Glee

In this musical comedy, optimistic high school teacher Will Schuester tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing the high school's glee club and challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential as they strive to outshine their singing competition while navigating the cruel halls of McKinley High.

Glee (2009-2015) is a US musical comedy-drama series created by Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk for FOX. Optimistic teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) takes over a struggling show choir at McKinley High School in Ohio, hoping to rekindle his own passion while turning a band of outcasts into serious competitors. Aspiring Broadway star Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and star quarterback Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) lead the group, while openly gay student Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) and cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) supply sharp rivalries and sharper one-liners. Each episode is built around a set of pop and Broadway covers that carry the characters' romantic tangles, bullying, and ambitions, so the songs do the emotional heavy lifting. Across six seasons, the show moves through a continuing story of competition, friendship and identity, with an unmistakably campy, heartfelt register. Its tone swings between buoyant and bruised, delivering comedy alongside themes of belonging, self-acceptance and the cost of chasing a dream. Fans of Smash, Freaks and Geeks and Pitch Perfect will find similar pleasures in its mix of teen angst, sincere uplift and high-energy musical performance set in a small Midwestern school.

Viewers broadly find Glee a feel-good, musically joyful show about outsiders whose early seasons charmed them, though its quality dipped as the run went on.

• Smashshared musical comedy tones, high school outsider underdog themes, performance competition structure
• Freaks and Geeksshared high school setting, teen social problems, comedic and dramatic blend
• Scrubsshared quirky ensemble of outcasts, teen identity themes, musical numbers as emotional beats
• Pitch Perfectshared musical performance format and ambitious show choir competition energy

Created by

Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk

Release Date

2009-05-19

Episode runtime

46 min

Rating

6.8 / 10 (987)

What is Glee about?

An optimistic teacher revives a struggling high school glee club, turning a group of outcasts into singing contenders in a world of bullying and rivalry.

What is Glee like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Glee as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Glee violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Glee as mild.

What did critics think of Glee?

Viewers broadly find Glee a feel-good, musically joyful show about outsiders whose early seasons charmed them, though its quality dipped as the run went on.

Which shows are like Glee?

Shows with a similar feel include Smash, Freaks and Geeks, Scrubs, and Pitch Perfect.

How long is Glee?

Glee: 6 seasons, 121 episodes.

Is Glee still running?

No, Glee has ended.

Where can I watch Glee?

In United States, Glee streams on Disney Plus, Hulu.