User Reviews

The first three seasons are gold. BUT the rest of them suck..

The first three seasons are just perfect, the storylines and the characters are great, the script is so fricking funny.

I'm only giving it 7 stars. The only thing that was a little bit interesting but barely enjoyable in the last seasons were Rachel , kurt and Santana in New York..

Season 1 is a groundbreaking 10. Stays solid through 2, 3 is uneven but satisfying, 4 is uneven and less so, 5 and 6 a train wreck

They ruined what was a fun, snarky role model for kids that adults could enjoy. It became a very mixed bag of very mixed messages. "Klaine" in particular became a dysfunctional mess, a terrible role model after being a wonderful one in season 2. Such a shame.

The characters are memorable, even many of the recurring guest stars like Sebastian Smythe, Jesse St. James Holly Holiday, and April Rhodes.

Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel feel like cliched divas now, but with both they were layered portrayals that we hadn't seen before at the time. Rachel in particular was a very singular teen character who was amazing to watch in the beginning! Great writing for her. Kurt was a baby penguin to root for!

The most important character in the show was Finn Hudson. He didn't need the glee club the way they needed him. He chose to be an ally to the disenfranchised, and that is a vital message. The show lost its heart after he passed away,

The songs will be the show's biggest legacy, Darren Criss was the most consistent showstopper.

This show bothers me. And I can't fully articulate why I does in a concise way, but I guess I'll just throw out a bunch of very specific things that I can't stand in order to try and build the bigger picture: The first problem this show has is the heavily Auto Tuned sound of its "singers". I understand that several of the actors and actresses on this show are well trained and very talented in their own right, but the creators never let you know that. They take EVERY SINGLE VOCAL sung by anyone on this show and strip all nuance, dynamic and wavering pitch from it. These are computers we are listening to. Nobody sings "perfectly" but due to the unfortunate practice of "fixing" vocals in all modern music, this show makes possibly talented people sound like any hack singer who actually needs the pitch correction, and by doing so makes all performers on the show indistinguishable from one another (an odd decision considering how much this show would seem to promote individuality).

Another thing I take issue with is the facile, broad, borderline offensive way they approach the "issues" these characters have. In a recent episode, the kid in the wheelchair gets told about a procedure that could possibly fix his spine and allow him to pursue his ultimate dream of dancing. After a few scenes the show seems to suggest that he did the procedure and they have him leap out of his chair and do an elaborate dance number in the middle of a shopping mall. Obviously, the bait and switch comes, and that was merely a dream sequence. I guess that scene was supposed to feel cathartic, but I came away from it feeling deeply offended at the nonchalance the writers and creators have when dealing with this character's very real situation. There are many other examples of this approach (the one girl's pregnancy, the other girl's search for her mother). I'd like to note that I do know the names of these characters, but the writing of the show generally does not allow any person on screen a life beyond his or her basic archetype, so naming them almost seems beside the point.

The thing I have the biggest problem with is the tone this show takes. I have no problem with the notion of a show with a sunny attitude towards life and all its problems and complexity. The issue I take is when a show grazes over the "problems and complexity" part and jumps straight to the sunny attitude. If this show didn't present people that would appear to have real life problems; if it didn't pretend to address serious issues in an attempt to create the facade of depth; if it was merely a show about young kids with big dreams singing in the school's glee club, I could get behind it and appreciate its positive outlook. The creators made a conscious decision to address things like teenage pregnancy, sexual identity and other real life concerns, only to fail to actually address any of them with any thoughtfulness or care. Thus, the show's happy tone feels like it hasn't been earned and ultimately comes out feeling forced and delusional. In order to "smile though your heart is aching", you have to understand the ache.

Glee doesn't.

Glee is a heartwarming and incredible show about misfit teens in their Hugh school glee club. It follows Rachel Berry, a self absorbed talented girl who wants to be the next barbra Streisand; Finn Hudson, the football captain turned glee star; Quinn Fabray, the all American cheer captain and most popular girl on school, until she gets knocked up and joins glee club; and many other amazing and real characters you will enjoy as you watch glee

WARNING: Due to the detailed nature of my review, I am issuing a major spoiler alert. I notated spots you may want to skip if you have not watched. Read at your own risk.

"Glee" is one of my all-time favorite series. I quickly fell in love with it because of its admittedly contagious witty, happy-go-lucky energy. "Glee" is a show like no other. It's unique and special in its own way! How many other teen musical shows can you think of? I got nothin'!

While there are some high school cliché scenarios, what show does not? (I'm looking at you "One Tree Hill," "Dawson's Creek," "Degrassi," and pretty much every other high school drama.)

There is so much to be said for a show like "Glee." I will start here: "Glee" is a show that welcomes anyone willing to listen to music from all genres and experience a show that will likely make you laugh really hard on occasion, yet also sob uncontrollably on another. The singers perform measurably well and they all compete against each other to gain the acclaimed role as the best of the club.

