Wee for Glee!

"Glee, by its very definition, is about opening yourself up to joy."

Last night's premiere of Glee wasn't as jaw-droppingly awesome as I'd hope it would be - but again, that's because I expected it to be jaw-droppingly awesome. The pilot was such a brilliant and succinct introduction to the show - establishing character quirks and motivations - that the premiere just felt lacking in punch.

One big problem I have with the show is the lip-syncing. Yes, the voices belong to the people singing it...but it's pre-recorded and the effect can often be distracting. to not have the singing be live also means adding on a thick layer of artifice to the show - which is sad because the show does so well at building these genuine and sympathetic characters that you are dying to root for. this was particularly obvious in the "say a little prayer" and "golddigger" sequences last night. As much as Will Shuester was uber hunky rapping a la Kanye, I couldn't help but notice how fabricated it sounded.

Despite all its shortcomings, Glee is just a joy to watch. It's upbeat and perky in the best of ways...and painfully honest in others. I love that the writers didn't create a bunch of pretentious teenagers who don't even talk like teenagers (remember dawson's creek, everyone?) - but are just letting the show's teens be teens. Heartbreak, blind jealousy, lack of foresight and all...