Review: Glee

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The first episode of Glee was broadcasted in May 2009 on Fox and continued its season this September. This comedic yet touching show features both old and contemporary hits ranging from ballads to musical numbers. Each episode never ceases to amaze its audience always putting on a performance that gets harder and harder to top. With the combination of each character’s unique and strong voices, the songs are performed with harmony and dynamics that can move the soul. Moreover, each number has its own story behind it and with it, comes emotions that can bring joy or tears. The characters possess great charisma along with passion for what they do. Undoubtedly, they are all very great actors.

Humor is Sue Sylvester’s middle name. Played by Jane Lynch, Sue is the coach of the cheerleading squad, otherwise known as her “Cheerios.” She is dominating and hardcore demanding everything done in her way with utmost perfection. Her acting and delivery is impeccable; Sue never ceases to make her sarcastic and condescending jokes while keeping a serious face on, making the lines even funnier. She remains one of everybody’s favorite characters and her personality is the reason why the show is so entertaining.

Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) who is the Spanish teacher at McKinley High takes the position as coach of the Glee club in hope to relive a dream back in his school days: winning the national choir championship. Juggling between the stress of having a baby coming along and his pursuance of a dream pushes him against the wall many times, but he always manages to overcome the obstacles. However, his character seems rather boring, especially to that of Sue’s, because he’s the only normal one whereas everybody else has their own unique problems trying to cope with life.

The song selection may not be the greatest, but what’s notable is the way the songs are carried out. There is always some variation to the original song and occasionally it might even sound better than the original. This is the case with Tina’s version of Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors.” It wouldn’t have been so meaningful if the show wasn’t all about the misfits in the club—Kurt (Chris Colfer), a homosexual fashionista; Tina (Jenna Ashkowitz), a stuttering Asian; Mike (Harry Shum Jr.), “the other Asian”; Mercedes (Amber Riley), a black girl; Artie (Kevin McHale), a wheelchair rider; and Rachel (Lea Michele), a bullied Jewish girl. Moreover, a deaf choir and an all-girls boarding school, both of whom may only have a chance to make it in the real world if they win the nationals, were featured.

Despite the Glee club being very “loserish”, the members are always enthusiastic and never back down from a challenge. The show also includes many ethnicities including minorities making sure that all voices are heard and given the chance to shine. This aspect of the show illustrates that anybody can have what it takes to be a star.

Zach Woodlee’s choreography is also brilliantly coordinated. The manipulation of the stage space is very important in a show choir. In the episode of “Wheelchairs,” the Glee club had to perform a number while in wheelchairs. This was to show them how Artie, who’s the disabled one, has such a hard time maneuvering. With more than ten wheelchairs on the limited auditorium stage space, they managed to move around comfortably and easily around each other that made it seem like the wheelchairs became a part of them.

The director Ryan Murphy who did “Nip/Tuck” made sure that there were surprises in every episode. In one episode, Kurt joins the football team as the kicker. Because he was gay, Kurt was not very accepted, but his kicks were undeniably unbeatable. He had a warm-up ritual of dancing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and he got the football team to dance along. Imagine that: the studs of the school dancing to the beat of “Single Ladies” on a football field in their padded gear with thousands of eyes watching them. Not surprisingly, this helped them score a victory against formidable opponents.

Glee, on the surface, may be all about the singing, but upon looking deeper, we see that they’re all about character and attitude as well. They are so full of energy and they’re not afraid to be who they are with ambitions and dreams. The first season is coming to an end, but Glee has just begun to show the “true colors” of an interesting mix of misfits.