Three simple words will bring an elated smile to a child’s face: High School Musical. Disney has exhausted this phenomenon since its release in 2006, trying to gain as much profit as possible. Film musicals have not been widely accepted since Hollywood’s musical golden age of the 1950’s, so it would only make sense for Disney to try to stretch the success of the HSM movies. Film musicals have only recently become popular once more. Movies like Chicago, Hairspray, and Sweeney Todd have made millions of dollars through beguiling songs, trendy dance numbers, and amusing acting. Thus, it would seem only reasonable and profitable to create a musical television series. This fad has most recently been personified by Fox’s hit television show Glee.

Glee is a television show that follows the lives of high school glee club members. It’s the story about a talented group of musical misfits who band together in order to take a stand for originality and differences. Set in a small town in Ohio, Glee follows club moderator, William Schuester, a rather clichéd teacher who desires to resurrect the school’s glee club, New Directions, and make the club members believe in their abilities. This does not exactly sound interesting until the other characters are added: a spunky, pregnant cheerleader captain, a gay, fashion-obsessed tenor, a handicapped “dork”, an obsessive, aspiring Broadway performer, a high-tempered diva, and a self-conscious
football player with the newfound passion to sing. Although these characterizations may seem harsh, this same bluntness is presented in the show, especially by the extremely witty Sue Sylvester, (brilliantly played by Jane Lynch). She is Mr. Schuester’s nemesis and fellow teacher. Her saucy behavior and absolutely ridiculous lines (i.e. “I like minorities so much, I'm thinking of moving to California to become one”) illustrate her as a villain and one overall interesting individual. She is the character viewers love to hate.

So, what exactly makes this Ohioan glee club an engaging television program? If the fast-paced responses, confrontations, forbidden crushes, and high school hormones are not enough, then the show choir performances will catch the ear as well as the eye. Each episode promises a hit song redone by the cast. Most popular songs from the show include “Don’t Stop Believin,’” “Lean On Me,” “Jump,” and the fluid combo of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “Young Girl.” While these iconic songs of American pop culture are sung with a new twist, the actors’ energy with dancing is just as appealing to watch. Teenagers performing both modern and “oldies” hits guarantee happy audience members from fifteen to ninety years old!

Obviously, such a popular show comes with the problems caused by instant gratification. The rapid success of the eccentric mixture of teenagers in the club and the predictable relationship conflicts make Glee a show where the viewers always win. The viewers’ desires for the characters always happens, such as two characters falling in love. Another problem is that the teenagers’ abilities almost appear superhuman. It is clear that these actors, most well beyond the age of high school students, have talent, but is it fair to display their characters in the same way? Nevertheless, if one does not mind listening to musical and rocks songs, watching a diverse group of once downtrodden teenagers perform show choir, and laughing hysterically at the over-the-top stereotypes, then Glee is a show appropriate for a wide range of viewers. Who knows? The national craving for more episodes by “Gleeks” may just make Glee more popular than High School Musical.