Ryan Murphy, one of Glee's three creators, originally said that he saw the show as a form of "escapism." His belief was that television at the time was filled with dark, serious and violent content, so he saw Glee as an outlet in which joy through song could be found. What do you think of this? Do you agree? Please leave any comments you have.
shareI never really saw the show as escapism. I think it was just a fun show for people who enjoy seeing musical performances and show choir competitions of contemporary music and show tunes on a regular basis. I think the show had enough dark storylines to not qualify as escapism.
shareI agree that there were certainly dark storylines throughout the series. However, when you boil Glee down to its pure essence - finding yourself through music - Murphy's idea that the show offered viewers an alternative outlet for entertainment becomes apparent.
shareYeah, maybe in the first season. I was at university, in a different country, and it was nice to see other teenagers struggling to find their place and fall in love and all that. The escapism came from the fact that they were all pretty and they sang their feelings.
Thank god I sorted my sh!t out the next year because season 2 would not have been helpful.
"What race are you? If you don't tell me I'll just...assume the worst."
I think it's kind of the opposite. People really, truly relate to the teacher who wants to relive his glory days, but is stuck in a dead end job with a wife whom he doesn't really love anymore. To the kid who tries so hard at being liked and is hated by everyone. To the quarterback who doesn't fit into his own box, and so on. To wanting to feel special. This show actually started out very realistic, if somewhat exaggerated. It wasn't just about singing. It was about singing despite how much life sucks.
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