Glee

Season 1 – 100% – Young, vulnerable, uncertain, and yet absolutely amazing. When their teacher gives them energy, they can move mountains, but when their nemesis Sue Sylvester undermines them again, most of them break down. And yet, they can behave like the most incredible group of teenagers that I can recall from any series. The persistent desire to make every beautiful moment unforgettable at any cost is simply part of growing up, and Ryan Murphy has captured this aspect perfectly. But what makes Glee legendary after the first season is the composition and execution of the musical numbers. Everyone will find something they enjoy, whether they are fans of pop, rock, R'n'B, and I will even listen to it all on repeat ten times in a row. The surprise of the year in the first season was not unexpected, as I had a similar expectation from the pilot. The challenge now is to keep this fragile perfection at its peak. Season 2 – 85% – The creators were kind of asking for trouble, but they lucked out. Despite all the criticisms, they still have a hand on addictive songs and a fantastically talented cast. The main thing that places the second season qualitatively behind the first is the absence of a continuous storyline. Those pregnancy issues that seemed a bit unnecessary a year ago actually gave the series surprising complexity. Although the new season has conflicts between Kurt and Karofsky and of course, the preparations for competitions and disputes with Sue, the rest is made up of rather episodic or short-term storylines. What works is Will's intention to make the New Directions better people in moments when he "teaches" them about alcohol, sex, or their own flaws. And finally, the biggest problem for most viewers: relationships. I'm not saying that this oversized circle is flawless, but I still believe in it. Sometimes the pairing works (Quinn + anyone), sometimes it doesn't (Puck + Lauren). And the biggest surprise of the season? Santana. The annoying bitch from the first season is gone, and an believable personality with emotional development comes, making her perhaps the best character of the second season. Now there's nothing left to do but play the last song from the finale. Maybe it wasn't a flawless season, but if I'm thinking about it all the time and singing Glee songs every day, so what? Season 3 – 90% – Grown-up. Relationships have stopped being crazy whirlwinds, and I don't have to fear that couples will fall apart after a few episodes. The soundtrack also maintains a pleasant diversity. Whether I hear covers from Coldplay, Michael Jackson, or performances from West Side Story, I don't want to say goodbye to this group. Ironically, it leaves just as it finally found its face. Sometimes it jokes, sometimes it educates, and sometimes it just experiments. The only big misstep this time was the active promotion of the newcomer Wade, which was a bit forced at times. But I still watch all the choices, worries about the future, and family insecurities with enthusiasm. I just don't know what to expect after the surprisingly sober happy ending. Change may benefit Glee, but I'm scared that only the less interesting characters will remain at McKinley High. Season 4 – 65% – The disappointment is all that much greater since the new era at the beginning calmed me down and tried to convince me that even the fourth time around, the high school singing performances (this time with the desired city flavor) would captivate me. For a while, it really aimed high, and The Break-Up is quite possibly my favorite episode ever, but over time the level of the subplots has dropped so much that I sometimes didn't recognize my favorite show. The new characters have a problem holding attention once they've been developed, key relationships often feel perfunctory, and even the final episode struggles to evoke any emotion, leaving an unpleasant discomfort at the very end. At least Darren Criss has clearly become the new star now that Rachel is conquering New York. Season 5 – 80% – People plan, but fates change. Even before the start of the fifth season, a blow came that permanently changed the series, and came close to prematurely ending it. Cory Monteith died, and with him, Finn Hudson left. We got a touching episode called Quarterback, Will lost his successor, and Rachel (and in a heart-wrenching parallel, Lea Michele herself) lost her true love. And Ryan Murphy gave up his dream ending, delivering several scenes that were originally supposed to end the series and spicing up the whole twenty-episode journey with new developments that we enjoyed more than last year. It contained unforgettable episodes (in addition to the aforementioned bit of piety, Frenemies and Opening Night stood out the most), an unbeatable leading trio of Rachel-Kurt-Blaine, several scenes longed for by fans in connection with the 100th episode, and (for the umpteenth time and strongly again) an atmosphere of fulfilled dreams. However, what didn't work was the traditional flaw of sweeping storylines under the rug. Just to name a few, we didn't get satisfactory conclusions or explanations for relationship storylines (Artie-Kitty, Santana-Dani, Sam-Penny), and the magnificently built-up band building that led practically nowhere, which hurts twice given the participation of Demi Lovato and Adam Lambert. The 80% rating is heartfelt in its own way. Despite many reservations, I simply can't wait for a new episode every week and can enjoy this group over and over again. And that means something. Season 6 – 100% – Going back to the roots is not easy, and picking up where it restarted many times before is a task that is almost impossible, or at least superhuman. But Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and company have shown themselves to be superhumans, and with the help of beloved old faces, the Glee Club is at its best in years. I have never been so uncritically enthusiastic, singing, moved, and amused since the very beginning in a high school in Ohio. And while the newcomers are shaping up in various ways, the two-parter Hurt Locker shows that the boundaries of absurdity can still be pushed further, and in the finale, almost everyone you would like to see again manages to return, I give up. There have been enough twists and turns, missteps and mistakes over six years. But I probably don't even care now, because to get to the top and return there at the very end after so many vicissitudes is the art of kings. And Rachel, Will, Kurt, Blaine, and everyone else is exactly that. I'm not afraid of moving on and letting go. It's just so hard to say goodbye to what I know. (10.07.2010) (weniger) (mehr)