Background Information: Glee (TV series) Glee is a musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationship, sexuality and social issues. The initial main cast encompassed club director and Spanish teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), Will's wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), and eight club members played by Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz. For the second season, formerly recurring cast members Mike O'Malley, Heather Morris and Naya Rivera were promoted to the main cast. The series was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, who first conceived Glee as a film. The pilot episode was broadcast on May 19, 2009, and the first season aired from September 9, 2009 to June 8, 2010. The second season began airing on September 21, 2010, and a third season has been commissioned. Glee features on-screen performance-based musical numbers which are selected by Murphy, who aims to maintain a balance between show tunes and chart hits. Songs covered in the show are released through the iTunes Store during the week of broadcast, and a series of Glee albums have been released by Columbia Records. The music of Glee has been a commercial success, with over thirteen million digital single sales and five million album sales. The series' merchandise also includes DVD and Blu-Ray releases, a young adult book series, an iPad application, and a karaoke game for the Wii. During its first season, Glee received generally favorable reviews from critics, with Metacritic's weighted average based on the impression of 18 critical reviews of 77 percent. The season was nominated for nineteen Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, six Satellite Awards and fifty-seven other awards, with wins including the 2010 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy, and Primetime Emmy awards for Lynch, guest-star Neil Patrick Harris and Murphy's direction of the pilot episode. Conception Ian Brennan conceived Glee based on his own experience as a member of the Prospect High School show choir in Mount Prospect, Illinois.[1] He initially envisioned Glee as a film, rather than a television series, and wrote the first draft in August 2005 with the aid of Screenwriting for Dummies.[1] He completed the script in 2005, but could not generate interest in the project for several years.[2] Mike Novick, a television producer and a friend of Brennan's from Los Angeles, was a member of the same gym as Ryan Murphy, and gave him a copy of Brennan's script.[3] Murphy had been in a show choir in college, and felt he could relate to the script. Murphy and his Nip/Tuck colleague Brad Falchuk suggested that Glee be produced as a television show. The script was entirely rewritten,[2] and was picked up by Fox within 15 hours of being received. Murphy attributed that, in part, to the network's success with American Idol. "It made sense for the network with the biggest hit in TV, which is a musical, to do something in that vein", he said.[4] Murphy and Falchuk became the show's executive producers and showrunners, while Brennan is a co-executive producer and Novick is a producer.[4] Brennan, Falchuk and Murphy write all of the show's episodes.[5] Glee is set in Lima, Ohio.[6] Murphy chose a Midwest setting as he himself grew up in Indiana, and recalled childhood visits to Ohio to the Kings Island theme park.[7] Although set in Lima, the show is filmed at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.[8] Murphy has said that he has never seen a High School Musical film, to which Glee has been compared, and that his interest lay in creating a "postmodern musical," rather than "doing a show where people burst into song," drawing more heavily on the format of Chicago.[9] Murphy intended the show to be a form of escapism. "There's so much on the air right now about people with guns, or sci-fi, or lawyers running around. This is a different genre, there's nothing like it on the air at the networks and cable. Everything's so dark in the world right now, that's why Idol worked. It's pure escapism," he said.[4] Murphy intended to make a family show to appeal to adults as well as children, with adult characters starring equally alongside the teenage leads.[4] Murphy has mapped out plans for the series covering a three years of broadcast.[10] [edit] Music and choreography Main articles: List of songs in Glee (season 1), List of songs in Glee (season 2), and Glee Cast discography The series features numerous song covers sung onscreen by the characters.[11] Murphy is responsible for selecting all of the songs used, and strives to maintain a balance between show tunes and chart hits, as: "I want there to be something for everybody in every episode. That's a tricky mix, but that's very important — the balancing of that."[3] Song choices are integral to script development, with Murphy explaining: "Each episode has a theme at its core. After I write the script, I will choose songs that help to move the story along."[12] Murphy was surprised at the ease with which use of songs was approved by the record labels approached, and explained: "I think the key to it is they loved the tone of it. They loved that this show was about optimism and young kids, for the most part, reinterpreting their classics for a new audience."[11] A minority of those approached refused to allow their music to be used, including Bryan Adams and Coldplay, however in June 2010, Coldplay reversed their decision, allowing Glee the rights to their catalog.[13] and Adams posted on his official Twitter account that the producers of Glee had never requested permission from him and urged them to "pick up the phone".[14] Composer and musician Billy Joel offered many of his songs for use on the show,[15] and other artists have offered use of their songs for free.[16] A series of Glee soundtrack albums have been released through Columbia Records. Songs featured on the show are available for digital download through iTunes up to two weeks before new episodes air, and through other digital outlets and mobile carriers a week later.[10] Glee is choreographed by Zach Woodlee and features five to eight production numbers per episode.[17] Once Murphy selects a song, rights are cleared with its publishers by music supervisor P. J. Bloom, and music producer Adam Anders rearranges it for the Glee cast.