Gleeks, unite

by Lalida Sriyordsa on December 15, 2009

So I’ll admit it. I’m a Gleek. (Noun: Glee geek). I love musicals and everything about them, and I’m a big fan of the fact that the actors can sing. Not only that, but they have depth. Sure, you have stereotypical characters, like the jock who can easily get any girl he wants, the pretty cheerleader and her faithful team, and the geeks who just don’t seem to fit in anywhere. But no matter who the character is or what category he or she falls into, Glee somehow manages to show positivity and insight in each and every character.

Jock Finn Hudson appears to be keeping everything together as a popular football player and a member of the Glee club, but inside, he is just plain confused. Will Schuester seems to be a normal, everyday Spanish teacher who just wants to make a difference but his kindness often means he’s taken advantage of. Emma Pillsbury is a happy-go-lucky teacher who is just too nice to go for the man she truly loves (who is also taken). And Cheerios captain Sue Sylvester wants to show people that she is more than just a cruel coach—she does, indeed, have a heart.

Glee not only characterizes what high school is, it makes us think about who we are and who we relate to the most. Rachel Berry is perhaps the character I can relate to the most. Although she is young, ambitious, and definitely entertaining, she, too, still longs for the one thing she can’t ever seem to obtain: Finn.

So if you go back and re-watch the shows online the way I do after watching them for the first time on television, and if you get Glee goosebumps when the cast sings an amazing song, and if you own all the ITunes singles, then you’ve probably already classified yourself as a Gleek. While it’s been said that making a musical out of a show is nearly impossible, Glee seems to have defied everything against it. It has an optimism that a number of other shows are lacking. I like it because it tells you that no matter who you are, there is always a place for you to fit in. I’m obsessed with it because I can see myself as a part of each and every character. I can sing along to every song and feel what the characters feel as they experience love and heartbreak. I will even admit to standing in front of the mirror with a brush pretending to be Rachel.

It’s not only the memorable quotes or the irony in the show that make it stand out, it’s everything about it: The music, the drama, and being able to accept the unexpected when it hits you the hardest.