Aside from that, here is what I will say: I have seen and heard so many discourage others from watching "Glee" and it really upsets me. I say watch the series for yourself and form your own opinion. Some like it, others don't. You never know, though. You may love it! The truth of the matter is that you will never know unless you try. It really is as simple as that. You may be a gleek at heart and therefore become part of the family! :o) (Don't worry. We welcome all!)

Another thing that bothers me is that people constantly compare this to "High School Musical." Why? Just . . . Why?! It is nothing like "High School Musical." If someone were to suggest otherwise, I would be rather confused on what basis it is alike.

One thing I also constantly hear is how "unrealistic" it is to break out in song in the middle of class or whilst walking down the highway, but the show is not at all aiming to be realistic in that respect. It's ridiculous that I have to explain this to people. Just watch and enjoy!

I will also say that when "Glee" is good . . . it is absolutely amazing! It can be one of the greatest things. It can be such a thrill. But when "Glee" is bad . . . I will tell you myself, it's really bad. It can be one of the worst things. It can make you want to beat your head against a wall and scream. The bigger picture, though, is that "Glee" had a strong run in its first three seasons. After that, the plots became less interesting and the music choices usually did not advance the plot like it once did so well. The first three seasons were undeniably the best of the show. There was far more good than there was bad and that is what matters the most.

One particular thing that I love about "Glee" is that the score is absolutely PERFECT for the series! It, like the show, is quirky and catchy! I love that they used Swingle Singers! Just SO MUCH FUN! :o) Aside from that, the score that they use in particularly "sad" scenes makes the moment even more magical and moving and sometimes even haunting because it captures the true beauty of the moment. The thing that I love about the scores is that they use are not at all suggestive. They fit just right and do not feel forced.

Now, the biggest issue that I have with this series is season four. (You may want to skip if you have not watched yet.) Here is why: The writing team really did seem to rehash the cast in season 4 and clone the old ones and that is likely why they were compared all the time. I hated that they introduced Marley as "Rachel 2.0." Though talented, she is nowhere near Rachel in that respect. Not even close. Aside from that, having Brit continually call Unique "Mercedes," although funny, made it feel like Unique was Mercedes' replacement. Then with Noah's brother, one could likely argue that he was Noah's "replacement." Not to mention Kitty . . . Sue even called her a new and improved Quinn at one point. All these things make it EXTREMELY hard for fans not to compare the characters. I honestly think that, for season four and on, they should have focused on the original cast after graduation. If they wanted to introduce new students, they should have given them more depth instead of just "replacing" them. I so badly wanted to appreciate and feel for the new cast in season four, but it was so hard when they, in a manner of speaking, were not even their own person. (Kind of like season six! I loved the students in season six. If only the writing team would have introduced them in season four, but I digress . . . )

The thing that I love the most are the amazingly hilarious one-liners that many of the characters dispense throughout the show. The best typically come from one hilarious Sue Sylvester. (Even though she is the villain, we all love to hate her. Well, maybe you'll love her once you find that she really does have a heart.) Additionally, I love the ongoing feud between Sue and Will. It just never gets old, I tell ya!

The important fact of the matter is that "Glee" was a musically beautiful series. I love some of the performances so much that I would argue several are better than the originals and I know several would agree. The only issue about the music is that, come season two, the show obviously used auto-tune, some instances far worse than others. It was barely an issue in the first season, but from season two on, there were several instances where it was noticeable. Most of these performers are professionals performing on Broadway and such and I think I speak for them when I say it is insulting when they auto-tune their voices. It takes away from how fun it could be. But, above that, "Glee" (usually) has above-average performances from its lead actors and, for most of the series, good storytelling. I would highly recommend to anyone open to a fun and moving experience. One thing that I respect about "Glee" is that it was GROUNDBREAKING in its LGBTQ+ representation, and that is something that I adore and feel to be strongly important. (If this bothers you, then don't watch. Simple as that.)

I leave off with one final comment. (This is another spot you may want to skip if you have not watched. The list is the part you will especially want to skip.) The show regards itself as a comedy and so do many others. I would argue that, while "Glee" is seriously funny and light-hearted more than it is serious, it also deals with EXTREMELY important topics. Allow me to list a few:

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1. suicide, 2. sex, 3. teen marriage, 4. eating disorders, 5. mental health issues, 6. bullying (sometimes extreme), 7. prostitution, 8. alcohol consumption, 9. serious tragedies within schools (i.e., shooting).

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There is nothing funny about these. "Glee" is a show that should be taken more seriously often than not because there is usually a lesson to learn within and it is not always blatantly obvious. While it may seem like a fun show, sometimes it crosses lines that can be controversial but ones that need to be crossed and contemplated. The show is mainly about the glee club and opening yourself up to joy by singing about what you feel in your heart, mind, and soul . . . but, of course, it is much more than that because it is also about life. And life is not pretty.

All in all, I really love "Glee!" As I said, the first three seasons were near perfect. If it was not for a mediocre season four and a sometimes bad season five, I would be inclined to give a much superior rating, but they happened and I am not a fan of them. It is normal for shows to go through a "rough patch" a while it happened and I did not enjoy it, the shows strengths more than made up for its weaknesses. That said, I still love it and give "Glee" an 8.4/10.

