TV Review: Glee - "Preggers"

Ryan Murphy's (Nip/Tuck) sparkling new musical satire, Glee, is quickly becoming my new favorite show. Maybe it has something to do with the fact I grew up a crazy punk rock liberal theater geek in a tiny little conservative town with no drama department in their school. My few friends were all like-minded, lonely, and yes, we were all mercilessly mocked for our passions and our "alternative life choices," whatever that meant. Watching Glee is kind of like watching my life in high school, with more dance numbers and less profanity.

Glee is a highly ambitious series, with a massive ensemble cast, delightful yet over-produced musical numbers, and a healthy dose of Murphy's brand of surrealist melodrama. This is a world where the cheerleading team is nicknamed after a breakfast cereal, the school guidance councelor has OCD, and women have hysterical pregnancies in order to keep their husbands from leaving. I can tell you that some of these overly cutesy touches drive me insane, but the show always ends up drawing me back with emotional realism. All I know is that I find Spanish techer Will Schuster (Matthew Morrison) and his band of misfits highly entertaining.

Watching this week's Glee was at times emotionally wrenching. I clearly identify with the character of Kurt (Chris Colfer) in a profound way. Not the 'coming out as gay' part, but trying so desperately to maintain a relationship with a parent who disapproves of your passions. The fact that Kurt feels compelled to lie to his working class single father is heartbreaking, but it is like that across the world for gay teens. Ryan Murphy said in a recent L.A. Times article that a little of his own life made its way into his characterization of Kurt, and I can see it in the tender way Murphy laid out Kurt’s scenes with his father, played by a surprisingly good Mike O’Malley.

Chris Colfer was both hysterically funny, touchingly sad, and devastatingly true to life in this episode. More shocking and pure is his father’s reaction to the news — it’s kind of hard to deny your son may be gay when he asks for a pair of sensible heels when he’s three. Or has a hope chest. Which is full of tiaras. O’Malley plays it as a matter of fact, not deeply profound or overly emotional. It is what it is. He’s not overjoyed about it, but he certainly isn’t going to erupt into a homophobic screed.

Article Author: palais1977

A pop culture junkie, I write about things that strike my fancy, whether it be the random song on the radio or a recap of whatever was on television last night.

Visit palais1977's author page — palais1977's Blog