Glee with me

I watched the pilot episode of Glee last Spring at the urging of some coworkers. I thought it was hilarious and couldn't wait for the episodes to continue this fall.

Glee is about a group of social misfits, the one's who were looked down upon in high school (but are really the ones who go on to rule the world), who are in a show choir group called Glee Club. Mr. Schuester, the group's advisor, was in the school's award winning Glee club back in the 90s. He is married to a wacky, needy woman named Terri, while guidance counselor Emma secretly pines away for him.

Last week's premier did not disappoint, in fact, it had me rolling it was so funny. The episode started with Kurt, the fashionista character, getting tossed into the garbage by the jocks. Before they toss him in he throws his designer messenger bag to the side and tells the bullies, "One day you'll all be working for me." Probably true.

Mr. Schue wants to recruit new members to the currently 5-member club and wants the students to perform "Freak Out" in front of the entire school during a pep assembly saying, "It's a crowd pleaser." Nobody in the club agrees and say they'll be the laughing stock of the school if they perform to disco.

To appease the students, Mr. Schue brings Kanye's (*cough* jackass) Golddigger to have the group work on for nationals. He wants shy jock Finn to sing the lead, but Finn says he's too busy trying not to trip over his own feet while singing let alone dance the lead. Mercedes opens the piece with some amazing vocals and Mr. Schue gives a show stopping performance as the lead.

In the end, diva Rachel goes behind Mr. Schue's back so that the group doesn't have to sing disco. Instead, it's Salt and Pepper's "Push It" that is performed at the rally. This performance alone is worth watching this episode of Glee. It is hilarious and the singing is spectacular. Of course the group gets in trouble for the sexually charged performance, but it was well worth it. Even the principal says, "I haven't seen the student body this excited since Tiffany performed at the Northills Mall." Must be good.

Some other highlights of the episode were when Rachel tries to impress Finn by showing interest in stuff he likes. She attends the school's celibacy club that Finn goes to with his girlfriend Quinn. The club's motto: "it's all about the teasing and not about the pleasing." To combat the problem of arriving early, Finn shares with the other males of the club that people say to think about dead kittens or something, but the only image that worlds for him is the day his mom took him to practice for his driver's permit and he hits the mailman, sending his mom into a screaming fit. When the boys and girls of the club join back together they play a game where they cautiously hold a balloon between them for the "immaculate affection."

Mr. Schue and his wife are looking to buy a house because a new baby is on the way. While checking out a home the real estate agent points out that "the banisters were made by Equadorian children." And when Terri shows her husband the children's room she says, "this is where our daughter or gay son will sleep."

Finally, Rachel is caught in the bathroom by Emma who asks if she's just thrown up. Rachel replies, "The girl who was throwing up before me left that. I tried but I guess I just don't have a gag reflex." Emma responds, "One day when you're older that'll turn out to be a gift." They proceed to have a talk about eating disorders and Rachel reveals she doesn't have an eating disorder, just the desire to be thin so that Finn would notice her.

The show is full of snarky comments and pop-culture references that keep you laughing. There are also moments that make you cringe when you recognize yourself in these high schoolers or think, "Gee, I knew someone just like that." This past week's episode was not as funny as the first two, but as long as things don't get too show-tuney I will continue to tune in.