Last month, if you would have told me I would have both Glee soundtracks and all of the available episodes on my iPod, I would have laughed in your face. Ever since the commercials for Glee began appearing last year, I outright refused to watch it. During high school I despised show choir, although this may be because due to my lack of vocal talent, I was denied entry. The idea of sitting through an hour-long program singing the praises of show choir and “gleeks” seemed to be the epitome of my own personal hell. Boy was I wrong.

Glee is the story of the McKinley High School glee club and season one is currently focusing on the road to the national show choir competition. The show features an ensemble cast all of which have been required to display their prowess at dancing, singing, and acting. At times the acting can be a bit questionable and unbelievable, but the singing level is definitely the high point for this cast. If like me, you are on the fence about Glee, it’s worth a watch for the music alone…and for Cory Monteith / Mark Salling of course.

Okay, the highlight of Glee is definitely the music. The casts’ voices blend together and create the perfect ensemble. Check out their renditions of “Don’t Stop Believin'” and my personal favorite, “True Colors”. Glee also knows how to tug on the heartstrings of emotional wrecks like myself. If you don’t shed a tear while Finn sings “I’ll Stand By You” to the sonogram of (what he believes is) his unborn baby, you’re heartless. It was extremely touching. Glee also blends together comedy and drama quite seamlessly, thanks in a large part to Golden Globe nominated actress Jane Lynch, who stars as Sue Sylvester, the coach of the cheerleading squad who is determined to see the demise of the glee club and its director, Will Schuester, played by fellow Golden Globe nominee Matthew Morrison. Another thing Glee has going for it is a brilliant mind behind the scenes. The show was created by Ryan Murphy, the mastermind behind Nip/Tuck and Popular.

If I have any gripe with Glee, it’s the cliched-ness of it. The jock who wants to be both an athlete and a performer, um High School Musical anyone? (I love you, Cory, but you are in no way Zac Efron). The typical teen pregnancy story line. The underdogs defying all odds to become winners. The ditsy blonde cheerleader. But in the end, I’m forced to come to terms that this show was created with the purpose to portray all of these things. The show is meant to be a source of hope and inspiration for all the geeks of the world, or according to Ryan Murphy at the Golden Globes, “to anyone who ever got a wedgie in high school.”

I do not admit I am wrong often. Sudden opinion changes like this happen maybe once a…scratch that…NEVER. So to gleeks every where, I am officially part of your posse. I cannot believe I am here.

photo credit: daydreaming television screencaps