetry piece. While I was skeptical back then, I totally see how the lyrics can stand on their own without the music.

Dissecting Glee: "Grilled Cheesus"

It has been a crazy month, but I really wanted to write a post about the latest episode of Glee. Up until yesterday, Glee had been a huge disappointment since it returned for its second season. I found "Audition" annoying and the Britney Spears episode tedious and inane (similar to Britney herself). When I found out that Ryan Murphy and company were going to do a serious episode about faith and religion, I braced myself and mentally prepared to break up with Glee forever. Since Glee doesn't do subtle particularly well, I expected "Grilled Chesus" to be ridiculously anvilicious at best, insulting at worst. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the episode, and I thought that it was the best episode of the season so far.

First off, let me just say that "Grilled Cheesus" is probably one of the most divisive episode of Glee, and a quick peek at the Glee forums at Television without Pity indicates that most reactions will fall into one of three camps. The first camp was horribly offended by the portrayal of religion (and, in some cases, atheism) in this episode, the second camp thought that it was too maudlin and over-the-top, and the third camp found the episode's treatment of religion thoughtful (even if the episode itself was a little too heavy handed). I happen to fall in the third category, but I can definitely see how some people's mileage may vary.

The Plot: As I mentioned, tackling religion on a show that is equal parts camp, soap opera, and American Idol is a risky venture. It really surprised me how angry some people were on the TWOP forums about the portrayal of religion and atheism. I thought that the show did a good job looking at all of the different aspects of religion and how people view religion. Even as it questioned the view of God as a combination of a genie and a concierge (see Finn's absurd and selfish wishes when he prays to the apparition of Jesus on the grilled cheese sandwich), it also acknowledged that spirituality can mean different things to different people. Finally, and most tellingly, it presented the atheist perspective without forcing Kurt and Sue to renounce their atheism or finding a neat and tidy resolution to the characters' doubts about God.

The Music: There was a lot of music in this episode, and I must admit that I didn't pay much attention to some of the songs. One of my nitpicks is that, with the overabundance of music featured in "Grilled Chesus," some of the songs that deserved more airtime were cut. In all honesty, I really could have done without "I Look to You" and "Papa, Can You Hear Me?", which took me out of the moment because, rather than thinking about Yentl and Streisand, all I could think about was Nelson Muntz singing it on The Simpsons. That said, I found myself really loving several of the numbers.

"Only the Good Die Young" - I love how Puck tried using this song to substantiate his claim that religion and spirituality is about making the most of the time you have. As a former Catholic school girl, I couldn't help but laugh at Puck's reasoning. However, I appreciated the lightness of the number and how much fun the characters seemed to be having during the song.

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" - This was a devastating sequence and arrangement. Also, the actor they got to play young Kurt looked uncannily like Chris Colfer. That is all I have to say - I have something in my eye...

"One of Us" - This is the song that should have been longer, and not just because the cast looked amazing in their white and black ensembles. It seemed like the perfect ending to the episode, and the minimal staging highlighted the music. My only issue (besides the truncated length of the song) was the final cut to Finn's empty plate. It just felt a little strange, even though the director probably wanted to leave the audience with a fairly open-ended ending image. Rather than having a shot of the cast (bathed in the ethereally white light of the stage) or of a recovering Mr. Hummel (both of which could be construed as religion saving the day), showing the empty plate and crumpled plastic wrap certainly made the ending ambiguous.

Other Observations:

• Even though subtlety is far from this show's strong point, there were quite a few tiny moments that were well done. For instance, the scene where Kurt, Emma, and Will are in the waiting room at the hospital, and Emma slips her hand into Will's was a wonderfully understated touch.
• I love that crazy, evil Sue is juxtaposed with her softer side. Her relationship with her sister is lovely.
• This episode also showed us the nicer side of Santana, Puck, and Brittany. They all seemed very genuine when they were talking to Kurt.
• For all of her quirks, Emma actually gives pretty good advice.

Dissecting Glee: "Journey to Regionals"

One of my secret ambitions is to be a theatre critic (I came really close once, but the gig didn't work out). While I probably need to be made of sterner stuff to be a critic, I still get a kick out of reviewing musical numbers. Therefore, I'm dissecting parts of the season finale of Glee. Just to clarify, this isn't a recap (I seriously considered calling it a Gleecap, but that was just too annoying) as much as it is a review of the sections that I found noteworthy. Let's get started with the songs...

"Faithfully/Touchin', Lovin', Squeezing/Anyway You Want It/Don't Stop Believin'":
I love a good '80s power ballad, and this mash-up/medley fit the bill nicely. Besides tying in very nicely to the pilot, the songs really fit the performers' voices. While Cory Monteith (Finn) sometimes gets flack on the TWOP forums for not having the greatest voice (and for the producers' prodigious use of Auto-Tune to correct it), I thought that "Faithfully" (as well as "Jesse's Girl" earlier this season) was perfect for him. Also, considering that the group is mix of people with different dancing abilities, the number's staging made sense. No, it wasn't nearly as ambitious (or insane) as Vocal Adrenaline's "Bohemian Rhapsody" choreography, but New Directions' staging looked like something that would be feasible for an actual high school show choir.

