Whether you love it, hate it, or are indifferent towards it- there's no denying that "Glee" is a bona fide TV phenomenon.
Ever since Fox aired the pilot back in May 2009, "Glee" has received high critical acclaim, earning two Emmy awards this past August, and accumulating a vast and devoted fan base.
So what is it about "Glee" that launched it to a pop culture obsession after barely ten months of continuous air time? For starters, "Glee" is not your typical TV show about high school kids. Rather than mimic the conventions set by shows like "One Tree Hill" and "The O.C.", "Glee" creates new precedents for high school dramedies.
In case you are completely immune to the Gleek effect and know nothing about the show, "Glee" is a TV musical. The word "musical" doesn't exactly pave the way for success on the small screen, but the creators have made their vision of a musical TV series about a group of teenagers in a newly formed, rag tag high school glee club surpass all expectations.
"Glee" incorporates popular music into the storyline of the show, either as pieces that McKinley High's Glee Club, "New Directions," is performing or as an internal monologue for the show's characters.
Needless to say, the music of "Glee" is very catchy and the cast is packed with a great deal of authentic talent.
The "Glee" cast is composed of former Broadway stars such as Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester) and Lea Michele (Rachel Berry) and has also featured a number of very famous guest stars ranging from Broadway divas like Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth to pop superstars such as Olivia Newton John.
The first season left its viewers with a sense of closure for a number of the arcing storylines.
Quinn had her baby, and Shelby, Rachel's birth mother, adopted the baby girl, as many fans were likely able to predict. New Directions finally made it to regionals with a huge weight hanging over their head; they had to place in either first or second place or they would lose their space at McKinley.
In a surprising plot twist, New Directions did, in fact, place third out of three. However, they gained a shred of compassion from their long-time opponent, the head of the cheerleading squad, Sue Sylvester, who demanded that the principal of McKinley give New Directions a second chance.
This finale has set up "Glee" perfectly for its second season. It has established the fact that New Directions is not American Idol. Most of the characters will probably not reach stardom, but New Directions has never been about winning or losing, but rather, what each member of the Glee Club gains from being a part of it.
This is an important theme of "Glee" that was poignantly captured in the season finale.
So what specifically do fans have to look forward to in the new season? More fantastic guest stars, for one. Britney Spears and John Stamos are among the confirmed guest stars for the upcoming season, and among the stars rumored to appear on the show are Paul McCartney and Justin Timberlake. Camila Melgarejo, a sophomore and a member of SHU's own University Choir said she's looking forward to seeing a variety of guest stars on the show.
"I'm excited to see Brittney Spears, because she's such a pop icon," she said. "But I'm also hoping the rumors about Paul McCartney are true, because he's more of a serious music legend."
The second season of "Glee" will premier on Fox on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
Emily Lake can be reached at emily.lake@student.shu.edu.
