Pop Culture for Fun

Glee, that show with a little bit of song and a little bit of dance… who am I kidding, a lot of song and a lot of dance, is the fad of the moment, to the point of inspiring flash mobs. As it’s quite new, and somewhat innovative (I can remember at least a show, albeit not a long lasting one, about a casino with people bursting into song that came before- Viva Laughlin), Glee has managed to be a hit so far. So let’s look at the whys (while also exploring why these reasons will become disabilities in the future).

Glee is a bit like Saved by the Bell

Sorry for resorting to such an old reference but Glee has a lot of Saved by the Bell‘s charm: charming teenagers, somewhat satirical humor, a high-school setting. Also – the 1990s show was quite popular in it’s day. It also stands as warning that popularity can quickly go away, and spin-offs often can erase a good memory from people’s minds. And on that note, the stars of Saved by the Bell haven’t amounted to much after its 4 year run: Tiffani Thiessen fizzled away, Elizabeth Berkley decided to go out with a bang (Showgirls) – not counting anything after that and the male leads, well, Mario Lopez is kind of a TV star, kind of.
Plus: There’s no Screech for Glee.

Glee is a little bit like Heroes

Yes, Heroes, that show that was once great, now is canceled and won’t be remembered fondly due to 3 seasons of wrecking a good thing. The similarity comes from their respective season 1 popularity, but also in the form of the large cast, and the inability to handle all of them successfully. Because, even though the second half of the season took big strides to accommodate all the characters, most of the episodes so far have thrust only a few of the characters into the spotlight, much to the disadvantage of the others. Which is sad because all the cast is talented. Hopefully, they can fix that.
Plus: Both shows like cheerleaders a lot.

Glee is a little bit like Lost

In that it’s a show about characters, which people often mistake for a gimmicky something else. Lost was all about the mythology for many, many people, yet the show’s roots were the characters. Glee is just like that. People mostly just see the musical numbers, but the show is at its best when showcasing the characters’ emotions through the musical numbers. Sadly, that’s not always the case, and, in the long run, making it all about the numbers and less about the characters, will bring the show down.
Plus: So far the gimmicky something has been very well done.

Glee is a little bit like American Idol

You could see this a mile away. Their both about musically talented people showcasing their gifts through showmanship. And, only occasionally on Glee, there’s competition – sectionals and the much awaited regionals which will end the first season. The difference is that Idol is all about real people and a reality show feel. Glee is a fictional show, which can’t rely on real people but must make it’s characters feel real enough for the viewers to care.
Plus: Sue Sylvester is way better than Simon Cowell

Glee is a little bit like MTV (well, more like VH1)

You’ve got your classic rock (Journey, Kiss), your somewhat derided one hit wonders (Ice, Ice, Baby , The Safety Dance), your currently in heavy rotation songs (Lady Gaga) and most of all, the show tunes. Most performances look and feel like a standalone music video, the trick is to weave them into the storyline. Problem is, people won’t tune in just to see another version of (insert song) for very long. So, we come back to getting the viewers invested in the characters and storyline.
Plus: Theatricality, a lot of it – also, no reality shows.

Posted on May 31st, 2010 by MrWiseguy
Filed under: TV