The anatomy of a “Gleek”: who really watches “Glee”?
by Jessie Hethcoat
Coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) and Mr. Shuester (Matthew Morrison). Courtesy of www.thepostgameshow.com
I do.
A “Gleek” myself, I am consistently shocked at the amount of people who aren’t watching “Glee.” That is, until I realized that “Glee” is a very polarizing show.
Like “Cheerios” coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), “Glee” is in your face, over-the-top and outrageous. Watching an episode requires suspense of disbelief and a propensity to enjoy show-tune(y) covers of popular, contemporary music. Which, let’s face it, isn’t everyone.
While watching the first comeback episode last week and nearly peeing my pants when Jonathan Groff and later Idina Menzel came on the screen, I realized what “Glee” is. Porn for musical nerds. It totally, completely is.
“Glee” gives us what we want and then rips it right back away, leaving us drooling for more. For instance, letting Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn (Cory Monteith) be together for, oh say, about 15 minutes and then RIPPING THEM APART once again! Jesse (Jonathan Groff) soon saunters in with his gorgeous stare and his hairdo (which I admit, though a bit ridiculous, sort of, kind of, drives me wild).
That’s right, I’M ON TO YOU, “GLEE” EXECS!
Then we have Mr. Shuester (Matthew Morrison) who lives up to all our husband fantasies, as perfect as he is. Though much of it is the crushes we develop on the perfectly concocted male leads, “Glee” is not just a hormone-feeding machine.
I can’t talk about “Glee” without, at least, giving a hats off to Jane Lynch. This woman is incredible. I would challenge anyone to try to find one moment when Jane Lynch is looking at a camera in any show, movie or commercial, and not being completely hilarious. She is wildly inappropriate and totally ridiculous yet somehow manages to bring subtle humor to her character.
Well hello there, Finn (Cory Monteith). Glee poster (2009).
There are no weak spots to pick on in the show overall. There aren’t any holes in the plot, nor are there any characters that weaken or don’t add to the show’s punch. School faculty and students that could be innocuous or dull somehow always manage to blow us away.
Now, as promised, the kind of person that likes “Glee”:
- Likes to fantasize about a relationship (that could definitely happen) with Finn, not Cory Monteith, Finn. (yes, we know he’s a fictional character). For many, the fantasy love life now includes a brief (or not so brief) interlude with Jesse, the bad boy who will break your heart. Finn will definitely be there to save you.
- Is convinced that he or she is meant to play a very specific, very pivotal role in a Broadway musical. I am Maureen from RENT. Case in point.
- Has spent countless hours in his or her car (alone or accompanied by equally as geeky friends) singing along to all, some, few or one of the following musical soundtracks, more often the O.B.C. (Original Broadway Cast, of course) version CD: Legally Blonde the Musical, Wicked, RENT, In the Heights, Spring Awakening, Les Miserables, Evita, West Side Story, Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat, South Pacific, Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray and so on and so forth. (Really, it could take me all day.)
- Would, if they had the talent, been apart of every high school activity related to singing, dancing and/ or tomfoolery.
- Is or was a relatively minor part of their high school. “Gleeks” are not necessarily from the bottom of the barrel, nor were they the cream of the crop of their high school. Most of them felt like they got by being mostly unnoticed and had less of the “shining moments” that the “Gleeks” have in the privacy of their studio. Hopefully, most of them didn’t get “slurpies” thrown in their face on the daily.
- May or may not have had a viewing party at their house for one or more of the High School Musicals, or maybe, also Camp Rock.
- Remembers very clearly their first or favorite stage musical, and hopes to someday see something that surpasses its glory. For some, this happened at Spring Awakening; and they now can relive this moment weekly, watching both Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff in their living rooms.
I think, for many of us, the show (like High School Musical) provides not only perfect weekly entertainment for a people who love musicals, choreographed dance and Cory Monteith, but also something that hits close to home. The glee kids at McKinely High are like we were, and still are today. They’re relatable and as talented as we wish we could be. Also, who doesn’t love Lea Michelle?
Glee will be running until June this summer on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. following American Idol on Fox. Tune in, but brace yourself.
Blog ya later,
J – Slice
Cast of Glee. Courtesy of www3.timeoutny.com.
I disagree completely with “Glee. Porn for musical nerds.” I am a music nerd and I could never have fathomed a day when Glee would be considered any kind of “music”. Glee imitates music but it most definitely isn’t music. You can listen to it, sure, but don’t mistake Broadway for a concert.