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Tag: glee

August 16, 2010

The Impending Return of Geek TV

As hot and humid summer days give way to slightly less hot and humid days (for which I am grateful that some geek came up with the invention of air conditioning), my thoughts turn to the return of fall TV. Now with the advent of streaming video int he past couple years, watching tv seems like it’s a bit old school, but there’s something about popping down in front of the couch, or in bed with the remote in your hands to enjoy a good show.

This is especially true when it comes to the sort of geek-centric fare that I’m used to watching. In my growing old age I’ve kind of shunned the popular mainstream shows for those that have a focus on specific groups or people. And while these shows have become popular in their own right, they do have a special place in the geek community, where intelligence is a virtue over alcoholic capacity and outcasts are the heroes.

I really like the fact that not only are shows like this around, but that they are garnering traction within the “bottom line” of executives at TV networks. No doubt geekery has felt the sins of the past wrought upon them by network bigwigs (a certain series named after a little glowing insect comes to mind), but at least in 2010, vindication has been offered up for shows that cater to geek tendencies. If you’ve been hurt in the past and are one of my readers who is a bit jaded at the rise of reality TV and obsessiveness with pop culture, no worries – it’s still a good time to watch the tube. Don’t believe me? Here’s a few examples from my suddenly-in-use DVR:

The Big Bang Theory – You wouldn’t think a show that makes references to sci-fi, comics, and games would last very long in the dog-eat-dog world of TV, but Big Bang Theory, highlighting the lives of 4 physicists and the cute token blonde that peppers them, is going to be opening its 4th season this September. The fact that Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon (the personification of every arrogant, OCD, socially inept geek out there) got an Emmy nomination plays up the legitimacy of this series. It’s definitely taken hold among geekery and the wider audience that struggles to understand them. We’ve got a potential new love interest for the aforementioned Sheldon this season and the consequences of the relationship of Leonard and Penny, so that will make for some hilariously nerdy moments.

Chuck – The series saved and beloved by the power of the internet has been on life support a few times during its history, but it has survived being terminated. The series about a tech geek who somehow gets a computer of knowledge downloaded into his head has become endearing to many, especially considering he manages to clumsily navigate success and get the girl at the same time. This season, Chuck sets off in search of his mother, but the spy life is far from behind him. A bonus for watching? Firefly alumni Adam Baldwin, who’s finally got onto a series that utilizes his stereotypical tough guy persona effectively (of course, being on a series lasting more than 13 eps helps, too).

Glee – Probably the show I’ve pontificated on this blog about the most, Glee has achieved meteoric success among geeks who are still geeks and ex-geeks who remember the awkwardness of being involved in the arts in high school. Glee’s the kind of show that has the potential to reach out to an audience while increasing awareness of something else at the same time, that being music and what it means. Having long since shed the High School Musical comparisons, Glee has come into its own as a show that can be dark and witty, funny but poignant, and a whole other bunch of things that resonate with geekery in general. This season, the kids start off a brand new year with a fresh slate, but the victories and defeats of the last year have probably had effects you can only begin to speculate about.

Frankly folks, it’s good to check out TV right now. We’ve still got about a month til everything premieres, but take the time to catch up on the rebroadcasts of these and many other series out there. Trust me – you won’t be disappointed.

June 8, 2010

Glee’s Lovable Losers

If you haven’t watched Glee, you’ll probably be confuzzled about this entry but hey – positive writing covers both general and specific subjects. You’d better watch the series if you haven’t!

So Fox’s Glee comes to a season’s end tonight, and with another set of storylines from the back 9 episodes coming to a close, we once again stand on the cusp of something that is make or break for everyone’s favorite pseudo-teen singers. Victory at Regionals, both over their own adversity and  over favored golden child rival club Vocal Adrenaline, would seem to be the proverbial cherry on the top of the sundae.

But is a win for America’s most visual and varying fictional glee club really a foregone conclusion? I kind of wonder about that today as I review bits and pieces of the last 9 eps to get any kind of clue as to the outcome of tonight’s episode. Part of the appeal of Glee is our love of the kids’ ability to triumph over adversity, be victorious in the face of certain defeat or an uphill battle. At Sectionals, the Glee kids’ last competition, it was easier to believe a win, fourth wall or not, because of the odds against them, from losing their songs at the last minute to not being able to travel with their mentor and teacher Will Schuester, to the (thankfully temporary) departure of their male lead. The stage was set for a dramatic, last-minute victory and the win at Sectionals highlighted just why we loved Glee – it’s a story of trials and tribulations, outcasts and loneliness, all overcome.

