Don't stop believin'

G is for... GLEE!

Now, before you start cracking up at me for liking this TV show, give me a chance to explain.

So I have gone the past 3 years disliking Glee. I thought it was the most ridiculous, contrived television show. I thought that it was overly preachy and disappointing. I had attempted to watch the pilot, but couldn't get through it. I watched 3 episodes in season 3, which were The First Time, Extraordinary Merry Christmas, and Big Brother. I watched all of these knowing about the characters and the basic premise of the show, but I just wasn't interested. However, I did have quite a few Glee covers downloaded on my iTunes. I loved the songs by the Warblers. I already loved Darren Criss before he was on Glee, but I couldn't bring myself to even watch the show.

So last August I went to California and stayed with a friend who sometimes works on Glee. And I hate to say that I was kind of mean about Glee, I said it was a ridiculous show. She told me to just give a chance, that season 4 was going to be really good. I told her no way...and then I started watching it.

This is a breakdown of how it went:

Season 4 Episode 1 - The New Rachel. - Oh my gosh I can't believe I'm actually sitting here watching this show. I know I said I would give it a shot but ugh it is so ridiculous. Hey look Darren's singing, I love him. Cool. Ugh this show. I really like that reunion at the end of Kurt/Rachel though (oh hey I will just go download Call Me Maybe, New York State of Mind and It's Time)

Season 4 Episode 2 - Britney 2.0 - UGH seriously a Britney Spears episode? Okay Darren and Kevin McHale I can get behind this. (Hurries to download the songs from the episode)

Season 4 Episode 3 - Makeover - SERIOUSLY WITH THESE RIDICULOUS FACES? What is even happening? No I love Blaine with bowties. This is silly. Why am I watching this show again? Oh hey SJP I love her. WHAT IS FINN DOING IN NEW YORK? Okay I'm giving this one more week. (Hurries to download songs again - fears I'm getting sucked in even though I only said one more week.)

Season 4 Episode 4 - The Break Up - (Before the episode I downloaded Teenage Dream acoustic and cried, it's okay.) Okay so we don't know why Finn is in New York right? Oh he shot himself in the leg okay. Hey why's Blaine talking to someone else he's with Kurt. Wait NO. I love Barely Breathing but this is wrong.  Okay Kurt and Rachel going to a bar with Finn...HEY BLAINE'S IN NEW YORK! So he didn't cheat right? I have to download Give Your Heart a Break ASAP. I'm crying because of Blaine and Kurt what is happening to me? How did I get so invested? Why am I crying? Why would someone break up every couple on the show?

Then you know what happened? A four week hiatus. I knew it. I was sucked in. So I watched 2 seasons of Glee in 2 1/2 days. I literally did nothing but watch Glee and download the songs. I found people online who loved Glee just as much as me. After I finished season 1&2, Netflix didn't have sesaon 3 so I had to go buy it...and I finished it in 2 days. So I watched 3 seasons in 4 1/2 days. That is INSANE and ridiculous. I realize how crazy I seem. Then, because the show was still on hiatus, I continued to watch and download my favorite episodes so that I could get my Glee fix. It is like crack for me. I couldn't get enough, and I still can't get enough. I'm in the middle of a re-watch RIGHT NOW. What the what?

However, this show honestly just spoke to me on so many levels. I found out how much I love the storylines (even when they don't make sense) and the characters. I love these actors so much. I completely fell in love with Chris Colfer and Mike O'Malley as one of the best depictions of a father/son relationship on television. (Furt is one of my favorite episodes. I just always skip the parts with Sue and her ridiculous wedding.) I became a huge fan of Kurt and Blaine and their relationship. It was testing the boundaries of television and I loved it.

Is it preachy? Yes. Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. Does it make me feel? YES! More often than I want to admit unfortunately. Don't Stop Believin' brings me to tears. Teenage Dream does as well. The recent Shooting Star episode brought me to tears. Glee doesn't always have the strongest acting, but when it does..wow.

I used to hate Ryan Murphy. Now, I love him, even when I hate him. I know that at the end of the day, he's going to do the show he wants to do, no matter what anyone else thinks. How can you not admire that? Plus he created one of my other favorite shows, The New Normal. I will always be grateful for that.

So in conclusion... I love Glee. And to be honest, I really don't care if you don't like it. Because it makes me happy, that's what matters.