nodnarb: TV Review: Oh Em Glee

Glee. Is. Amazing.

Because of all the hype surrounding this show since the pilot episode aired a few months back, I decided to wait for the series' proper premiere to watch the show. I mean, why suffer all summer? Turns out I was (unusually) prescient in this instance; I couldn't imagine waiting three months to see the next episode!

"Glee had me literally L-O-Ling from start to finish. Comedic gold."

Glee had me laughing out loud from start to finish. The humor is quick, biting, and relentless. There was much garbling about stereotypical, unoriginal characters after the pilot aired, but while the social hierarchy of the students may be archetypal, I have never seen these characters before. The satire turns everyone inside out, and while you think you know what roles these characters will play, it's wildly entertaining to watch them surprise you over and over again.

If this ensemble cast has a main character, it's Will, the hot Spanish teacher who becomes Glee Club director, played by Matthew Morrison. The show shuffles back and forth between his home life with his demanding, conniving wife and his school life concerning his relations with the rest of the staff and his Glee students. Rachel, played by Lea Michele, is the leader of Glee Club, passionately devoted to her craft and developing her talent, and the object of ridicule for the competing cheerleading squad and the football team. The rest of the Glee Club is made up of Finn, a conflicted jock with a big voice, Mercedes, a black R&B diva with a bigger voice (she is "Beyoncé, not Kelly Rowland!"), Kurt, a flamboyant, headstrong tenor in fierce designer fashions, Tina, an Asian goth chick with a stutter, and finally, the paraplegic Artie. It took me a while to place him, but I finally realized that Artie is played by Kevin from NLT(!!). You can't fool me with those glasses and that wheelchair, Kevin. I still see all that fine.

"'I tried [bulimia], but I don't have a gag reflex.' 'When you're older, that'll turn out to be a gift.'"

Of course, I expected the show to focus mainly on the kids, their hilarious antics and awesome talent. So I was a tad nervous to discover that it was mainly narrated around Will's point of view. Like, if there's one thing I couldn't stand about Degrassi, it was all the plotlines surrounding the adults. Who really cares about Spike and Snake's marriage? Not me. But, Will, again, is super hot, and Emma, the guidance counselor who holds a candle for married Will is so cute with her mysophobia. Not to mention, Sue, played by the superb Jane Lynch. She absolutely steals every single scene she's in. Brilliantly funny.

"The ensemble cast is phenomenally talented; they really make the show special."

Now, brace yourself for the cheesy part. There's no better title for the show than Glee. As bitchy as everyone and despite all the facades the characters put up, the show manages to be incredibly heartwarming at times. This is, in large part, thanks to the music. There are three or four numbers per episode and it's really when everything clicks and comes together. Possibly my favorite thing about the show is how positive the message is about the arts without being preachy or uncool. All the kids in Glee Club are committing social suicide but they do it because they love it. And while we're on the subject of the music, Mercedes took Kanye's Gold Digger to church last night and Rachel straight-up killed Rihanna's Take A Bow. She reminds me of a mini Idina Menzel. I can potentially see that dancing and singing along with a sitcom is not everyone's thing. But it's a dream come true for me.

"There is no better title for this show. Glee says it all. Love it, can't recommend it enough."

All in all, I can't recommend Glee enough. I loved every minute of it. The cast is extremely talented, the writing fresh and inventive, and the music phenomenal. There's no where else you should be on Wednesday nights.

Rating: 9/10

Oh Em Glee, did you love it too?? Or do you think it's just a stupid musical pretending to be a sitcom?? Sound off! Leave a comment.

Check out reviews for the other shows premiering this fall!