Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States. It focuses on a high school glee club called "New Directions", at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio. The pilot episode of the show was broadcast afterAmerican Idol on May 19, 2009, and the first season began airing on September 9, 2009. On September 21, 2009, Fox officially gave the series a full-season pick-up. Glee aired its mid-season finale on December 9, 2009 and returned from a four-month hiatus on April 13, 2010, picking up the remaining nine episodes of the season. The spring premiere had an estimated 13.7 million viewers, nearly doubling in followers on its return.
The show's creators, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, first conceived Glee as a film. Murphy selects the series' music, maintaining a balance between show tunes and chart hits. Songs covered in the show are released on iTunes during the week of broadcast, and a series of Glee albums will be released through Columbia Records, beginning with Glee: The Music, Volume 1, which was released on November 3, 2009. The music of Glee has been a commercial success, with over two million digital sales.
The show has received generally positive reviews from critics. The series won the 2010 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy and received three additional nominations for Best Actress (Lea Michele), Best Actor (Matthew Morrison), and Best Supporting Actress (Jane Lynch). Its first season also earned a Peabody Award
In casting Glee, Murphy sought out actors who could identify with the rush of starring in theatrical roles. Instead of using traditional network casting calls, he spent three months on Broadway, where he found Matthew Morrison, who had previously starred on stage in Hairspray and The Light in the Piazza; Lea Michele, who starred in Spring Awakening; and Jenna Ushkowitz, who had been in the Broadway revival of The King and I.[35] Chris Colfer had no previous professional experience, but reminded Murphy of the character Kurt from The Sound of Music, and was thus cast as Kurt Hummel.[35]
Auditioning actors with no theatrical experience were required to prove they could sing and dance as well as act. Jayma Mays auditioned with the song "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" from The Rocky Horror Show, while Cory Monteith initially submitted a tape of himself acting only, and was requested to submit a second, musical tape, in which he sang "a cheesy, '80s music-video-style version" of REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling"."[35] Kevin McHale came from a boy-band background, having previously been part of the group Not Like Them. He explained that the diversity of the cast's backgrounds reflects the range of different musical styles within the show itself: "It's a mix of everything: classic rock, current stuff, R&B. Even the musical theatre stuff is switched up. You won't always recognize it."[35] Jane Lynch was originally supposed to have a recurring role in the show,[36] but became a series regular when a Damon Wayans pilot she was working on for ABC fell through.[37]
Auditions began in February 2010 for three new roles to be introduced in the second season. The auditions are open to amateurs and professionals aged 16 to 26, and will be the subject of a multi-part television special, set to air in the lead-in to the second season premiere in fall 2010, with the new cast members revealed in the first episode.[38] Murphy commented: "Anybody and everybody now has a chance to be on a show about talented underdogs. We want to be the first interactive musical comedy on television."[39]
Glee features 12 main roles with star billing. Morrison plays Will Schuester, McKinley High's Spanish teacher who becomes director of the glee club, hoping to restore it to its former glory.[19]Lynch plays Sue Sylvester, head coach of the "Cheerios" cheerleading squad, and the Glee Club's arch-nemesis.[37] Mays appears as Emma Pillsbury, the school's mysophobic guidance counselorwho has feelings for Will,[40] and Jessalyn Gilsig plays Terri Schuester, Will's wife of five years.[41]Michele plays Rachel Berry, talented star of the glee club who is often bullied by the Cheerios and football players.[41] Monteith plays Finn Hudson, star quarterback of the school's football team who risks alienation by his friends to join the glee club.[41] Also in the club are Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones, a fashion-conscious diva who resents having to sing back-up; Colfer as Kurt Hummel—a gay male soprano;[42] McHale as Artie Abrams, a bass guitar player and paraplegic; and Ushkowitz asTina Cohen-Chang, an Asian American student with a fake speech impediment. Mark Salling playsNoah "Puck" Puckerman, a friend of Finn's on the football team who at first disapproves of Finn joining the glee club, but later joins the glee club himself. Dianna Agron plays Quinn Fabray, Finn's cheerleader girlfriend, who also later joins the glee club. Naya Rivera and Heather Morris, who portray Cheerios and glee club singers Santana Lopez and Brittany respectively, were originally recurring actors, but starting in the second season, as confirmed by Morris to TV Guide Magazine, they will be promoted to series regulars.[43]
The show features Broadway stars in recurring or minor roles, including John Lloyd Young as "a retired wood shop teacher with an excellent singing voice",[44] and Victor Garber and Debra Monk as Will's parents.[45] Kristin Chenoweth plays April Rhodes, a former member of the glee club who never finished high school and ended up hitting rock bottom,[46] and Josh Groban appears as himself.[40] Other guest stars include Mike O'Malley as Kurt's father, whom Kurt comes out to in the episode "Preggers";[47] Sarah Drew as Suzy Pepper, a senior with a crush on her teacher;[48] Michael Hitchcock as the Haverbrook School for the Deaf choir director Dalton Rumba,[49] and Eve, who was cast after Whitney Houston declined to appear.[50] In the second half of the first season, Idina Menzel will play the director of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline[51] and Jonathan Groff will play the club's male lead, Jesse St. James.[52] Olivia Newton-John will appear, singing a duet of "Physical" with Lynch.[53] In addition, Neil Patrick Harris will guest star as Will's former glee club rival, now a school board member bent on vengeance against the club.[54]
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