But this time around, the Glee kids are riding a wave of momentum. They didn’t just overcome their fear of their more talented opposition, they rattled them with a number they couldn’t hope to do. Will is on an upward trend after a number of introspective (and questionable) behavior. A reuniting of leads Finn and Rachel seems imminent. Everything seems to be on the upswing….and that is why the writers are going to hand New Directions a loss.

The entire season has been a realization of characters coming to terms with things they wanted but could not have. Will and Emma put off their relationship until Will’s divorce is finalized and Will finds out what he wants. Kurt, the club’s gay member, had to realize he couldn’t pursue a relationship with decidedly straight Finn. Mercedes needed to get that she wasn’t a cheerleader type. Wheelchair-bound Artie had to figure out that his damaged spine was ages away from a possible fix. All of the thematic elements point to wanting something, not getting it, then coming to terms and being stronger for it, which is why for the series to remain fresh, and for the characters to explore more of how they can succeed despite obstacles, they have to lose to Vocal Adrenaline.

I think part of why those who watch it love Glee is that there is a level of authenticity in the characters’ flaws, trials, and tribulations. For that to happen, a sense of a real loss has to be experienced, one which both endears us to the characters and entices us to watch as they work to move past being knocked down. An old quote says that the true measure of a man is not in times of success but in times of failure.  It’ll be a tough pill to swallow if my prediction for our favorite Glee kids is that they lose out. But I think in the end, we all know that they’ll be back – and not just for the fact that Fox quickly renewed them.

April 9, 2010

Glee Incoming

Come Tuesday, there’s going to be more than one kind of glee coming back into my life. When you’re an eternal optimist like me, that’s pretty hard, you know?

But yes – I’m referring to the fact that my own personal enjoyment is going to be raised when one of my favorite TV shows of the pats year comes back for more episodes. Glee on Fox is coming back next week, and with it, hopefully more delightfully entertaining drama, comedy, and of course, music from what has become America’s most famous Glee club.

I’ve written about Glee before – multiple times in fact – and plan on continuing to do so as geekery has never really had an underdog champion on TV in a while. The much-maligned mix of athletes, outcasts, and misfits got their first taste of success at the end of last season when they emerged victorious at sectionals despite a ton of behind the scenes shenanigans. Now they move on to trying to win victory in regionals, with a powerhouse of a rival glee club to overcome.

It’s funny, because the challenge that Glee‘s characters face is much mirrored by the challenge their actors face as well, and that is answering the question of how they handle success. Much like the club itself has to deal with their issues at school despite their victory, and find out about newfound fame, the cast also has to figure that out for themselves. Since their whirlwind, sudden success, the Glee actors have won awards, traveled around the world, and appeared at the White House and major media outlets. To them, this is all new and fresh and interesting, and the fame is something that they’ll definitely have to adjust to as they move forward.

Still, I have confidence that both fictional and real characters are going to have no real issues succeeding and moving forward. After all, the collective talent that they all have as well as the camaraderie they’ve made together are things that will definitely take them far. I’m looking forward to seeing up it all pans out, and if you haven’t yet, I’d definitely recommend catching up in the next few days!

March 1, 2010

Gleeking Out Live

So today my good friend and fellow Gleek Kristen sends me an uplifting link on a dreary Monday – the news that the cast of Glee is going on tour very briefly to hit four cities – with right here in Chicago being among the lucky places. Am I excited to see one of my new guilty pleasures live in and in the flesh? You bet.

The news is the latest coup in a string of validating successes for the musical-drama-comedy hybrid, and even if I wasn’t a fan of Glee I’d have to nod my head and give it props. The thing with Glee, as I’ve written before, is that it’s taken a lot of the formulaic stuff from various shows and turned it on its head, creating an original show that’s able to stand on its own. With accolades from the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, anda dedicated, rabid fanbase, Glee is set to continue its successes in 2010. Heck, when you can get the attention of the First Lady to provide a performance, you know you’ve made it big.

There are a few musical acts out there that aren’t as good live as when they’re in the studio, but musical performances almost always come up aces “IRL”. The reason, among others, is the need to have strong performance presence in a theater production that doesn’t go through much, if any soundbooth editing and tweaking. Musical performers have to have the standout talent to entertain people live, and if you’ve watched or listened to anything Glee has to offer, you know the cast has the chops to get the job done. Aside from that, the mere fact that a show about geekery outcasts is good enough to get live performance requests is validation of the potential success geeks have in a world that sometimes shuns them.

