Call me an almost-Gleek

I discovered Glee four episodes into its first season, upon my cousin’s insistence I watch a really good episode on her Macbook. What an episode to watch too—it was the tribute to Beyonce’s  “Single Ladies,” which opened with the very fab gay character  Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) doing his own version of the Single Ladies MTV and had the whole high school football team dancing to the same song as well.

If that can’t hook you, nothing can. Or, on second thought, if that can’t hook you, you will surely find a lot of other scenes that can, as Glee usually has around five production numbers per episode that mixes stage tunes and pop hits.

Incidentally, that episode remains my favorite to date, because in it was born a gay character young people could actually look up to, with a father parents of gay children can take their cue from. Incidentally, as well, the character of Kurt Hummel was written into the show when Chris, who is openly gay, auditioned for the role of the paraplegic electric guitar player Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale, who isn’t differently-abled in real life and actually happens to have a dance background). The producers were so impressed by his performance that they were inspired to include one more character—and what better character to a show with musical numbers, but a gay character who can belt out “Defying Gravity” from Wicked?

For those who have yet to discover the joy that is Glee, it’s a musical comedy-drama about a rag-tag group of small-town high school students, all of them losers in their own way, who join the glee club. Adding color to the pursuit of their passions are the personal and professional issues of the school’s staff, from the principal who has to monitor the budget closely; to the football coach who is desperate to have a girlfriend; to the head coach of the cheerleading squad, which considers the glee club to be its arch-enemy, especially since it has to compete for a very tight budget; to the director of the glee club himself, Spanish teacher and former high school glee club member Will Schuester, who has a wife lying about her pregnancy and doesn’t know it yet.

The pilot episode premiered after American Idol in May and it has become a full-blast commercial hit since, with songs from each episode being released on iTunes every week and a series of Glee albums being released beginning November.

I personally find the show a refreshing break from all the dark shows I’ve been enjoying, like Dexter and True Blood, or whodunnit shows that, yes, I still can’t get enough of, like CSI and The Mentalist. It’s High School Musical without the candy—bright and bubbly, but not cloyingly sweet. It’s escapism without the element of stupid we often have to put up with. It’s satirical without being overbearing. It’s pure, non-guilty pleasure. Best of all, it makes musicals cool again, especially to young people who aren’t as exposed to them anymore.

The only bad news is that its mid-season finale aired in the US yesterday and the season, with its remaining 9 episodes, will resume in April 2010. Get ready for the withdrawal symptoms, Gleeks.

Thank God I started off late. I still have a lot of back episodes to watch and given the piece of information I mentioned above, I’m going to take my own sweet time catching up!

Goodbye, Mr. Monk

The detective comedy-drama starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, the brilliant detective who has to deal with obsessive-compulsive disorder, came to a satisfying close after eight successful seasons early this month. The final part of its two-part series ender set a new record with its 9.4 million viewers.

We’re a little bit behind on Monk here in the Philippines, so we should still be seeing some more of him. Nevertheless, I’m always saddened by the end of a really wonderful series. As of now, I don’t see any other detective topping Adrian Monk’s brilliance coupled with weirdness, as much as I can’t see any other doctor besting Dr. Gregory House.

Of course, I’m all about the rainbow at the end of the tunnel. A series’ end means a DVD box set—with all the season and special features to boot.

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