Tackling Glee definitely gave me pre-writing jitters. But what struck me most is there’s nothing quite like a good ensemble show. They have a special kind of energy that sucks you in. Gossip Girl. Friends. The Wire. Wildly different genres with one thing in common: a great hook, sensational characters (and casting), and story for days. Okay, so that's not one thing, but several. But you get my point. Glee is one of those shows that hits the right chord with the collective consciousness and just sings. Right from the energetic opening sequence set to get-up-and-dance music, you kind of strap yourself in for the ride — one that’s immediately humorous, and you know will also be full of all the feels. I mean, a group of ambitious misfits who band together under the guidance of their passionate teacher to become the very best version of themselves? You’re in or you’re out based on that logline, and turned out, audiences and critics alike were in. After all, Glee took home two Golden Globe® Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, along with wins for acting and directing, plus 19 Emmy® noms among many, many others. But that’s not likely what will live on in the hearts of gleeks.

Since its 2009 premiere on Fox, the show became a phenomenon both for its musical talents as much as the character intricacies and social issues it addressed. And they addressed what felt like everything. There was also The Glee Project — a brilliant marketing tactic/reality show where winners could guest-star on Glee — a concert tour, 8 million records sold, and the most appearances on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart. 

Dynamics of a hit pilot

Snappy banter, quick character intros that illustrate just enough to make you feel like you know the character archetype yet make you want to know more about this character, masterfully utilized voiceover, clearly defined goals that overlap between the leads, and that moment you wait for from the very second they say there’s gonna be a glee club: the ultimate heartstring-tugging performance, in this case of “Don’t Stop Believin’” (and for six seasons and 121 episodes, we don’t).

A relevant musical

Based on co-creator Ian Brennan’s (Halston) experience in a high school show choir, along with the producing and writing prowess of co-creators Ryan Murphy (Pose) and Brad Falchuk (9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star), Glee first and foremost set out to entertain. But first-first, Brennan wrote Glee as a feature, which just goes to show screenwriters, never be afraid of where that rewrite could lead!

Once Murphy became attached and Glee was picked up by Fox, it became what we all know and love: a heartfelt modern musical that dealt with all things we were. Perhaps that was its global appeal: because the show examined the most personal and basic of issues — from sexuality and identity, growing pains, acceptance and body image to disabilities, domestic and school violence, bullying, and grief — it was easy to empathize, sympathize, and simply get swept up in pure human emotion. Underscored by an incredible weekly soundtrack performed by the very characters we slowly fell in love with — and loved to hate, sometimes. Music on its own is an emotional experience; when performed by characters going through storylines that we’re addicted to, each lyric takes on a whole new level of meaning. The music is what differentiated the show from every other high school dramedy, as well as elevated it to so much more.

A show for all audiences

Another part of the Glee ensemble that made the show so appealing was it paid equal attention to its teenage leads as it did the adults. Teacher rivalries, secret crushes, and following your dreams... and that was just the pilot, and just the adults. Writing to one target age group is difficult enough; creating something with appeal across the board — that’s ambitious and one hell of a coup if you can pull it off. Glee also embraced race, gender identity, different abilities, sexual orientation, and all of the beauty and baggage that goes with each of them with the same finesse.

But what united everyone on Glee was their dreams. "Being great at something is going to change it. Being part of something special makes you special, right?" Lea Michele’s Rachel Berry tells — asks? — her glee club teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) in the pilot. It’s that "right" at the very end of her statement that encompasses the show’s themes in one word, perfectly delivered with just enough naiveté; that desire to belong yet shine bright as an individual, how to grow up and stay true to yourself while still figuring out just who you are.

In retrospect

With a property as big as Glee, and considering its musical ties, it's unsurprising that the show also hit some snags and had naysayers. I dare you to find a show that doesn’t. Perfect doesn’t exist, but that is the lovely part of creating escapist art: you’ll find your people and they’ll cherish it for what it was for its moment in the spotlight.