On a more shallow note, I should be making fun of the girls' use of Bumpits, but given that the entire look had a 1960s vibe (which is a little strange, since the music was solidly planted in the 1980s), the look worked. I also am digging the boys' black outfits with gold ties and the girls' gold dresses. The costumer for this show deserves serious props for finding a single dress that looks good on a bunch of different body types.

Questions, Observations, and Minor Nitpicks:

• Did anyone else think that Rachel was channeling Celine Dion during the beginning of "Faithfully"?
  
• I love Brad (the piano player for New Directions); he always looks so happy and into it when the kids are singing, regardless of who is singing and what the song is. His face during the middle part of the medley was priceless.
  
• During a reaction shot of the judges during the number, I could see Quinn's mom sitting behind them, even though she didn't come in until later in the number. However, consistency/logic has never been Glee's strong suit.
  
• Did we really need a key change in "Don't Stop Believin'"?
  

"Bohemian Rhapsody" and The Birth of Beth/Drizzle
While I can accept that New Directions lost to VA (I didn't think that ND would win going into Regionals), I refuse to accept that "Bohemian Rhapsody" would win over the Journey medley. VA has done some impressive numbers, including the incredible version of "Rehab" from one of the first episodes of the season. However, "Bohemian Rhapsody" left me cold for a number of reasons. Besides the fact that it was pretty much a showcase for Jonathan Groff, who did most of the heavy lifting in terms of the vocals, the choreography was just too over the top for me. I could accept the polish of "Rehab," but "BH" was just too much. Also, I am still PISSED at Jesse and VA for egging Rachel, so there was no way I was going to be able to enjoy "BH" without some sort of serious comeuppance. Seriously, VA needs to cure cancer or something before I can appreciate a number the group does on its own terms.

On the other hand, "Bohemian Rhapsody" worked well as a parallel for the birth of Beth/Drizzle. The cuts were sharp and well-chosen, so hat's off to the choreographer, director, and editor. I am still highly amused by the juxtaposition of Quinn's screams with the song and with the doctor saying "The baby's crowning" with VA surrounding Jesse and him popping out of the center of the crowd. In fact, the editing/birth of the baby was the one thing that kept me from flipping channels during "BH."

"To Sir, with Love":
I don't like the song "To Sir, with Love," and I didn't really expect to like this number because of the maudlin nature of the song (I always think of this scene from Boy Meets World when I think of the song). That said, this number was surprisingly moving. The lead-up to the song, with each of the club members telling Will how they have changed over the course of the year, was genuinely sad (even though Mercedes's line "Glee club will never end, Mr. Schue, 'cause you are glee club. You're in all of us now" did make me roll my eyes).

The arrangement worked well and parts of it had a definite 1960s, girl-group flavor. Also, the very minimal staging really made the viewer focus on the song, the kids, and Will, who was appropriately choked up during the proceedings. The fact that the kids also looked completely stricken during the song made me forget about my cynicism about the song and get lost in the moment.

While it might seem out of character for some of the characters, such as Santana, to get so emotional about the thought of the end of glee club (it is very likely that the cast was so emotional about it being the end of the season), I thought that, given the capricious and emotional nature of teenagers, it worked. I also liked the shot of Sue watching from the back of the auditorium. Again, her softening up might seem OOC, but she was definitely in a more vulnerable place after that crazy confrontation in the judges' room.

"Over the Rainbow":
I have surprisingly little to say about this song. Matthew Morrison and Mark Salling did a beautiful job harmonizing, and the kids' reactions were very sweet. However, while it is nice to know that New Directions would live to see another day (not that there was much doubt for the audience - the show's been picked up for a second and third season), I can't help but think that "To Sir, with Love" would have made a more powerful ending to the season. However, since I like resolution, I'd probably be bitching if things were left up in the air.

Overall, "Journey to Regionals" reminded me of what I loved about the show. Despite the breakneck pace of the first season and the multitude of unresolved plotlines (Jesse, what the hell happened?), I plan on tuning in for the show's second season.

Please feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section. Also, I'm toying with the idea of making this Glee dissection a semi-regular part of the blog. Any takers?

Glee: Some Thoughts on the First Season

Oh Glee, how far you've come. Since the show debuted a year ago, the cast has become very popular (and almost annoyingly ubiquitous), and the series has become something of a cultural phenomenon. That said, the first season has had a lot of highs and lows, and ultimately, I have found it entertaining if rather uneven.

