Glee

1st season - 100% - Young, vulnerable, uncertain, and yet absolutely amazing. When their teacher gives them energy, they can move mountains, but when their nemesis Sue Sylvester undermines them again, most of them break down. And yet, they can behave like the most incredible group of teenagers that I remember from a series. The persistent desire to make every beautiful moment unforgettable at any cost is simply part of growing up, and Ryan Murphy captured this aspect perfectly. But what makes Glee a legend after the first season is the composition and execution of the musical numbers. Everyone will find something they enjoy, whether they are fans of pop, rock, R'n'b, and I will even listen to it all on repeat ten times in a row. The surprise of the year in the first season was not unexpected, as I had a similar expectation since the pilot. The challenge now is to maintain this fragile perfection at its peak. 2nd season - 85% - The creators are slightly asking for it, but they are lucky. Despite all the criticisms, they still have a hand on addictive songs and fantastically talented cast. The main reason that places the second season qualitatively behind the first is the absence of a continuous storyline. Those pregnancy issues that seemed a bit unnecessary a year ago actually gave the series surprising complexity. Although the new season has conflicts between Kurt and Karofsky and of course, the preparations for competitions and disputes with Sue, the rest is rather episodic or short-term storylines. What works is Will's intention to make the New Directions better people in moments when he "teaches" them about alcohol, sex, or their own flaws. And finally, the biggest problem for most viewers- relationships. I'm not saying that this oversized circle is flawless, but I still believe in it. Sometimes the pairing works (Quinn + anyone), sometimes it doesn't (Puck + Lauren). And the biggest surprise of the season? Santana. The annoying bitch from the first season is gone, and an believable personality with emotional development comes, making her perhaps the best character of the second season. Now there's nothing left but to play the last song from the finale. Maybe it wasn't a flawless season, but when I think about it all the time and sing Glee songs every day, so what? 3rd season - 90% - Grown-up. Relationships have stopped being crazy whirlwinds, and I don't have to fear that couples will fall apart after a few episodes. The soundtrack also maintains a pleasant diversity. Whether I hear covers from Coldplay, Michael Jackson, or performances from West Side Story, I don't want to say goodbye to this group. Ironically, it leaves just as it finally found its face. Sometimes it jokes, sometimes it educates, and sometimes it just experiments. The only big misstep this time was the active promotion of the newcomer Wade, which was a bit forced at times. But I still watch all the choices, worries about the future, or family insecurities with enthusiasm. I just don't know what to expect after the surprisingly sober happy ending. Change may benefit Glee, but I'm scared that the less interesting characters will remain at McKinley High. 4th season - 65% - The disappointment is even greater as the new era at the beginning calmed me down and tried to convince me that even for the fourth time, the high school singing performances (this time with the desired flavor of the metropolis) would captivate me. For a while, it really aimed high, and The Break-Up is quite possibly my favorite episode ever, but over time the level of subplots went down so much that I sometimes didn't recognize my favorite show. The new characters have a problem capturing attention after they have been developed, key relationships often feel perfunctory, and even the final episode struggles to evoke any emotion, leaving an unpleasant discomfort at the very end. At least Darren Criss, after Rachel conquered New York, clearly became the new star. 5th season - 80% - People intend, but fate changes. Even before the start of the fifth season, a blow came that permanently changed the series, and it was close to prematurely ending it. Cory Monteith died, and with him, Finn Hudson left. We got a touching episode called Quarterback, Will lost his successor, and Rachel (and in a heart-wrenching parallel, Lea Michele herself) lost her true love. And Ryan Murphy gave up his dream ending, delivering several scenes that were originally supposed to end the series and spicing up the whole twenty-episode journey with new developments that we enjoyed more than last year. It contained unforgettable episodes (in addition to the mentioned piety, Frenemies and Opening Night stood out the most), an unbeatable leading trio of Rachel-Kurt-Blaine, several scenes longed for by fans in connection with the 100th episode, and (for the umpteenth time and strongly again) an atmosphere of fulfilled dreams. However, what didn't work was the traditional flaw of sweeping storylines under the rug. Just to name a few, we didn't get satisfactory conclusions or explanations for relationship storylines (Artie-Kitty, Santana-Dani, Sam-Penny), and the magnificently built-up band building that led practically nowhere, which hurts twice given the participation of Demi Lovato and Adam Lambert. The 80% rating is heartfelt in its own way. Despite many reservations, I simply can't wait for a new episode every week and can enjoy this group over and over again. And that means something. 6th season - 100% - Going back to the roots is not easy, and picking up where it restarted many times before is a task that is almost impossible, or at least superhuman. But Murphy, Falchuk, and company have shown themselves to be superhumans, and with the help of beloved old faces, the Glee Club is at its best in years. I have never been so uncritically enthusiastic, singing, moved, and amused since the very beginning in a high school in Ohio. And when the newcomers are shaping up in various ways, the two-part Hurt Locker shows that the boundaries of absurdity can still be pushed further, and in the finale, almost everyone who you would like to see again is managed to return, I give up. There were enough whirlwinds, missteps, or mistakes (10/07/2010) (less) (more)