The Next Big TV Show - GLEE

Since it seems my prediction on the next “big” song in the Philippines came true via Wonder Girls’ Nobody, I shall make another fearless forecast on the next big pop culture icon. This time, it’s a TV show brought to you by Fox Network - Glee.

To sum it up, it’s a show about a has-been Spanish Teacher/CPA who was “The Golden Boy” during his High School in the very same institution he teaches in. Since the Glee Club’s mentor was facing a scandalous lawsuit (thanks to the show’s female lead), he stepped-up to the plate and asked the business-minded School Principal to take over the club even if he had to shell out some of his hard-earned money.

All he had was a band of misfits as members: a gay fashionista who gets dumped into the trash by the football team daily, a plus sized African-American girl who’s got a loud mouth and an attitude to match it, an asian emo-girl who rarely speaks, and a geek paraplegic who sounds like Justin Timberlake. This band of outcasts will be lead by a drama queen who seems to get splashed on by cold beverages daily. She is a fresh take on a protagonist as you will be torn wether you like her or not. The club’s impending curtain call will only be postponed by the group’s knight in shinning armor - the school’s hottest football player who was forced to join the Glee Club.

If you expect the cast to be great singers, don’t keep your hopes up. Aside from Mercedes (the plus sized African-American girl I’ve mentioned who sounds like Jennifer Holiday when she reaches her high range), the cast in general doesn’t have strong vocals. A runner-up to Mercedes would probably be the lead girl, who sounds like a weak rip-off of Lea Salonga (she sang “On My Own” from Les Misérables for her audition to the Glee Club which was generally good but a tad pitchy, though the presentation was really nice).

The show is really pleasant to watch. During breaks, you will realize you’ve been smiling the whole time you were watching the show. Granted, it contains few scenes where you’ll laugh out loud, but the story is light and the characters are highly lovable. From the antagonist Cheering Squad Coach who hoards the school funds, to the obsessive compulsive Guidance Councilor who is as obsessed with the Glee Club’s new mentor as she is in cleaning everything within her reach- you can relate to each character as if you grew up with them.

The show will remind you how much you miss your high school life. Glee has the youthful exuberance of High School Musical, the musicality of Sister Act 2 - Back in the Habit, set details and humor of Ugly Betty, and the feel of competitive flare that "That’s Entertainment" used to bring on Saturdays (yikes!).

Believe me when I say this, the show will be a hit! So better watch it before everybody else does.

I remember telling my friends a couple of years ago to watch NBC’s Heroes as I felt it would be a hit. They told me after watching my 1st Season DVD’d that it’s lame and worthless. After a few months, they ended up being the ones who were bragging to their officemates that they’ve seen the show first before it became a hit in the Philippines.

So look for how to watch this show and be filled with GLEE!!!

PS: Raymond told me it will air in the Philippines on Sept 15 over ETC

Click here to Access the Show's Official Website