When the first episode of "Glee" premiered in May 2009, theatre junkies and television fans alike tuned in to see a new, musical television show.
Even on the St. Edward's University campus, there is a divide between the "Glee" fans and the "Glee" haters.
"Being a theatre major, I love watching Glee!," says senior Jackie Harper. "I saw Lea Michele on Broadway and it is thrilling to see her becoming more popular. I think that musicals and television are a perfect match and love to watch this show and listen to the music all the time."
The phenomenon that has resulted from "Glee" is a love/hate relationship. There is usually no middle ground, people are either strangely entranced by the show, singing and dancing along to everything that emerges, or they publicly argue how horrible every part of the show is.
Many of the positive attributes are: bringing musical theatre to the mainstream, displaying young talent, and dealing with diversity and other issues.
The negative attributes include: unrealistic plots, annoying characters, and what some say is ruining popular songs. On Facebook, individuals openly list the reasons why they despise this show.
"I think they rely too heavily on stereotypes. For example, all the Asians cluster together and date each other," says junior Goldie da Costa. "Also, they make the cheerleaders and football players seem spiteful and rude, throwing slushies on the Glee kids. For me, it is sending the wrong message that these people are always mean and bullies to the 'outcasts.'"
With such strong opinions on both sides, "Glee" remains a popular show. In addition to success on television, the show is a commercial success in the music industry. Several weeks ago, "Glee" made headlines for having more Billboard Top 100 hits than The Beatles. After the Britney Spears episode, "Glee" surpassed The Beatles's 71 with 75 singles.
But not everyone sees this as a positive event.
"It is really messed up that Glee has all these popular singles considering that they only make covers," says sophomore Jason Chau. "They do not write their own songs or put in the innovation or unique effort that bands like The Beatles took."
Though the show does not use original music, some believe that "Glee" still creates songs that are their own. By taking a popular rock song like "Livin' on a Prayer," and making an all-girl's chorus number, the show is creating something original.
"Music is all about interpretation. Who hasn't loved a new song and still loved the original? I love my Glee Pandora station, I make my husband watch the show, and I also perform," says Student Life staff member Marisa Lacey. "Back in the day when Myspace was cool, my quote was 'I want to live in a world where spontaneous musical numbers are the norm,' and that's what Glee does for me."
While some closeted "Glee" fans still exist, it seems that many people openly to love it or hate it. "The Sacramento Bee" reported that the show has resulted in an increase in singing high school students. Statistics on the sale of sluhies is still pending.
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