Glee returns with the second half of their first recording run in April, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the story progresses after the success of the club after sectionals. Will they get too big for their britches? Will rival club Vocal Adrenaline become a menace to be feared? The longevity of the show will be challenged depending on how the writers and producers handle the aftermath of formulaic geek success and keep us Gleeks entertained. I’ve got confidence and optimism though (big surprise), and I can’t wait to get my fix back – both on the TV and live.

December 14, 2009

Case of the Mondays Cure – Glee-ful Goodness

The holiday season is upon us, and with it, the requisite holiday stress. Still, there’s nothing like a good song and a feelgood moment to warm the heart, however briefly. And there’s no other show that does that quite as well right now as Glee.

Even if you’ve never seen the show, this ending to the last part of the mid-season is still kinda sweet to see. This is admittedly low quality, but hey, you take what you can get. So unless you have a piece of coal for a heart, check this out to cheer up your Monday:

December 10, 2009

Ending The Year With Glee

58875355Last night was the mid-season finale of Glee, Fox’s neato high school dark comedy hit of the fall. Usually, when it comes to these things, some finales fall a little flat, others leave on too much of a cliffhanger or too little of a suspenseful note, but Glee managed to deliver in spades, ending their year with a feel-good outcome while still setting up some stuff for the future.

Now if you haven’t seen the finale, you may want to avoid this post til you have a chance to watch – fair warning.

A season finale has several goals to accomplish:

Wrap up season-long arcs: Finales need to resolve certain story elements that are introduced at the beginning, whether they are overall themes or side stories that deserve closure. Glee did this by exposing the fake pregnancy of Glee faculty advisor Will Schuster’s wife, as well as the secrecy surrounding the father of ex-cheerleader Quinn’s baby. That, combined with the overall story of the Glee club’s trip to sectionals were wrapped up at their current points with nice little bows. I have to say, in any of the arcs, it was difficult to predict an outcome, as they could have gone in a variety of different directions, but I was ultimately glad with where things ended.

Establish new arcs and suspense: Along with closing out some stories, new ones need to begun as well. A good finale puts their closures hand-in-hand with new openings and new possibilities. The revelation on Finn’s part that his best friend and now ex-girlfriend betrayed him should create some interesting team dynamic, and the possible new relationship between Will and germaphobe Emma could be intriguing to explore. The Glee club will continue onto regionals, the next step up, where they are sure to go up against rivals Vocal Adrenaline in a conflict that’ll be sure to elicit some laughs and gasps.

Take major steps in characterization: There are new developments that change established characters in a finale, and Glee delivered on obvious and no-so-obvious levels. There’s the stuff I’ve already mentioned with Will making a choice with his failing marriage, Puck and Quinn now having to deal with the consequences of their actions, and Rachel making a rare decision to give up the spotlight, but secondary characters like Santana and Mercedes shine on their own with performances and dialog that shows they too contribute to the reason why Glee is so successful.

Preserve and encapsulate the foundation of your series: Many series out there try to do something crazy different just for the finale shock value, failing to keep alive the whole idea why the series is appealing in the first place. Not so with Glee, which preserved the overall theme of triumph over adversity, uncomfortable morality, and dark comedy. The buildup to and culmination of the club’s mission to legitimize themselves was shown in grand detail, not without some obstacles (stolen set lists and crazy judges among some of them) to get over, of course, and the overall feeling to me came off as “this is the reason why I watch the show”. The last number of this season, compiled of a mish-mash of the kids’ performances over the course of the past few months, is a testament  to how far the characters and the show has come.  From High School Musical clone accusations to a whirlwind tour spanning nations and a rabid following of folks, Glee is here to stay – and there’ll be a gap in midweek TV til April, given with what they left us with.

December 5, 2009

Mobile Glee

I suppose it’s only appropriate that I post from my BlackBerry when Fox hit Glee is going to be hitting the road next week in their season finale. The motley crew of cool kids and misfits will take to the stage in sectionals to try and prove their worth.

The mark of a good show is their setup, and Glee has certainly done that in spades while still maintaining their thematic charm. Glee handles deafness and the underprivileged with its traditional uncomfortable aura and there are some interesting moments as the Glee kids look at competition that is more outcast than they are.

All of that, however, is only part of the setup for the finale. Without spoiling things too hard, let’s just day that pregnancy both young and faked takes a turn at the stage, and if we’re to believe what happens typically to Glee relationships (I.e. They get screwed up) then it’s going to be some interesting times for sure. As I’ve written before, the true charm of Glee is turning things on an awkward head while still being funny about it, and this will be no different.

