Glee.

I just watched one of the best episodes of a TV show that I have ever seen. That sounds pretty dramatic but also fitting for Fox's new show Glee.

According to Fox, Glee is "a one-hour musical comedy that follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to transform the Glee Club and inspire a group of ragtag performers to make it to the biggest competition of all: Nationals."

According to me, it's amazing. It has all the right amounts of humor, music, struggle, and heart. Finally, a show that doesn't glorify the money-driven life we all seem to have gotten caught up in. It is interesting that the show follows the teacher, as opposed to the students. Interesting because schoolteachers, perhaps the most underpaid, under appreciated professionals in our society, are also some of the most valuable, having at times the greatest impact on the mold-able minds of the youth.

In addition, the show is unusual because it is centered around a "glee club" or show choir. Many high schools don't have them, but for the ones that do, show choir is not really all that cool. So, to follow a school teacher who also chooses to direct the glee club is almost unthinkable for a show. How could this possibly work?

That's a good question. I think the answer is shear talent. The actors are great. The writers are incredible. The story line is good; it's unusual. The students are awkward. Viewers don't have to stretch to see themselves in the characters. The actors have tons of talent. Spring Awakening's Lea Michelle is chalk full of talent. Cory Monteith, who plays the show's quintessential jock/closet singer, is amazing, and I daresay, 100 times as good looking as one Zac Efron.

Okay, okay, now that I bring up Zac Efron it seems a little unlikely that the show is all that original. Hasn't Disney already tapped out the "jock goes to the musical" plot? Well, I certainly think there is a strong case for that argument, but I also think Glee steps far beyond the reaches of the High School Musical Trilogy.

First of all, the storyline is a bit more adult, with "The Chronic Lady" (marijuana), celibacy club cheerleader, and threatening failing marriage of the show's main character. Second of all, the students have oodles more talent than those fresh-faced teens of East High. Not that I think High School Musicals 1-3 were bad, just that this show is different, and darn good.

So, I look forward to seeing what more Fox will give me with Glee this fall. I'm sure I will eat my words at some point when the show disappoints me, but for now, I'm hooked.

You can check out the pilot episode here: http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=glee&src=carousel_on_glee

Enjoy.