Glee | Teen Ink

Glee MAG

June 6, 2009
By gcatherinev BRONZE, UEP Subang Jaya, Other
gcatherinev BRONZE, UEP Subang Jaya, Other
3 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Can we have a round of applause for a realistic show about high school? Thank you.

“Glee,” a new series on FOX, is about students trying to find their niche. And they do – in the Glee Club. Their principal is looking for any excuse to cancel the club (since the last director was fond of flirting with members). Enter Will, the (cute) Spanish teacher and a former Glee Club member himself, who takes over to help the club regain its former glory. But there's a tough road ahead.

With a talented cast – featuring Lea Michele from “Spring Awakening” and Matthew Morrison from “Hairspray” – “Glee” is the most realistic portrayal of high school students on television.

I am gleeful to see this show break stereotypes and inject honesty into its writing. Unlike with Blair Waldorf or Naomi Clark, I can relate to these characters (they don't walk around dropping brand names). They are searching for who they are because they don't fall into trite social categories like jocks, cheerleaders, etc. And what a relief to find a student in a wheelchair (Arty) outside of a Hallmark made-for-TV movie. I feel warmth after watching “Glee,” compared with my desperate urge to buy hairbands after watching “Gossip Girl.”

I'm not a fan of “High School Musical,” yet I enjoy the singing and dancing in “Glee.” Unlike “HSM,” which was directed at preteens, these characters have depth. Rachel is a talented girl who wants to be accepted by her peers and to be special, and Finn is a jock who plays football and endures his teammates' teasing because he enjoys singing. “High School Musical” – cheesiness + real life – unrealistic plans to save the day = “Glee.”

Sure, “Glee” contains some clichés – Rachel is going to fall for Finn – but in spite of this, I think the show will inspire teenagers, and even teachers who have lost the love for what they do. Why? It's honest. It is not extravagant or pure fairy tale.

It's real.


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This article has 119 comments.


on Jan. 10 2015 at 7:00 pm
SophieFloph PLATINUM, Seattle, Washington
21 articles 3 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Her stomach did a revengeful flop."

By the way, I don't mean to be negative or overly critical. Just my opinion. I don't judge.

on Jan. 10 2015 at 6:59 pm
SophieFloph PLATINUM, Seattle, Washington
21 articles 3 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Her stomach did a revengeful flop."

I don't like Glee, in fact, I REALLY don't like Glee because I find it cliched and unrealistic in its portrayal of teens and high school (not to mention I hate the characters), but I appreciate the message behind it and the way it reaches out to all these social issues and identity issues and drug issues and…you get the point. Can they reach out to a really normal person too? Ugg, sorry. I prefer weird to normal. It's just a little weird to not have a single character without major issues.

on Apr. 6 2014 at 2:40 pm
klegault SILVER, St. Thomas, Other
9 articles 61 photos 17 comments
Yes! Exactly!!

on Apr. 6 2014 at 2:39 pm
klegault SILVER, St. Thomas, Other
9 articles 61 photos 17 comments
Fantastic review! Your hook was very intriguing. 

on Mar. 30 2014 at 10:41 am
_Tennessee_Love_ BRONZE, Easley, South Carolina
1 article 0 photos 54 comments

Favorite Quote:
¨the difference between promises and memories, is that we break promise and memories break us.¨

Oops sorry not DEvi1sAdvocate but I meant that to go to Rebeckabear... lol silly me.

on Mar. 30 2014 at 10:40 am
_Tennessee_Love_ BRONZE, Easley, South Carolina
1 article 0 photos 54 comments

Favorite Quote:
¨the difference between promises and memories, is that we break promise and memories break us.¨

Okay my 7 year old sister watches Glee... It prepares her for life. I am sorry to be against you Devi1sAdvocate but the saying "If you have got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." -Unknown, really applies here. So I'm sorry if you find Glee inappropriate but some of us find it very inspiring.... Take Kurt for example, he faces a very hard time especially with is sexuality but finds him friends with Finn, the popular boy in school. It teaches us that being diverse is okay. So yeah there is my opinion. :)

on Mar. 25 2014 at 10:00 pm
JesusandHisLawyers SILVER, Austin, Texas
7 articles 0 photos 99 comments

Favorite Quote:
"who the fuck has a favorite personal quote what does that even mean" - me, just now.