The pilot was very promising, and I have must admit that the first half of the season, which ended with "Sectionals" was strong. Even with some strange missteps, such as "Acafellas" and two crazy pregnancy plots, the first set of episodes had a nice mix of snark, snap, heart, and music. Not only was the show's tone fairly consistent, but the musical numbers were well selected and entertaining (if somewhat over produced). "Sectionals" was an extraordinarily satisfying close to the first half of the season, and I couldn't wait for the second half to start in April.

And then, when the show returned, something was very off (at least to me). Watching the back nine episodes has been a somewhat schizophrenic experience. Mixed in with some fun moments, such as "Like a Virgin" and "Gives You Hell," there have been way too many after-school special/one to grow on episodes. As much as I loved the Mercedes-Quinn bonding in this second half of the season, episodes like "Laryngitis" and even (sigh) "The Power of Madonna" left me cold. In fact, besides "Journey," which had me weeping like a baby, the only episode I thoroughly enjoyed from the second half of the season was "Dream On," which managed to combine Neil Patrick Harris, Joss Whedon, and "Safety Dance."

Besides the sometimes overly didactic tone, there were some other notable problems with the back nine. Perhaps the two most glaring problems have to do with the show's admittedly well-deserved popularity. In some cases, it really felt like the show was buying into its own hype. Rather than having songs that wove into the plot seamlessly, we were treated to theme episodes. "The Power of Madonna," which I really wanted to like, and "Theatricality" seemed to have the songs pre-selected without regard to the plots or storylines.

The other issue is that many of the plot devices seemed thrown in to appeal to the show's clamoring fan base. Why not have Jonathan Groff play Rachel's love interest? The fans want Idina Menzel to play Rachel's mother - let's get on that! This, along with the bizarre themes for each episode (funk, home, dreams, hello), made the show seem like it was making things up as it went along, rather than having a well-developed idea of where it was going. Sometimes, watching a given episode seemed more like Glee crossed with an insane version of Mad Libs. While taking the fans' suggestions and ideas to heart is admirable, it is also important to not just cater to the fans' whims but to also have a strong story.

This is not to say that I am giving up on Glee just yet. "Journey" did a lot to redeem the show, at least from my perspective. Although the plot still went at breakneck speed, there was a lot to like about this season ender. The songs, particularly the Journey medley, did a nice job of calling back to the pilot, and even though "To Sir, with Love" had me rolling my eyes a little, it still got me choked up. Also, I thought the redemption of Sue made some sense. Besides her quick defense of the kids in New Directions when confronted with outsiders trying to tear them down, I could honestly buy that she wants to have Will and his club around to antagonize next year. Plus, since I believe Will when he said that Sue really loves her students, I like to think that she didn't want to hurt them by having the club disbanded, particularly after hearing them sing to Will in the auditorium.

I might write a little more on Glee this summer; since Fox is showing all of the episodes again, it will be interesting to see how they hold up to another viewing...

Reassessing Glee

Since Glee’s hiatus (because of the World Series) and return, I’ve been reflecting on the show and my initial thoughts on it. I loved the premiere episode, but I’ve found the following shows to be somewhat uneven. Some are really good (“Preggers” and “Showmance”) and some seem like filler at best (even guest stars Victor Garber, Josh Groban, and Debra Monk couldn’t save “Acafellas”). So where does all of this leave us and the show? Here is my rundown of the show’s best and worst features, in no particular order.

The Best:

• The kids really are the best part of the show, and I really like how the characters are starting to develop. This is particularly true in the case of Quinn and Puck. Initially, it seemed like they were going to be the resident villains, but they have become more three-dimensional characters. Quinn’s struggle to deal with her baby drama has helped her move beyond the cheerleader queen persona found in the first episode, and Puck’s decision to join the glee club (and remain with it after the football coach gives a harsh but mercifully short ultimatum to the singing jocks) shows that he is more than a cougar-chasing teen. Now if only the rest of the characters (besides Rachel and Finn) could get more air time…
• In the same vein, the show doesn’t shy away from making the characters very flawed. Even though many of the characters seem like they are pretty good people, they all say and do some horrible things.
• The songs and performances are usually pretty good (if incredibly overproduced). My favorites so far include: “Sweet Caroline,” which Puck used to try and impress Rachel, Rachel’s version of “Take a Bow,” the mashup songs, both “It’s My Life/ Confessions” and “Halo/ Walking on Sunshine”
• The guest stars have been great (so far). The list of cameos is impressive, but I doubt that Glee will become like Will & Grace or Friends in throwing on random guest stars at will. The stars that have appeared have been interesting characters, and Ryan Murphy seems to love taking actors known for their singing chops (see Josh Groban, Debra Monk, and Victor Garber) and not have them sing, which is actually kind of refreshing.
• The show’s sly sense of humor and wit help elevate even the weaker episodes into something that is entertaining if not great. While Sue Sylvester probably gets the best lines out of anyone, Kurt and Artie also have some good moments.
• Heather Morris, who plays functionally illiterate cheerleader Brittney, also deserves special mention for excellent comic timing. She does a lot with the minimal screen time that she gets. Plus she is an awesome dancer, which shouldn’t be surprising since she used to be a backup dancer for Beyonce.

