What is “Glee?” Is it a noun that means extreme delight? Is “Glee” a television show that aired on Fox between 2009 and 2015? Is “Glee” a lifestyle, or a cult of theater kids? The right answer is all of the above.
You might be thinking to yourself, “Why on Earth is this girl writing about ‘Glee’ for her school’s newspaper?” Trust me, there is a reason.
First of all, and I say this in great despair, Netflix will be kicking “Glee” to the curb on Nov. 30, 2021. I’m not saying we should start a revolution to get “Glee“ back on streaming, but I’m not opposed to the idea.
In addition to my sadness about the departure of “Glee” from Netflix, I also feel the need to finally speak my truth.
Every single year, I go through the same torment and harassment that comes along with Spotify Wrapped. At the end of the year, Spotify Wrapped shows you what your top songs, genres and artists are for the year.
I am subjected to annual bullying because, since 2018, my top artist has been the “Glee” cast.
I’ll be the first to say it – “Glee” is horrific and the writers really messed up by exposing the public to the atrocities that took place during those 44 minutes.
However, fake artists never take risks. The writers of “Glee” risked their dignity every day, and that’s why it’s the best.
Will Schuester, played by Matthew Morrison, teaching his glee club to twerk? Vile. Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele, sending a talented singer she’s threatened by to a crack house to prevent her from stealing her spotlight? Visionary.
“Glee” has been a show that broke boundaries from the start. When shows like “Breaking Bad” manage to not only have heart and soul but also a mediocre performance of “Gangnam Style” with a girl passing out mid-song, all while somehow still making perfect sense, only then will I reconsider my stance.
No other show can have so much absurdity and borderline insane plotlines that are executed as perfectly as “Glee” has.
What follows is a real plotline from the show. Finn Hudson, played by Cory Monteith, thought he was communicating with God via a grilled cheese sandwich, which he dubbed “Grilled Cheesus.” In the same episode, Kurt, played by Chris Colfer, begins to question his beliefs as an atheist when his father has a life-threatening heart attack.
How does an episode like that make it to air? I have no idea. But, it did, and it was life-changing.
“Glee” also managed to have the most offensive characters ever written, while also providing representation for communities that are often overlooked.
On one hand, you have these writers being explicitly biphobic toward Brittany, meanwhile, you also have “Glee” being one of the first TV shows to show two girls in love. Not to mention, it is a positive portrayal of an LGBTQI+ relationship that isn’t just for the male gaze. Who else can pull that off?
A lot of the episodes are pretty disgraceful, but the fact that it can make you cringe, while at times also making you hysterically sob because of covers like The Band Perry’s song “If I Die Young,” makes it vastly superior to anything else.
I wholeheartedly believe the best scene in any show or film is the scene in “Glee” when they had the popular cheerleader, Quinn Fabray, played by Dianna Agron, giving birth as Jonathan Groff, who guest-starred as Jesse St. James, simultaneously performed a stellar rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. What otherworldly cinematography.
Naturally, people think their Spotify Wrapped is a fun thing to share with friends and family. For me, this is where I hide my true self and spend hours on elaborate Photoshop edits to try and fake a different top artist.
But, it’s time I stand up for myself. I will not hide any longer. “Glee” is not an embarrassment, it is an inspired piece of great pop-cultural significance and the world will be in shambles without it being available to stream. It is, dare I say, the best show to ever grace the screen.
