If you want to read another blog post praising Glee and containing phrases such as "OMG I LUV LEA MICHELLE!1!11!" . . . then you've come to the wrong place, because I'm not a huge fan of Glee.
Yes, I said it. I. Don't. Like. Glee.
Some people gasp at this statement, especially when they know I'm a theatre fanatic. Doesn't every theatre person love this show? Well, apparently not.
Alright, so I don't absolutely abhor this show. I've seen a few episodes, and there are some things about it that I do like. Some of their renditions of popular songs aren't too bad, I loved the episode with Neil Patrick Harris, and Jane Lynch is hysterical, but overall, I find Glee overrated, and frankly, a bit annoying.
First of all, there's Lea Michelle. Her singing is alright, but her acting is obnoxious. I understand her character is supposed to be annoying and a bit over-the-top, but just watching the scenes with her makes me frantically search for the remote to change the channel.
The over-dramatization of high school just makes me want to roll my eyes. Sure, they need some drama to keep the show interesting, but in the episodes that I've seen, there's so much that it makes it seem unrealistic. After all, I go to high school, and it's rare that I see THAT much drama, unless people are purposely trying to create it.
The cast also tends to butcher most of the songs they sing. There have been a few renditions that I've enjoyed, such as Aerosmith's "Dream On", but the majority I can't stand. Lea Michelle's "Don't Rain on my Parade" is pretty painful, and so is their version of "Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles. And don't get me started on "Sweet Transvestite"! The song is about a male transvestite, and you have a girl singing it? Do I need to define the word transvestite for you?
And don't get me started on the masses of "fake theatre buffs" the show has produced - teenage girls who claim that theatre is their life, but can't name you a single show tune or musical except for the ones that they've done on Glee. They say they love theatre with all their heart, but don't even know who Rogers and Hammerstein are.
But there are some good things about the show. Maybe there are more fake theatre buffs, but this show is exposing people to more musicals than before. Even if some of them won't bother to listen to anything other than Wicked and Legally Blonde, I've met some people who have really had their interest in musical theatre sparked because of Glee. Some have asked me about different musicals and for suggestions on which musicals to check out. I've even gone to some of my friends parties and they played show tunes! Alright, maybe they were the crappy Glee renditions, but still.
So maybe Glee is one of the most overrated shows on TV and doesn't live up to all the hype it gets, but it does do some good things. After all, if it's introducing people to the wonderful world of theatre and making people curious about this great art form, then it can't be all that bad.
- Marina
I USED to be a huge Glee fanatic but now I beginning to lose interest in the show.. if you read my most recent entry you'll see why. You have some pretty valid viewpoints.. espcially about Lea Michele and how her acting seems to be a bit over the top. She's way too much about getting all the solos. I've liked most renditions of pop songs and showtunes they've done Lea Michele's version of Crush from last season is horrible to listen too and I totally agree with you about Sweet Transvestite. That was the worst song from last night's episode as was the duet that Will and Emma sang.. way too overly sexual for primetime tv.
ReplyDeleteI think the end of Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me scarred me for life.
ReplyDeleteAnd as much as I like this show (like, not love), Rachel Berry is one of the most insufferable characters to grace (and I use that word loosely) the television screen.
@mattbrain: You're right about Rachel. :/
ReplyDeleteI only watch the show if there's an actor on that I like (for example, NPH), or if they're doing something where I want to see their interpretation (ie, Rocky Horror).