A couple weeks ago, a theatre acquaintance of mine asked me which I preferred: Glee or Smash. At the time, I couldn’t respond. The shows are like apples and oranges. Although both surround musical theatre, Glee looks at music from a high school perspective while Smash shows those characters ten years in the future, struggling to perform in a Broadway production. Although I couldn’t choose one over the other, I eventually realized why I preferred Glee. And my reason is in its name: glee.
Don’t get me wrong. I believe Ryan Murphy dedicated himself to destroying the contemporary American song canon through synthesized rhythms and cacophonous mash-ups. All the same, watching Glee’s third season reminded me of why I watched the first season: musical joy. As a child growing up, I LOVED 1950s musicals, their bright colors and their whimsical settings. Glee brought all that back with a modern sensibility. It made sense to couch the songs within performances with a music video overlay. Although people claim that musical theatre acts typically burst into song inexplicably, that isn’t really true. Glee rather smartly uses the class performances as a cover. In fact, Jimmy Stewart’s Pot O’ Gold (1941), about a struggling music band, did the same thing. I always wondered if people who reduced musicals to random song bursts actually watched one all the way through.
Although Smash’s pilot captured what I thought happened behind the scenes of producing a Broadway play and its subsequent episodes reflected the pettiness I’ve seen in local amateur productions, I prefer Glee because it also portrays the positives. Glee reminds me of the things I loved about theatre growing up, particularly my Technicolor joy watching Easter Parade, An American in Paris, Les Girls, White Christmas or On the Town. When Mercedes, Kurt, Rachel, or Finn step on stage and experience a mini-rush before performing, their sentiments mirror my own feelings. Watching the kids meld together vocally during rehearsals reminded me of weekends with my a cappella loving friends as we drove to local competitions while singing along to Broadway shows
Glee just reminds me of theatre joy, period. No matter the amount of backbiting and pettiness that I experience, it’s the call of the stage and how I feel when I step on it that matters most to me. Glee captures that sensation. Just as the kids endure slushies, hate crimes, break-ups, teen pregnancy and older lovers, the only thing they remember at the end of the episode is their love of music.
So, while this week’s Smash knocked it out of the ball park (and, no doubt, I’ll continue to return on a weekly basis); while I continue to snark against Glee for overtly spotlighting Lea Michele; while I continue to shun the over-inundation of my favorite gossip sites with Glee sightings; and continue to critique the characters Murphy chooses to spotlight; Glee still has a warm spot for me.
Clacked by An Nicholson 
on Mar 07, 2012 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
I agree Glee is better than Smash, but if you feel Glee has been “overtly featuring” Lea Michele this season, you haven’t been watching. The only one being overtly featured is Naya Rivera, who plays Santana; a state of which has become increasingly tiresome to watch. I like Rivera- she’s a good actress – but, the reason Michele is the lead is because she’s dynamic and talented enough to carry the show. When she is on the screen, even in the background, she commands your eye and holds your attention (whether you like her character or not). Actually, one of the reasons it has been hard for me to get into Smash is that there are no dynamic characters amongst the cast. Megan Hilty is fabulous, but she has no one of presence to interact with on the show. It’s sad, because I really, really wanted to like it. There’s just something missing.
*POST AUTHOR*
Hey Danica –
I totally agree with you. I don’t question Lea Michele’s talent in the slightest or her casting as the Rachel character. However, because ‘Glee’ was initially pitched as an ensemble show, I stopped watching during season two because of the uneven focus on Rachel over other characters(although they started to feature Kurt, as well). The reason I enjoy season three is because Murphy spent even more time diversifying the characters receiving a lead story.
However, don’t give up on ‘Smash.’ This week was amazing. The characters aren’t as colorful, but hopefully, it will continue to improve.
An, you and I simply must meet. We could have an all day marathon of Gene Kelly-ness!
I also agree that Glee is better than Smash. Kat McPhee is kindof annoying me. Although I loved the turn they took this week, in having the characters “randomly” break into song. I’ve always wished life was really like that. But I guess it would get rather noisy.
But when Michael started singing to Julia on the steps?
Well … any die hard romantic would have to turn in their laminated card if they didn’t dig it.
*POST AUTHOR*
I will not lie. I had a total crush on Gene Kelly in high school. McPhee is annoying, but her character felt better this week when other characters stopped commenting on her talent. Instead, they just demonstrated her abilities and I’d prefer to see more of that.
I’m actually surprised they showed characters singing outside the studio, considering they swore they’d never do that. Now, if they can just show the characters having fun!
You two are both crazy re: McPhee being annoying.
Trust me, I’m a bit of an expert on annoying, right?
I think Glee is better, it teaches you things, life lessons. As to Smash which is just another drama show. And as for over showcasing Lea is so over dramatic! Rachel and Finn are the main characters on the show, saying that they get way to much screen time while the other characters have pretty good story lines as well, is not being fair, just like any other show the main characters will get more screen time, I’m sorry I love the whole cast and all of the characters but that’s just rude! As for Smash I seen it and I think it’s AMAZING!! But like I said it’d just another drama show, and the cast is very talented, but I fell in love with glee a ling time ago, and nothing will change my mind about it.
I have a feeling that if you like one show you’ll probably like the other, which is the case for me. Maybe it’s because it’s newer but I am definitely into Smash right now more than I am in Glee. And I love that they are actually, since it’s about a new musical, doing original songs.
I think Smash is a little better than Glee. I’m sad to say it since my heart has always been with Glee, but the one thing that makes Smash different than Glee is because it uses more original material than popular songs like Glee, and it has a more dramatic feel to it, while Glee is mostly comedy, but has its dramatic moments. And Smash is about a musical, while Glee is about a high school glee club trying to win a national competition. I love both shows, but Smash has the edge over Glee for me. Sorry to my fellow gleeks.
I realize I am late in this discussion but feel I must add to it.
I have only watched one episode of Glee but not because I can not appreciate theater. I simply can not stomach contemporary rock, soul, r&b, country, blues, hip hop etc etc.. being artsy and theatrical and over sung. The styles of those genres do not lend themselves to theater just as those genres don’t lend themselves to theater music. At least I can say this in most instances.
Now as for Smash, the fact that you all say it caters more to original songs makes me more willing to give it a try. As long as it for the most part sticks to theater and what makes it good as opposed to being too cute and over doing traditional popular genres of music in it’s “originality.”
Type O…I meant just as those theater doesn’t lend itself to those genres of music either. At least I can say this in most instances.