Unlike any show currently on the small screen, Glee is taking the world by storm, and for good reason: a unique mix of addictive melodrama, quirky characters and lightning-paced humour has pulled in audiences and already garnered an adoring fan base only a few episodes in. But what exactly is it about Glee that makes it such a delicious morsel?  And why should the queer community care about a high school dramedy set to music?

Openly gay Hollywood hotshot Ryan Murphy, who wrote and produced the amazing Nip/Tuck, created Glee based on his own participation in high school theatre, and wanted it to be a celebration of musical performance.  He told Variety earlier this year, ‘This is a different genre, there’s nothing like it on the air.  Everything’s so dark in the world right now, that’s why Idol has worked.  It’s pure escapism.’  Along with escapism, Murphy, who has co-written the first series, brings the campest and quirkiest gay sensibility of the TV season.

Much like Will & Grace, there are razor sharp one-liners and plenty of in-jokes for those of us in the know.  Like when cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester (played by the fabulously scene-stealing Jane Lynch) complains after one of the Glee Club performances:  ‘That,’ she says, ‘was the most offensive thing I’ve seen in twenty years of teaching.  And that includes an elementary school production of Hair.’  Or when one of the girls tries hitting on Glee’s resident gay guy, Kurt, asking him if he’d be interested in hanging out:  ‘Come over,’ he deadpans, ‘It’s Liza Minnelli week on AMC.’

Nineteen-year-old, Chris Colfer plays Kurt — the oddly confident high school homo — with the kind of abandon not often seen on prime time TV.  He does droll and deliberate to a tee, but doesn’t delve too deeply into the overly sassy stereotype.

Colfer admits, ‘I didn’t really want to make him overly flamboyant, ‘cos that’s been done so much.  I wanted to make him more superior and internal, and maybe controlling a little bit.’

Whilst in person the young actor is not overtly masculine (my guess is he could camp it up with the best of them), that’s pretty much where the resemblance ends.  Where Kurt is cool and condescending, Colfer is enthusiastic and incredibly polite, and it is apparent that Kurt’s haughtiness comes from an outside influence or two.

‘I’d say he’s a mix between Tim Gunn, Patsy Stone from Ab Fab and maybe Victoria Beckham,’ he offers.  ‘I figure those are the people he’d watch growing up and aspire to be like.’

Not obvious choices, but the comparisons are clear — in particular Tim Gunn, whose work as Project Runway’s chief couturier has made him one
of the most likeable and steadfast gay TV characters to date.

‘I figure he would be a big Tim Gunn fan,’ Colfer adds knowingly.

Glee’s musical pedigree is exceptional, and it’s safe to say the show’s ensemble hosts some of the most amazing young voices brought together in the one place.  Technically-speaking, the performances are masterfully produced and arranged, but there is also a real irreverence to them.  Murphy chooses the numbers based on the storyline, the character and of course the cast member chosen to perform.  It would appear from these artistic choices that he is camp in his tastes, as well as inspired.

Cast member Lea Michele, who plays the feisty Rachel Berry, explains, ‘No one will have better ideas than Ryan Murphy.  His musical vocabulary is incredible.’

Whether it’s a cheesy reworking of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’, or an a’cappella spin on Journey’s rock anthem of the 70s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, this show is as hilarious in its irony as it is impressive in its musicality.

To add to the show’s glaringly pro-gay posturing, Michele’s character of Rachel is the familial product of a same-sex relationship.  The story told in the pilot episode is that after an intense search her gay dads found an ideal surrogate, mixed their sperm and created Rachel without knowing which one of them is the biological father.

Lea Michele acknowledges that, although delivered with tongue firmly in cheek, the idea of a lead character coming from such an unorthodox family unit is really quite groundbreaking.  

‘I’m so happy to be part of a show that I’m so proud of and that I feel is incredibly progressive.’

Whilst some North Shore housewives might still be traumatised by the infamous Play School “lesbian mums” controversy from a few years ago, the concept of Rachel Berry’s gay dads is a brand new first for network free-to-air television ­— and a welcome one at that. On being told that the Rachel character was fast becoming our new favourite icon her reaction is excitedly palpable.

‘Good!  Amazing!  Everyone’s response
has been unbelievable.’

Playing a fearless, self-assured female figure always draws in the gay boys.  When I ask Chris Colfer why he thinks Rachel gets the gay vote he is acutely matter-of-fact.  

‘Rachel’s very much like a gay man herself,’ he laughs.  ‘I think she’s the strong female character that gay audiences relate to.’

While it’s one thing to be loved by the gay audience, it’s quite another to be representing them.  Glee’s fourth episode features one of the year’s most genuine and touching TV moments when Kurt comes out to his uber-straight father.

This kind of thing has been done before and is not a first obviously, but the scene is handled with a rare originality and so much heart, both in writing and in performance, that it goes down as one of the all-time best.  It obviously struck a chord with audiences, as it was the catalyst for readers of gay-media website AfterElton.com to vote Kurt their “Gay of the Week”, a gesture nobody appreciated more so than Colfer himself.

‘I am very, very proud of that.  I want to print it out and frame it, because it’s great to be embraced by the community you’re supposed to represent on the show.  It’s the best compliment ever.’

As pro-homo as this show is, it’s still unclear as to whether Kurt gets himself a boyfriend, or if he’ll get to act out at all on his pillow-biting impulses.  

‘You will see Kurt fall in love,’ Colfer assures us, ‘but it won’t be reciprocated.’

Disappointing, yes. But to be fair, Glee isn’t about perfect teenagers wrestling with their immense popularity; it’s about the underdogs working their way through the minefield of the high school caste system, so the idea of Kurt’s fantasies going unfulfilled keeps in tune with the rest of the story.  And with a full season of 22 episodes recently green-lit by the Fox Network, there could be plenty of room to perhaps grow.  Colfer is optimistic, but amusingly wary.

‘I’ve heard many rumours about Kurt getting a boyfriend and all that I ask is that I’m the better looking of the two.  Because I do not want to have to hear, “Kurt’s boyfriend is so good looking — what is he doing with him?”  I do not wanna hear that!  So that’s my only request that I be much better looking than whoever it is.’

Thursday nights have gone from uninspiring to un-miss-able, thanks to the fabulousness that is Glee.  It’s an all-dancing, all-singing, big, gay romp, in the grand tradition of Mickey and Judy, or High School Musical.   But Glee really hits its mark in capturing that joy of music and of performance, without resorting to cheap and crass.  It manages to be fresh, bold, and laugh-out-loud funny.  It’s camp, but it’s clever.  And is there anything better
than that?

Glee is on Channel Ten
Thursday nights at 7.30pm