Anyone who was worried that 'Glee' would come back after its much-hyped and lauded first season with an overindulgent mess of an episode, I have really good news: the season 2 premiere was smart and funny, and it kept its feet relatively on the ground.
The most refreshing part of the hour was the notion that, despite the fact that the Gleesters placed third at regionals and they seem to be up-and-coming in the high school show choir universe, that means nothing in terms of both popularity and funding. In fact, Will Sheuster and the kids open the episode faced with two harsh facts of life: 1) their budget is being slashed, and 2) no new members want to sign up.
It's almost like Ryan Murphy and company are telling us that, despite the show's success, they're going to proceed as if they were getting Carson Daly-level ratings. If that's the case, then it means that the show has less of a chance of flying off the rails than it seemed like it would do in the second half of the season last year. I can put up with themed episodes with Britney Spears and the 'Rocky Horror' crew, I can even put up with episodes that contain 30 minutes of music and 12 minutes of story. As long as the stories that are told are funny and have real emotional resonance, the show will work.
RUNNING WILDE: A huge night on TV tonight as the second season of ‘Glee’ kicks off along with FOX’s brand new comedy Running Wilde. Will Arnett plays a spoiled Beverly Hills bachelor, Steven Wilde, who reconnects with a childhood crush, Emmy, played by Keri Russell. Emmy is a single mom and a passionate environmental activist while Steven just enjoys spending cash. The show was created by those who did Arrested Development. Running Wilde is filmed right here on Long Island. It airs tonight at 9:30 p.m
GLEE PREMIERE: Gleeks unite as the second season of ‘Glee’ hopes to continue the sensation with a couple of new students, lots of memorable music numbers, famous cameos and plenty of surprises. Already scoring a hit with Madonna, Britney Spears is set to guest star September 28. Gwyneth Paltrow is reportedly appearing in two episodes. Kristin chenoweth will be a returning guest star. John Stamos will be making a cameo as a sexy dentist. And Javier Bardem who worked with ‘Glee’ creator Ryan Murphy on the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ is also reportedly going to do a walk on. The second season of ‘Glee’ premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on FOX 5.
