“Glee” is a show that appeals to very specific demographics: those who fell under the “High School Musical” spell, those who are actually in high school, and those who loved high school theater so much that they cannot get enough of the clashing cliques and constant drama.
The equation is simple for this junior varsity soap opera. Take six parts student misfit, add in one part show choir alum turned Spanish teacher, top off with a heaping serving of teenage awkwardness and what’s left is a veritable cocktail for a musical melodrama.
The May premier introduces high school teacher Will, a man with an optimistic outlook on reviving the school’s show choir, despite a lack of interest in the student body. Will and his wife have a rocky marriage, a fact that has not helped to discourage him from flirting with the school’s guidance counselor, Emma.
Then there are the students: Rachel is the perfectionist with a passion for musical theater; Finn is the popular football player who has been forced into the club via blackmail; Kurt is an individual who is often thrown in the garbage can for standing out; Artie is a bit of a nerd but doesn’t let that stop him; Mercedes is the resident diva and Tina is a non-conformist with her own sense of style.
Show tunes are around every commercial break, unrequited love abounds and the social issues that resound in every high school’s hallways are just as common in this show as in all of its predecessors.
It’s the musical component that has the potential to keep viewers anxious for more. The pilot’s claim to fame was in its closing number, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” the song that not only secured club advisor Will’s investment in the future of the club, but also had a way of asking viewers to give the new Fox series a chance. And it seems that the request for an audience was answered, as the fall premier on Sept. 9 caught the attention of over seven million viewers.
But is the song and dance enough to sustain an entire show? If people can handle the predictable plot twists (Will’s wife has already faked a pregnancy to keep his attention) and cheesy adolescent moments (such as first kisses during voice practice), it just might work out for the better.
For all the “Gleeks” out there, let’s just hope they can keep the show tunes at the center of attention and the drama to a minimum.