If you're a Gleek, borderline Gleek or have even spoken to very many people about television in the past two years, you've probably heard praises for Glee followed by laments about how far the show has fallen. Let me start out by saying, I feel fairly comfortable calling myself a Gleek. I own 68 songs sung by the cast of Glee, that equates to 3.8 hours of Glee filled entertainment, add in my season one DVD set and I HAVE to be comfortable with my Gleek status. Simply put: I love the show.
Additionally, as a someone who spends a vast amount of time studying television and the practice of making television, I commend the Glee creative team of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan for their work. The sheer volume of work alone that these three men have completed on a weekly basis is, not just unheard of in modern television, but, awe-inspiring. There are a very few people on the face of the planet who could achieve what these guys have and then to sell it to the masses so successfully - forget about it. Where the problem lies is in maintaining the level of quality and success set by the Glee creative team. Once you've set the bar - you have to continue jumping over it.
When you're doing as much work as Murphy, Falchuk and Brennan, something has to give. It's just a fact. Thus, even though the musical series has had numerous triumphs there have also been some serious issues. In the first season, the biggest problem was the static nature of the series. What I mean by that is that due to the amount of planning needed, the storyline and character's relationships were locked in place. For example, during the premiere season, Rachel and Finn were set up as the power couple, only to find out when the shows began airing, that Rachel and Puck had serious chemistry and fan backing. However, due to scheduling there was no way to change the flow, Finchel was locked. Season two saw the same problem plus many new challenges. In Glee's sophomore season, despite several triumphs, including the casting of Chord Overstreet, Darren Criss and Dot Jones, many fans, including myself, found quite a few characters doing things that felt, well... out of character. What most didn't understand is that, though we fans spend a minimum of an hour a week with the characters once a week for 22 weeks, that's nothing compared to what the Glee creative teams spends with them. Then, when you factor in all that these gentlemen do for the series, even the lovable Will Schuester can start to grate on the nerves and one starts to feel that out of character behavior is essential to shake things up. I believe stating that these changes weren't well received is a bit of a understatement. The show did do a bit of course correction and the season ended on a decent note, yet, viewers (even hardcore Gleeks) were left with a general taste of dissatisfaction for season two which, unfortunately, the rating reflected.
Now, comes news that, for the first time, Glee will have a full writing staff and an expanded number of executive producers. YAY!!!!! Don't freak out; that does NOT mean the original three Glee creators won't be involved in the show's third season, it just means they'll get to wear less hats. Trust me, TV watchers, you want them to get some space from the McKinley High crew because the result is going to be better. Plus, Glee/Fox have hired some brilliant, brilliant, brilliant people.
First up, Allison Adler. If you're aren't familiar with the genius that is Ali Adler then 1) I feel sorry for you and 2) she's AWESOME. Perhaps best known for her work on Chuck, Adler is a fan favorite. She writes tight, witty shows with heart, just like her newly hired colleague and Buffy alum, Marti Noxon. These women are veterans of the entertainment industry and each has served as an inspiration for many, including me. For any TV show to be successful, but, for Glee specifically, it must maintain a high level of quality and fan base, while, at the same time, finding mass appeal. That's a tough order and clearly one with which Glee has been struggling. Still, if anyone can ace that test, it's Adler and Noxon - they have loads of experience doing just that. Furthermore, both of these women know how important it is to please and win fans. That means, chances are, if fans hate or love an aspect of the show these ladies are going to address it head on and quickly, likely leading to a better show. I expect Sue Sylvester quips to be even funnier, the musical incorporations to be more fluid and the life changing character decisions to cause more tears.
Also joining the Glee creative force is Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, whose big claim to fame is the re-write of the potentially doomed Spiderman Broadway show, along with Michael Hitchcock, Matthew Hodgson and Ross Maxwell. If anyone is wondering about that whole 'too many cooks in the kitchen' thing, in this case it's not an issue because there's more than enough work to go around.
Bottom Line: Season 3 of Glee won't stink!
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