‘Glee’ is Great

I just got done watching the pilot for Ryan Murphy’s new “Glee” and I am so impressed. Who would have thought Fox’s next hit would be a scripted musical comedy? And while it might be a little early to call the show a hit, Fox was confident enough to give it an American Idol Finale lead-in last night and, as a result, 12 million viewers.

Some highlights from the pilot I thought worth mentioning:

1. Jane Lynch. So funny as the coach of McKinley High’s uber-competitive cheer team. Her attempts at motivating the girls (and guys) come in the form of lines like: “You think this is hard? Try being water-boarded. That’s hard.” And, “You think this is hard? I’m living with hepatitis. That’s hard.”

2. Great singing. The performances in the show are so much fun to watch even apart from their humorous context. They take current and classic hits such as Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and turn them into Broadway-style, Glee Club masterpieces.

3. Positive message. The show does an excellent job at promoting the importance of self-confidence and individuality, which is especially relevant during high school, a cesspool of ostracism and social conformity. There should be more positive messaging directed at teens on television today.

I suspect, as many do, that the ratings will drop off significantly once the show returns for its full-season run in Fall 2009 without a lead-in from American Idol. However, “Glee” has a lot going for it in that it’s one of the few funny, creative, inspiring, and all-around great new shows to be picked up recently.When I heard that “Dollhouse” was being renewed, I started to lose faith in the broadcast nets, but now that I see Fox picking up “Glee,” I’m starting to change my mind.

See the pilot on Hulu until June 10th here.