When I first watched Glee, I was so excited. Being a shallow, escapist kind of girl, I love musicals. A TV show providing a weekly dose of unreality floated my boat. And the idea of a bunch of high school losers breaking into song and dancing was my personal high school dream come true.
Of course, many of the characters in the show are cliche. The Glee Club is full of them – airhead cheerleaders who can’t stand the bossy and talented Jewish girl who looks a lot like Barbara Streisand, a couple angry jocks, a flaming gay guy, and a spunky fellow in a wheelchair. Faculty members include a dumb jock coach ,a pinch-faced principal, a neurotic guidance counselor, and the sincere and sensitive underdog Spanish teacher who becomes the Glee Club advisor. And when the parents appear, which doesn’t happen often, they’re either hypocritical conservative Christians, hip gay couples or sensitive single mothers.
For several episodes, I overlooked the cartoon characterizations for two reasons. First, the musical numbers were the perfect way to escape and so fun to watch. Second, Jane Lynch was absolutely hilarious as Sue Sylvester, director of the Cheerios drill team and arch enemy of the Glee Club.
But in the last few episodes, the gist of every show has been who’s going out with who, who’s having sex with who, and who will lose his/her virginity next. Every musical number is awash in sexual innuendo. Every story line leads to a bedroom. Maybe that’s a fair depiction of high schools full of testosterone-inflamed boys and estrogen-driven girls. But it can’t be the only thing kids do. I mean, some of them have homework, don’t they? Or go to work or blow up stuff in science class or practice those snappy little dance numbers? However, the writers are deep into the sex theme. Apparently, they’re so uncreative, they can’t think of anything else to write about.
Well, I’ve had enough. No more Glee for me. I’m going back to the DVDs of The Dick Van Dyke Show. The Hollywood twin beds and pristine PJs the Petries wear every evening aren’t any more realistic than Glee’s hot pants, but the singing and dancing ranks right up there. And the writing iss stellar. Do you suppose Carl Reiner would come out of retirement and get Glee back on track?
I wish.
