Glee searches for its voice with pilot preview

This could be the start of something new—or it could just be too reminiscent of Disney’s High School Musical.

On Tuesday night at 9 p.m., Fox took off in “new directions” with the pilot episode of Glee. Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck and Popular, brings musical comedy to television with the series, whose May premiere was a special preview in anticipation of the show’s regular slot in the fall lineup.

As shows set in high school often do, Glee opens in the a high school parking lot. There, football players throw a fashion-obsessed nerd into the garbage while simultaneously being reminded to do their homework by their underpaid and over-involved teacher, Mr. Schuester.

Matthew Morrison plays Will Schuester, the Spanish teacher whose true desire is to bring the joy of music to his students through a revamped glee club, named New Directions. Morrison convincingly plays the passionate teacher wanting to give back to the kids while also managing his duties to his family. Morrison’s soothing voice and dashing charm could easily win over any audience.

However, it seems the writers may have forced too much of Morrison’s character onto the screen in this first segment. The struggle between zealous glee club director and devoted husband seemed insubstantial in the mere hour Morrison was given to develop this inner conflict.

In fact, many of the introductions to the main characters felt rushed. The brief glimpse at each of the four nerdy backup singers including powerhouse soul singer Mercedes (Amber Riley) and pop-rocker Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) originates in the audition scene montage—very HSM.

Perhaps more awkward and comical is the band of teachers with more idiosyncrasies than its students. Between the militant cheerleading coach (Jane Lynch), the germaphobic teacher secretly in love with Schuester (Jayma Mays), and the pothead football coach secretly in love with the germaphobe (Patrick Gallagher), the teacher’s lounge is as gossip-worthy as the cafeteria.

The drama unfolds when quarterback of the football team, Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) challenges the status quo by joining glee club a la Troy Bolton. Naturally, the tall, good-looking hunk nabs the gig of male lead in glee club and the attention of female lead Rachel Berry (Lea Michele).

As vocal talent goes, perhaps audiences will no longer have to rely on reality television’s American Idol for quality and charisma. Michele, in particular, brings incredible vocal talent and bares her Broadway roots proudly. What’s more, the show smoothly integrates music and dance without overpowering the plot.

In truth, the best scene was the last, in which the Michele and Monteith rocked out to Journey, showcasing the glee club’s marked progress. Up until that point, the pilot read as a rushed establishment of relationships and character basics in Disney-style clichés to set the stage for the real show.

Looking at the current talent and the guest star lineup for the fall—which includes Kristen Chenoweth, Victor Garber, and Cheyenne Jackson—viewers may find the heartening last scene of this preview to be the most indicative of what’s to come. It may be too soon to tell, but like New Directions, Glee has potential.