Glee

[mrv3000]

So I watched the first two episodes of Glee. My favorite parts, by far, are when they sing and dance. But one thing's kind of bugging me about this show...



After both episodes, I'm starting to look at it funny when it comes to the male and female roles on this show. Normally this type of thing isn't something I really notice, but it seems like you have a couple of main guy roles. The guys are fairly normal and grounded. Then you have a handful of main female roles. The women/girls are all...cartoonish. They all are ultra bitchy or ultra driven or ultra neurotic.

You wind up with most the time it feeling like the guys have to suffer through or deal with these women/girls around them who are complete caricatures. I haven't seen a "normal" female role yet.

So yeah. I'm really not this nitpicky when it comes to stuff like this, but this is something that really jumped out at me. I don't think I'm making this up.

The Men

Will - Is struggling with his marriage while trying to find what gives him meaning in life (teaching kids.)

Finn - High school quarterback, who re-discovers his love for singing. Stands up to his friends in order to join the Glee club.

Kurt - He hasn't had a huge role in it yet. He's gay and gets dumped in the dumpster a lot.

Artie - Also hasn't had a major part in it yet. His claim to fame is he's in a wheelchair.

The Principal - Is there to roll his eyes whenever Rachael comes in to whine to him, or to defeatedly clean up after Sue. The normal conversations are with Will.


The Women

Teri - Will's wife and completely obsessed with things and money. She makes Will sigh a lot.

Emma - Neurotic guidance counselor who has the hots for Will and chases after him even though she knows he's married. She has a fear of germs and washes everything.

Rachael - Ultra driven, often proclaiming her own talent. Think Paris Geller from Gilmore Girls if Paris was into drama/singing.

Quinn - Ultra bitchy cheerleader, girlfriend of Finn, and president of some celibacy club.

Sue - The insane cheerleading coach who is Out To Get The Glee Club. Also very bitchy.

Mercedes - Token "oh no you didn't!" black character.

Tina - Hasn't has a major role yet. Her thing is that she stutters.

Comments

[javabreeze.livejournal.com]

For me, what I got from this show is that everyone is a stereotype and in that way the show is sort of making fun of itself. That's probably why I adore it so much. It's just so lulzy.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Maybe it is supposed to be self-mocking and I'm missing it?

[erateini.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen it yet but the way you describe the women : Yuck
I hope it gets better!

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I'm interested enough to keep watching. In the second episode I was actually skipping ahead in parts just because I was cringing.

[ivydoor.livejournal.com]

Uhg. I had thought about checking it out due to a lot of folks on my flist raving about it. I might still do it just so I can see for myself, but if it's that blatant, I am fairly certain I won't like it.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm just missing the irony of it?

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I was a little let down by how ragingly stereotypical everyone was. It's like...they're too stereotypical to be watchable, but not enough to be satirical. Or something?

I am totally just in it for the soundtrack and the (hopefully) inevitable Victor Garber guest spot.

[splash-the-cat.livejournal.com]

It's like...they're too stereotypical to be watchable, but not enough to be satirical. Or something?

YES. That's it, exactly.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I was a little let down by how ragingly stereotypical everyone was. It's like...they're too stereotypical to be watchable, but not enough to be satirical. Or something?

I think you hit the nail on the head for me. That's exactly it.

I am totally just in it for the soundtrack and the (hopefully) inevitable Victor Garber guest spot.

The soundtrack is VERY cool, which makes me a bit sad that I'm starting to find other parts unwatchable.

[janetmaca.livejournal.com]

That's exactly it. I was too busy bashing my head against the wall over Teri (Sad! I enjoy JG, usually.) and cracking up at the Rachael's drive to actually label these characteristics as stereotypical.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Teri was particularly bad. It's like she has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and doesn't even exist in the logical world.

[janetmaca.livejournal.com]

I know. It makes me sad.

[fauxkaren.livejournal.com]

I'm giving it a chance because it's only the second episode, but I kind of agree, especially where Terri is concerned.

I just hate that she is really one note and bitchy which comes off as an attempt to make us hate her so we'll root for Will/Emma. I think that at the end though, they added a bit more depth to her. She decided not to tell Will about not being pregnant because she knows that he was super excited about being a dad. And she didn't keep milking the pregnancy for the house either. So she's not a completely evil psycho bitch.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

That last little bit for her was better, although I think it was more guilt/fear that drove her to give up the house than anything else.

But Will/Emma makes me cringe JUST SO MUCH. I actually skipped a few Will/Emma parts.

[fauxkaren.livejournal.com]

Saaaame here. I dnw Will/Emma and I ranted about it on my lj the other day. But it seems like most people who watch Glee love Will/Emma. Eh. Whatevs.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Huh. That surprises me. That whole wide-eye "quirky" persona she's got going rings so false to me. Well, most of the women on the show ring false to me.

*goes off to read your post*

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

I'm not shipping anyone in particular, and I can't even say I have a favorite character. But I've loved the first two eps and will definitely be tuning in next week :)

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I might give it one more ep, just because I really do love the singing.

[olga-keepout.livejournal.com]

I think the characters are supposed to be parodies and a bit of cliches... right? Anyway, the show had me laughing on more than a few occasions and I love the musical parts so I'm definitely in "shove anything that feels off in the Plot? What plot? box and enjoy the rest" mode with this one. :D

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I think the characters are supposed to be parodies and a bit of cliches... right?

Are they? I guess? I think what irked me a bit more was that even if they were all supposed to be cliches, the men seemed reasonable and sane, while the women...weren't. Seemed very lopsided to me.

Anyway, the show had me laughing on more than a few occasions and I love the musical parts so I'm definitely in "shove anything that feels off in the Plot? What plot? box and enjoy the rest" mode with this one. :D

I did like the singing and dancing! :) Other parts...

[azarsuerte.livejournal.com]

Honestly? Even with my f-list exploding with, er, if you'll forgive the pun, glee about this show, I have not felt the slightest inclination to watch it. Nice to hear from someone that I might've made the right call. *g*

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I guess it's just not my cup of tea. Or I've been out of high school choir/drama too long to appreciate it.

[sesaworuban.livejournal.com]

Downloaded the first couple of episodes - it's basically High School Musical - the series... with less Disney.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

HEH! Very true!

[threerings.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I watched the pilot and really wasn't impressed. I like the musical numbers, but the rest of it just felt off to me. And I think the gender roles ickiness was a big part of that. The women were just ridiculous. Especially Will's wife and their marriage. That was made of ick to me.

So, yeah, I won't be watching any more. Which leaves my husband relieved because he hates musicals.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I think other people are right - it's just not hitting the right note for me for it to be satire. And so I'm left with the ick of the male-female roles on it.