There are some people out there that think Glee’s musical chops might not have endurance, but with a healthy mix of familiar pop and traditional musical that isn’t just spontaneous, I’d be wary of jumping to conclusions. Couple this with a finale that’s sure to create some characterization waves and you’ve got something that’ll be singing a song to us (and assaulting our piggybanks through iTunes) for a long time to come.

November 14, 2009

That Uncomfortable Amazing Glee Feeling

Poster-glee-6212431-509-755This week’s episode of Glee on Fox was a great one for Gleeks like me, for a variety of reasons, notwithstanding the dueling vocals of Chris Colfer and Lea Michele’s rendition of Wicked‘s “Defying Gravity”. The main reason, however, was a sense of an uncomfortable feeling that stemmed from seeing characters who were not considered “normal” trying to fit into normal roles. This feeling, and many other bitingly comedic moments like it, is part of the appeal of the show that separates it from being a glorified high school drama.

For those who aren’t watching, the main plot point revolved around wheelchair-bound Artie, and Glee teacher “Mr. Shue” trying to get the other members of the club to see what it was like to not have the use of your legs. There are several scenes in which the characters themselves express apathy, disregard, and sometimes unintended hurtful commentary towards their wheelchair-riding fellow member, and I definitely felt uncomfortable to begin with.

But that wasn’t all. The episode hit many notes of unease, from putting forth the question of whether a male (and a homosexual male at that) could be accepted as singing a prominent song written for a female, how a simple stutter can isolate you from people, and whether those with mental disabilities can be cheerleaders. The power in Glee is not just in the fact that there’s a stereotypical exploration of those who aren’t “normal”, but that it forces you to look through their eyes at what they have to go through. Environmental consequences, collateral damage to loved ones, the uncomfortable moral need to accept those not like us as normal even though we know they are not – these are the things that Glee screwed our eyes open to watch. And while sometimes things end pretty nicely, Glee isn’t afraid to drop the ball and show you what happens when the fairy tale idea of acceptance isn’t widely shared by all.

More than ever, Glee continues to show us that the premise and theme of the show is not just the done-to-death “geeks, freaks, and unpopular kids triumph over adversity”, but also how geeks, freaks, and unpopular kids cope with and adapt to adversity that, in reality, never goes away. This is the serious and uncomfortable undertone that punctuates parts of the comedic moments (a bake sale succeeding through the use of medical marajuana, for example), and it lends power to the series that can and should be its greatest strength. I know it keeps me watching, certainly, and it should have the same effect on you, no matter how uneasy it makes you feel.

October 22, 2009

The Glee Geek Club

Glee-kristinFox seems to be bringing the noise lately with shows that break the norm. Sci-fi series Fringe and Dollhouse are garnering attention with their respective takes on the supernatural and dystopian, mind-range titles like Lie to Me and Mental delve into human psychology and powerhouses like House M.D. continue to deliver in their character-based formulae.

But a Fox show called Glee, that was once called by skeptics to be a short-lived version of High School Musical, appears to be gathering attention among the musically inclined, the school-time nostalgics, and most of all, band and singing geeks like me. As someone who did a bit of everything in high school band, Glee for me is a return to carefree days where the worst thing I had to worry about was not a mortgage, but whether or not I’d look cool enough not to be picked on for my associations.

The whole premise of Glee seems to follow the formula that is well-known among TV watchers everywhere – take a group of misfits under the tutelage of an inspired teacher and bring them success they never thought they had. But the similarities end there. For one thing, in these geekery success stories the stereotypical popular jocks and cheerleaders are the enemy. Well in Glee, the popular kids take a turn at the mic and come to love singing as much as smashmouth, creating an interesting mixed social dynamic that it as mashed up as the songs they produce. In fact, characterization is Glee’s strongest point, as the show prefers not to just easily follow the geek success model but also pursue interesting individual conflicts. Some examples include a homosexual guy who hasn’t come out to his dad, a pregnant cheerleader, and a wheelchair-bound, bass-playing/singing talent. And those are just the teens. The adults are just as complex, and with guest star talent like Kristin Chenoweth, she of the tiny firecracker variety with the pipes of gold, they keep things interesting as well as entertaining.

Glee’s largest challenge is to cut back on being campy (an inevitable feeling given the musical content of the show), and it does that in part by both A)making sure that songs that are sung are done so in appropriate context and not at random and B)making the songs interesting and not just normal fare, like the “It’s My Life/Confessions, Part II” mashup. Yes, apparently you can mix Bon Jovi and Usher into an interesting new song – something that pretty much typifies the series’ philosophy as a whole. Glee is Fox’s Reese’s Peanut Butter cup – mixing two (or more) great things that go great together, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should – because this is no mere musical.

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