Lea Michele's recent casting in Funny Girl (via Vulture) has brought with it a resurgence of Gleeks reminiscing about back when the show was in its prime. Although the series has faced a plethora of backlash for its controversies on and off-screen, it still holds a special place in the heart of Gleeks who remember how much the series did in terms of representation and entertainment.
While not every aspect of the show may hold up today, there are still many redeeming elements of Glee that allow it to have a large fandom that will defend certain opinions with everything they have (even if a few can be unpopular).
Karofksy Was A Good Boyfriend
Dave Karoskfy was an antagonist during the early seasons of Glee, not only through his anti-Glee antics but more prominently through his constant and abusive bullying of Kurt. However, later seasons do humanize Dave and grant him a slight - albeit not totally warranted - redemption arc as he comes to terms with his sexuality.
This is seen especially when he dates Blaine in the final season. As this Redditor points out, "Karofsky was an amazing boyfriend to Blaine... He loved spending time with Blaine... was incredibly patient with Blaine... was willing to talk things out and was always willing to be understanding." Although there will definitely be some divided opinions about this agree, compared to the person they met in season 1, it was quite clear that Karofsky did mature and deserved to find his 'person' by the end.
The Warbler's Deserved A Spin-Off
Season 2 brought with it the introduction of the group of all-male, singing heartthrobs: The Warblers. Originally headed by Blaine, the group won over audiences with their smooth, school-boy charm, impressive harmonization, and amazing vocals. Not to mention the great storylines they had first with Kurt joining them and later on with Sebastian spearheading their rivalry with the Glee club.
Their charisma and popularity are part of the reason why fans like this Redditor "totes would’ve watched like a 30 min sitcom with the warblers... [it] would’ve been a bop." It certainly would have been an interesting spin-off considering the show did explore the issue of elitism and exclusivity that came with being a Warbler in season 6.
Brody's Occupation Shouldn't Have Been Discriminated Against
The season 4 introduction of Rachel's new love interest, Brody, seemed incredibly fitting given her journey: she was in a new place with a new look, was working towards her goal, and deserved a shot with someone new who was as like-minded, driven, and talented as herself.
Unfortunately, her romance with Brody gets cut short not just by Finn's immature behavior, but primarily because of his profession as a sex worker. Redditor babblingbabby stated that "that plotline upset me so much. Being upset that he hid it from her? Absolutely! But shaming the act itself? Nah. I also wish they had let this couple flourish." The discrimination felt infinitely more distasteful and misplaced given the show's otherwise progressive messages and the huge potential the couple had.
Finn Outing Santana Was Mishandled
Santana coming to terms with her sexuality was one of Glee's more important and defining character arcs, with many women in the LGBTQ+ identifying with her on-screen development just like may with many other best LGBTQ+ teen shows. However, one unfortunate and mishandled subplot was Finn outing Santana in season 3.
Redditor averagetetrisfan remarked that "The fact that Santana was made out to be the villain in the episode where Finn outed her was [messed] up, and Finn's behavior throughout that episode made me lose all respect for him." While Finn's character gets defended and excused for a lot of things, this was one matter where he really should not have been, and the majority of Gleeks agree.
Season 6 Was One of the Best
While Glee, like many teen shows that go on for years, faced a decline in content and quality as it continued on, Season 6 offered fans one last glimpse into all the elements that made the show great in its first seasons.
This Redditor appreciated how the last season "went back to the show’s og satire while also having some nice references to the rest of the series." With the introduction of new, fun characters, taking the focus back to McKinley High, grand musical performances, absurd plotlines (i.e. "The Hurt Locker" episodes), and touching references to the series' past, season 6 was definitely one of the show's best.
There Was Too Much Singing
Although Glee was a musical series with many great song covers, somewhere along the way it seemed to stop revolving its song choices around its plot and instead focus on building its narratives around the most popular song renditions. (A perfect example of this is their cover of "What Does the Fox Say?")
While fans enjoyed the plethora of covers produced by the show, some felt like the increasing incorporation of singing their feelings took away from the show. Redditor Vivid-Busyness thinks the show had "too much singing, the songs became a lot less impactful as time went on as a result," turning what was once the show's strength into a slightly overused weakness.
The Maria Argument
Lea Michele's overbearing character with a powerhouse voice, Rachel Berry, has faced a lot of criticism over the years and is seen as one of the TV characters who didn't deserve their happy ending. Not only is Rachel perceived as selfish and bratty, but her character's constant dominance of solos and important storylines took away from the arcs of other characters who may have deserved more screentime, such as Mercedes Jones.
While this point was brought up during the show's West Side Story audition episodes, the result again favored Rachel, prompting Redditor inlovewith-icecream to state that "Mercedes was completely right during the Maria argument. I’ll defend this till my last breath." Given the important discussions of privilege and favoritism brought on by their argument, the show's decision to have Rachel win (despite knowing it should've been Mercedes) was a cause of disappointment for fans.
Tina Deserved Better
Despite being one of the show's original Glee members, Tina Cohen-Chang often got the shorthand of the stick when it came to Glee-related business and storylines. As Redditor FormOk7094 noted: "she was constantly ignored throughout seasons 1-3, and never really got to show off her amazing voice because they always had her crying. She was so sweet and considerate in the early seasons" but was villainized and had her character completely ruined in season 4.
It all seems even more unjust when viewers remember her constant commitment to the Glee club and the sacrifices she made (such as giving her solo to Rachel) just to stay loyal and true to the group and help them reach their best potential every time.
The First 13 Episodes Are The Best
When Glee first aired, part of what made the show so exciting and refreshing was the way it perfectly balanced its dramatic and musical narrative with its dry humor and memorable one-liners. Unfortunately, a lot of this charm was lost as the show continued, making it one of the TV shows that only had one good season.
Redditor Vivid-Busyness reminisced about how the "first 13 are the best episodes and the show took itself too seriously later on," and stated how many later scenes and episodes never would've taken place in season 1. The change in tone can be attributed to many things such as growing popularity, the high demand for their covers, and their growing fandom which led to various shippings and moments of fan service that season 1 did not have to worry about yet.
Quinn Should've Been Prom Queen
Quinn Fabray was one of the series' best and most complex characters. From her hidden backstory to her constant preoccupation with status all the way to her evolution as a dedicated, kind, and supportive friend to Rachel - Quinn had one of the most interesting and developed character arcs from seasons 1 to 3.
Given all that she had gone through - a teen pregnancy, her various love triangles, getting into a terrible car accident - she deserved at least one big win. This is why Redditor amara90 argues that "Quinn should've been prom queen. After all the [stuff] she went through her entire high school career, she shouldn't have been made to feel ashamed of having ONE moment of validation." But while she may not have been prom queen, Quinn Fabray still remains a queen in the hearts of her countless fans.
Source:gamerant.com