I got really into this show in high school when it first came out. I remember it being cheesy back then, but I genuinely felt inspired by the music and the (totally unrealistic) prospect of a high school glee club having unlimited access to an auditorium, a band and pianist on retainer, and all matching outfits for every number. Now that I have gained some emotional maturity and I work in schools, I can see how INSANE Glee is.

Almost every single character in this show exhibits horrible emotional regulation, frequently erupting into tirades of yelling or physical destruction from very small issues (like Mercedes throwing a brick through Kurt's window after he says he isn't interested. Woah). The school staff in this show cross boundaries that would get you fired in two seconds, while creating double standards for days (for example, a high school counselor tells a teacher she wants to do "the nasty" with him, like, in the middle of the hallway surrounded by kids. Yikes).

On top of the dysfunction of each character, the plot accelerates like crazy, with relationships forming and crashing to pieces in minutes. Pretty much everyone is deceptive and manipulative in their interactions, and infidelity is constant with pretty much no remorse.

Adding on to the absolute chaos that is the story line, the most cringe things about this show is the way that social issues are handled. The show frequently uses slurs and other stereotypes against a disabled character, Jewish characters,character, etc., with generally no justice given to the character who is targeted by hateful actions or words. Characters shame and manipulate each other constantly, with no respect for boundaries (such as Santana shaming Finn for being a virgin, everyone pressuring Kurt to pray/open up to religion, Sue body shaming basically everyone in one way or another, and more). In my opinion, literature, movies, shows, etc. can successfully send messages about social justice if there are consequences that the characters experience from the hate, but in Glee it's just normalized and accepted, and awkwardly tries to be part of the comedic relief. The message which (I think) was to help the "outcast" kids feel seen absolutely did not stick.

ALL THIS TO SAY - Glee is very entertaining to watch if you can accept how insane it is and just enjoy the ride. Many of the musical numbers are fun to watch, especially in how theatrically they are performed. The "musical" style of show was executed well and is fun to watch. Many of the songs did not land well as covers, but it's entertaining to watch anyway. Getting sucked into a high school fantasy world can be fun for 45 minutes.

TL;DR - Glee is a dumpster fire of hormones, manipulative and shallow characters, and rapid-fire plot that often makes no sense. If you're offended by slurs, this show isn't for you. That said, the show has many aspects that make it visually fun and entertaining, if you can take the whole thing with a grain of salt and realize how awful the writing is.

Throughout American television history, black women have been viewed negatively not only by white people but black people as well. Not only is their hard work and dedication to their families overlooked at times, but they are also constantly made fun of and degraded in the media. While there are times in which black women can be depicted in a positive light in movies and TV shows, the reality is that the majority of the time they are cast as unpleasant characters. For example, in the TV show Glee- a tv show known for its depiction of diversity and inclusiveness- , Amber Riley plays Mercedes Jones who for a while was the only black woman depicted in the show. Mercedes Jones first appears in the pilot episode of Glee in which a majority of the main characters are introduced. In this episode, the first time Mercedes is seen is on stage as she auditions for the club. The song she sings is "Respect" by Arethra Franklin. At first, this may not seem like it plays into a stereotypical view of black women, but when comparing her auditions to the other members, it is clear that their performances somehow reveal something about their own personalities. Rachel, for example, sings "On My Own" from the musical Les Misérables which relates to her love for musical theatre and Tina sings "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry which depicts her as edgy which is how she appears in style. With this information, I can infer that through the song Mercedes chooses it may relate her to somebody demanding and sassy. It is possible to look at Mercedes's song choice as a song that shows off her powerful voice, but you can also see it as a preview of her character just as the other characters were previewed through their songs. Additionally, in the pilot episode during a scene in which the members are rehearsing, Rachel is singing the lead with Finn while the other members sing back up. Halfway through the song Mercedes interrupts and says "Oh hell to the no. I'm not down with this background singing nonsense. I'm Beyoncé. I ain't no Kelly Rowland. '' Not only does this come off as overly aggressive for them to only be rehearsing a song for the characters in the show, but it also comes off as sassy and aggressive to the viewers as well, especially for this to be the first episode. This shows that the preview of Mercedes's personality through her song choice in auditions was pretty accurate. The show Glee is well known for its ability to depict how it is possible to overcome individual differences and become the best version of yourself. It is also known for speaking on controversial issues within minority groups of people. This is seen through the gay characters Kurt, Blaine, Brittany, and Santana as well as the trans characters Unique and Coach Beiste. It even touches on people with physical disabilities such as Artie who is in a wheelchair. When it comes to Mercedes, I feel as though through the beginning seasons the creators of the show failed black girls and women when they decided to introduce Mercedes as selfish, sassy, and demanding. There is nothing wrong with a sassy character, but when it seems that that is all they are portrayed to be it becomes a problem.