Needs Improvement:

• The show seems to try and divide the focus between the students and the adults. It would be much better if the adults were on the sidelines more, especially since the adults are pretty unsympathetic. While the students can do horrible things, at the very least we can partially excuse their behavior because they are supposed to be teenagers. The adults, on the other hand, have no real excuse beyond being crazy and stupid. Terry and her sister Kendra are complete shrews, Will is clueless and self-centered, and the other adults tend to be variations of stupid or utterly inappropriate.
• Since the show has returned from hiatus, we are finally getting a chance to see students (besides Finn and Rachel) get more airtime, but the show still feels more focused on Finn and Rachel than anyone else (besides Will). It isn’t that I dislike either character; Finn is goofy and dim, but he has a good heart, and Rachel (and her portrayer, Lea Michele) is very talented. However, I would love to see the other characters fleshed out more. Even the show that was supposed to revolve around Artie (“Wheels”) didn’t really let us get a better sense of that character.
• Enough with the baby/ pregnancy storylines. Quinn’s pregnancy is at least somewhat tolerable, but Terry’s fake pregnancy is excruciating, mostly because Terry seems like like a total bitch. The fake baby storyline also emphasizes Will’s utter idiocy and makes it very hard to sympathize with the character.

While I do have my quibbles with the show, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Now if only those damn pregnancy storylines would go away (and maybe take Terry and Kendra with them).

The Premier Episode of "Glee"

I currently have 4 channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS), so I wasn't able to watch the premier episode of Glee on Fox on Tuesday night. However, thanks to the miracle of the Internet, I was able to watch it today, and I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are the fan of jukebox musicals, comedies set in high schools, or musical theatre, you should definitely watch the show when it returns to Fox in the fall (or you can watch the first episode here).

The basic premise will probably sound familiar: a young, idealistic teacher decides to take over his high school's glee club. He only gets a handful of participants, all of them outcasts (and all of them very talented). He tries to recruit some of the more popular kids, but he only gets one by some trickery/ blackmail. He has problems at home with a wife who doesn't understand his passion. He has problems at school with the administration and the other teachers. While this very basic plot outline might not sound interesting, keep in mind that the show was created by Ryan Murphy (who also created Nip/Tuck and Popular) and stars Matthew Modine (he was Broadway's original Link in Hairspray) and Lea Michelle (most recently seen in the musical Spring Awakening). Future guest stars include Victor Garber (John Wilkes Booth in Assassins! Jesus in Godspell! Spy Daddy on Alias!) and the always adorable Kristin Chenoweth.

For those of you who think that the show is a rip-off on the travesty of High School Musical, it isn't. Yes, there are some similarities (just as HSM was "similar" to [some might argue "ripped off from"] creator Ryan Murphy's other show, Popular). There is the jock who joins the glee club under great duress and endures peer pressure because of his decision. There is also the snooty princess-type who is wicked talented but exceedingly unpopular. However, whereas HSM had cookie-cutter characters and flat jokes, Glee has a sly sense of humor and a great blend of Broadway, R&B, and Top 40 songs. The best analogy I can come up with is that Glee is to HSM what reality is to Disney World. In the world of Glee, no one spontaneously bursts out into song nor do the popular kids gently tease the cool kid who decides to join the choir. This is the (relatively) gritty reality of high school, where hazing and bullying are common practice and the school hierarchy is readily apparent.

What I enjoyed the most about Glee (besides the awesome cover of "Don't Stop Believing") was the portrayal of what high school is like, particularly from the teachers' perspective. Yes, there are some cliches, but Glee also addresses the bargaining that goes on between teachers and the administration as well as the power struggle and social Darwinism that happens among the teachers and the students. It was also nice to see that, contrary to what Disney/ HSM would like for us to believe, the theatre kids are usually the bottom of the school totem pole. In Glee, the tomato soup/ drink thrown on Rachel Berry would be kids play to what the jocks and cheerleaders would to Sharpay Evans is she even dared step foot in the school's halls.

So far, the buzz around the show has been good. Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker gave the pilot an "A," and the New York Post gave it a very positive review as well. Additionally,
Ohnotheydidnt.com has a great article on the show. However, as shows like Arrested Development and Veronica Mars have proven time and again, being a critical darling does not necessarily translate into a large viewing audience or appreciation from a network. Now all we have to do is wait 4 months for the next episode and pray to the broadcasting gods that Fox does not prematurely kill this show.