Glee is a Fox musical comedy TV show, which debuted in 2009, produced by Ryan Murphy that takes place in Lima, Ohio. Will Schuester, an optimistic Spanish teacher, takes over a dead glee club, and names it the New Directions at William McKinley High School. There, a group of teenage outcasts try to find the place where they fit in. Among them are Rachel Berry, a born star who is sure she is destined for Broadway, Finn Hudson, the popular quarterback, and other McKinley High outcasts. The glee club faces many ups and downs throughout the show, caused by the malicious cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester. Sue is determined to destroy the glee club, and the arts in general in any way possible, including running for office. The show’s plot, music, and acting are sure to keep viewers hooked. Glee always leaves you wanting more, and fans will be kept on the edge of their seat.

121 episodes and over six seasons of Glee aired, from 2009 to 2015, because the plot of the musical TV series never failed to entertain viewers. The story behind Glee was written by Ian Brennan, based on his own experiences in a show choir, or a glee club, making it seem so much more realistic. One of the things that kept people watching the show was how it addressed major issues in the real world. One of the major real world problems that Glee addressed was homosexuality, and how badly the homosexuals were treated in a high school community. It wasn’t like most other TV series out there, but it told the story about how a gay or lesbian was actually treated at school, and how realistic it was. The show also addressed drugs and alcohol, tying it into the plot. This is truly amazing, since it was fun to watch, and informative to its general audience of teenagers and young adults at the same time.

The characters and actors in Glee make a huge difference in how the story is told, and how the characters appear to the viewers. The show features Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson, the quirky quarterback. The way Monteith portrays Finn makes a big difference in what we think of him because if the actor was bad, we wouldn’t like the character. Monteith had dealt with drug and alcohol addiction since he was a teen, which ultimately resulted in his death in 2013. But because he knew what it felt like to feel out of place, he could relate to his character Finn, making us love him even more. The same goes for actress Lea Michele who portrays Rachel Berry, an ambitious singer. In an interview with USA Today, Michele said she “grew up in a high school where if you didn't have a nose job and money and if you weren't thin, you weren't cool, popular, beautiful” which is exactly what her character Rachel experiences at McKinley. In the episode “Born This Way,” Rachel is convinced that she needs a nose job to seem cooler, but later decides that it doesn’t matter what she looks like. In this episode, Rachel is portrayed exceptionally well because of Lea Michele’s experience with the situation as a high schooler.

With over 53 million downloads, Glee’s renditions of original songs have proven to be a big hit. The story is told through song, so singing is a very important aspect in the show. How the actors dance while they are singing, or where they are positioned is also very important. The show has received many awards and nominations for its music, including a nomination for outstanding original music and lyrics and best television series for musicals and comedies. Some of the most popular songs sung by the Glee cast are “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, and “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. The cast’s interpretation of “Don’t Stop Believin’ “ became the #1 most downloaded song on iTunes the day after the episode aired. The cast also perform songs by artists such as Britney Spears, and artists that aren’t as popular. Often, the songs they sing relate to the plot of the show, which makes it much more interesting to watch. In the Pilot episode, the New Directions sing “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” by Journey to tell Mr. Schuester to not give up on his dreams of bringing the glee club to the national competition. This helped develop the plot because instead of telling Mr. Schuester that he should say, they sing a song about it which goes into much more detail, and it’s not boring.

Glee has proven to be a binge-worthy show with just under ten million views on its pilot episode and over 53 million downloads of its songs. It is a must watch for fans of music, comedy, or drama because of its spectacular renditions of the original songs, the quality of the acting, and it is guaranteed to make you smile. Though the show ended in 2015, all six seasons are available on Netflix. Even if you don’t typically enjoy watching musical comedies, it is something everyone should watch as a teenager or at some other point in life.