Yay, Glee!

I would like to take this opportunity to disprove a few myths surrounding this show and what non-fans think. I don't feel as if I have to defend the show, but when things are said about the fans, well, as a fan I feel like I should be defending myself. So, without further adieu, this is where I politely tell you to change the channel if you do not enjoy this show.

As I was having a grand time with my Firefox add-on Stumbleupon, I came across this gem:

"People who enjoy the show Glee were raised on High School Musical."

I will let all of my readers over the age of 25 have first stab at this sentence.

That is exactly what is wrong with this statement. I didn't even know what the hell High School Musical was until all of the actors started breaking out on their own. I figured it out thanks to interviews that started with: 'My next guest stars in the hit Disney movie High School Musical...' And to be honest, they could have been saying television show, because to this day I don't know if it's a movie or a show, and I don't care enough to google it. The point is, no, people who enjoy Glee were NOT all raised on some Disney phenomena made for and intended to be enjoyed by teenagers and/or elementary school students. Not to say that Glee isn't supposed to be enjoyed by teenagers, just that its main target demographic isn't 13-18 year olds.

The appeal of a show like Glee, and the reason I'm personally a fan, is the amazing writing, wit, and talent involved. What other show on Earth will you be able to enjoy Jane Lynch verbally abusing everyone in sight, or Matthew Morrison dancing and rapping to 'Golddigger'? I know that singing and dancing isn't everyone's cup of tea - different strokes for different folks, as they say. And historically, musical shows fail so hard. Viva Laughlin, anyone? That one singing cop show? But this show has something those other shows were lacking, and that's heart. There are real story lines behind the singing and dancing, and that is what I love.

But cutting away to musical numbers like a fantasy is disappointing. I want it to be stage shows and performances!

So, here's how I feel about that, because I somewhat agree. I love it when the group is on stage singing their hearts out, BUT Rachel singing into her hairbrush or longingly staring at Finn while she sings Rihanna better than Rihanna does makes sense. It's like on Scrubs, when J.D. would go into his own little fantasy world. Sometimes his included singing, but ALL of Glee's include singing, and fabulous renditions of songs at that. I don't find a difference, really. I think it's actually very well done. Especially Mercedes after thinking Kurt broke her heart intentionally.

Ugh, high school stereotypes much?

Well, yes. I don't know about the last time you were in a high school, but it's pretty accurate. I hear people complain the LOUDEST about Mercedes being the ~sassy~ black girl and Kurt being so amazingly flamboyant. And yes, I do have what I feel is a valid argument about that.

Take a look at the cast of Glee. For that matter, when you watch the show, look at the background cast. The extras, if you will. I don't notice many other black people, do you? How do people who are different or don't fit in try to adapt to their surroundings? By taking what they see from other people of their same race/country/neighborhood and mimicking the behavior. This gives us the opportunity for something I like to call character development. You give these kids no real sense of themselves (isn't that how we ALL felt in high school?) and let them self discover along the way. Art imitating life - who knew?!

This is all I have - this is what I wanted to get off of my chest. And you're free to leave your WELL I STILL HATE THE SHOW, it's all over-hyped, it REALLY REALLY SUCKS comments because it's a free country and who am I to take away your First Amendment right? You know where I stand, and though I don't see the point in stopping to leave a comment about something you hate, you are more than welcome to do so.