Invasion of the Cheerleaders vs. Glee

Is 'Invasion of the Cheerleaders' a new TV show? Maybe it's a take off of the movie 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'? No, it's not a new show or movie, it's just what happened at my house last night! My oldest daughter, captain of the varsity cheer squad at her high school, hosted her cheerleaders' bonding/sleepover party. Of course the girls stayed up until all hours, so I didn't exactly sleep well. This post, instead of being an enticing essay about one of the rare flowers in the wonderful, wild garden that is TV (did I really promise that in my very first post?!), will be a short and sweet (but fun) blurb as a direct result of that.

Speaking of fun, isn't it funny how that one word 'cheerleaders' evokes a vivid image and accompanying strong reaction? You either love them or you hate them, don't you? I, for one, thought I hated them (memories of the cheerleaders at a certain southern high school come to mind) until my daughter became one! The initial portrayal of the 'Cheerios' (cheerleaders) as being "stupid and beautiful" on 'Glee' made it wickedly funny because so many of us have those strong reactions. Now, after a few seasons, the characters have had time (and the writers of the show have been smart enough to allow them) to become multidimensional. The quintessential mean girl/cheerleader, Quinn, has endearing qualities and a backstory that explains her evil actions.

If you've never watched 'Glee', you might want to check it out. WARNING: This is no 'High School Musical'. There is adult content in this show even though its main characters are high school students. The adult content is getting racier and racier with each season. It really is a soap opera and, despite the musical that's mixed in, it is not necessarily suitable for tweens or even teens. You'll have to watch and decide for yourself. If you like it, I highly recommend watching the first (especially the first) and second seasons on DVD too. My two teenage daughters used to watch it, but I watched with them so we can discuss what happens. True to form, this soap opera's writers were supposed to write some characters out of their jobs last year. The show announced that the actors who played Rachel, Kurt, and Finn were leaving 'Glee' (they were seniors, after all, and graduated from William McKinley High School) at the end of the season. Show co-creator Ryan Murphy hinted then that others may be leaving as well. I haven't watched it this season. Have you? Let me know what you think of it.

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