Glee, oh Glee, what is there to say about you. You're offensive, you're laughable, you're ridiculous, and for some reason, I still follow you, even after the stories have gotten so ridiculous that any same person would drop you. Ryan Murphey craps out another terrible show a la Nip/Tuck that for whatever reason, I will watch until it is inevitably, and to a silent sigh of relief from everybody, canceled.

LunaGlows said...
on Mar. 17 2014 at 3:38 pm
LunaGlows, Lake Worth, Florida
0 articles 49 photos 3 comments
I will admit, I used to think Glee was a good show, but I just stopped watching after The Quarterback because I liked Finn as a character and felt like it was a satisfying conclusion to the end of my veiwership with Glee.

misfitsquuen said...
on Feb. 28 2014 at 9:23 am
misfitsquuen, Easley, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments
hi i'm very new to this but i really love your glee thing

misfitsquuen said...
on Feb. 28 2014 at 9:21 am
misfitsquuen, Easley, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments
i think there really good sings its just they sometimes run out of some graet ideas and songs to sang but they sang great

misfitsquuen said...
on Feb. 28 2014 at 9:20 am
misfitsquuen, Easley, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments
welli think that they are really good singers but sometimes they run out of good ideas and song sto sing

misfitsquuen said...
on Feb. 28 2014 at 9:17 am
misfitsquuen, Easley, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments
i love glee to

misfitsquuen said...
on Feb. 28 2014 at 9:15 am
misfitsquuen, Easley, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments
and write somemore 1 would love to hear somemore about it thank you

misfitsquuen said...
on Feb. 28 2014 at 9:13 am
misfitsquuen, Easley, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments
i love glee too i love the way they sang

CSHCSH GOLD said...
on Jun. 17 2013 at 6:51 am
CSHCSH GOLD, Jakarta, Other
16 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everybody tries to change the world, but nobody tries to change themselves
-Leo Tolstoy

That is so true. People keep on going about how accurate glee is, and how realistic it is! I'm not saying it lacks credibility, but I sometimes feel its focuses too much on the bad side of highschool. Sure, bullies and discrimination may be a part of the pack, but the drama in the show totally puts me off. High school is not that bad, and although I believe in 'searching for your dream' thing, students should not forget that school is for studying- not for forming cliquey groups and getting involved in the drama. 

on Apr. 19 2013 at 10:53 pm
Positivity_At_Its_Finest DIAMOND, Morrow, Georgia
56 articles 2 photos 148 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is a stage, get on it and perform your best act.

i like how u told the truth!!!!! high school is sometimes portrayed as a fairy tale, but it's really not always fun and happy. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

on Apr. 16 2013 at 5:39 pm
GleekGamer PLATINUM, Somerset, New Jersey
28 articles 1 photo 34 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Friendship isn't always easy, but there's no doubt it's worth fighting for."

Great analysis. I love Glee (*points to username*), and it constantly makes me cry.

on Jan. 27 2013 at 12:08 am
We all know that Glee, if stripped of the special connection it has to young people, looses its magic. That is what I would say if someone asked for my take on Glee Season 4. I felt like Ryan Murphy has embarked on a quest to transform Glee to become the next " Gossip Girl" + Karaoke. His quest, however, failed, and he dragged the entire quest down with him. 

amaria0109 said...
on Jan. 26 2013 at 2:29 pm
amaria0109, Hanford, California
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
I like this series a lot, and I'm just really disappointed with the new season. It's so...... flat. Like they've run out of ideas.

Jason Hundal said...
on Dec. 20 2012 at 10:26 am
Jason Hundal, Thornton, Colorado
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
This was a nice review. It makes me want to read on about it.