[10] Numbers are pre-recorded by the cast, while Woodlee constructs the accompanying dance moves, which are then taught to the cast and filmed.[3] Studio recordings of tracks are then made. The process begins six to eight weeks before each episode is filmed, and can end as late as the day before filming begins.[10] Each episode costs at least $3 million to produce,[3] and can take up to 10 days to film as a result of the elaborate choreography.[9] [edit] Promotion Further information: Glee Live! In Concert! A promotional balloon for Glee in New York City.Prior to the premiere of the second episode, the cast of Glee went on tour at several Hot Topic stores across the nation.[18] The cast sang the U.S.A. national anthem at the third game of the 2009 World Series.[19] They were invited by Macy's to perform at the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but host broadcaster NBC rejected the plan due to Glee airing on a rival network.[20][21] Co-creator Ryan Murphy commented on the cast's exclusion: "I completely understand NBC's position, and look forward to seeing a Jay Leno float."[22] Due to the success of the show, the cast went on a concert tour following first season wrap up, visiting Phoenix, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.[23] In addition, the cast recorded a cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas", which was released as a single without featuring in the show.[10] Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer will reprise their roles as Will, Rachel, Finn and Kurt respectively for a cameo appearance in an upcoming episode of The Cleveland Show.[24] Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Amber Riley appeared as campers in the twenty-second season premiere of The Simpsons.[25] Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, and Amber Riley appeared at the 2010 MTV VMAs on Sept. 12, 2010.[26] When Agron, Michele and Monteith posed for a set of risqué photos for the October edition of GQ magazine, the show was criticized by the Parents Television Council (PTC). PTC president Tim Winter commented that Glee has many young fans, and that, "By authorizing this kind of near-pornographic display, the creators of the program have established their intentions on the show’s direction. And it isn't good for families."[27] They also announced they would play at The O2 in Dublin, Ireland aswell as The O2 in London and in Manchester's Evening News Arena in 2011. [edit] Cast and characters Main article: Characters of Glee Morrison was cast after Murphy spent three months observing actors on Broadway.In casting Glee, Murphy sought out actors who could identify with the rush of starring in theatrical roles. Instead of using traditional network casting calls, he spent three months on Broadway, where he found Matthew Morrison, who had previously starred on stage in Hairspray and The Light in the Piazza; Lea Michele, who starred in Spring Awakening; and Jenna Ushkowitz, who had been in the Broadway revival of The King and I.[28] Auditioning actors with no theatrical experience were required to prove they could sing and dance as well as act. Chris Colfer had no previous professional experience, but Murphy wrote in the character Kurt Hummel for him to play.[28] Jayma Mays auditioned with the song "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me" from The Rocky Horror Show, while Cory Monteith initially submitted a tape of himself acting only, and was requested to submit a second, musical tape, in which he sang "a cheesy, '80s music-video-style version" of REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling".[28] Kevin McHale came from a boy-band background, having previously been part of the group Not Like Them. He explained that the diversity of the cast's backgrounds reflects the range of different musical styles within the show itself: "It's a mix of everything: classic rock, current stuff, R&B. Even the musical theatre stuff is switched up. You won't always recognize it."[28] Jane Lynch was originally supposed to have a recurring role in the show,[29] but became a series regular when a Damon Wayans pilot she was working on for ABC fell through.[30] The cast is contracted for a potential three Glee films,[31] with their contract stating that “[The actor] hereby grants Fox three exclusive, irrevocable options to engage [the actor] in up to, respectively, three feature length motion pictures.” Though as yet, no films have been planned.[32] Monteith plays glee club member Finn Hudson.Glee features fifteen main roles with star billing. Morrison plays Will Schuester, McKinley High's Spanish teacher who becomes director of the glee club, hoping to restore it to its former glory.[17] Lynch plays Sue Sylvester, head coach of the "Cheerios" cheerleading squad, and the Glee Club's arch-nemesis.[30] Mays appears as Emma Pillsbury, the school's mysophobic guidance counselor who has feelings for Will,[33] and Jessalyn Gilsig plays Terri Schuester, Will's ex-wife who eventually divorced him after five years of marriage.[34] Michele plays Rachel Berry, talented star of the glee club who is often bullied by the Cheerios and football players.[34] Monteith plays Finn Hudson, star quarterback of the school's football team who risks alienation by his friends to join the glee club.[34] Also in the club are Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones, a fashion-conscious diva who resents having to sing back-up; Colfer as Kurt Hummel—a gay male countertenor;[35] McHale as Artie Abrams, a guitar player and paraplegic; and Ushkowitz as Tina Cohen-Chang, an Asian American student with a fake speech impediment. Mark Salling plays Noah "Puck" Puckerman, a friend of Finn's on the football team who at first disapproves of Finn joining the glee club, but later joins the glee club himself. Dianna Agron plays Quinn Fabray, Finn's cheerleader girlfriend, who also later joins the glee club. Naya Rivera and Heather Morris, who portray Cheerios and glee club vocalists Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce respectively, were originally recurring actors, but starting in the second season were promoted to series regulars.[36] Mike O'Malley, who plays Kurt's father Burt Hummel, also became a series regular on season two.[37] [edit] Episodes Main article: List of Glee episodes The first season of Glee consists of 22 episodes.[38] The pilot episode was broadcast on May 19, 2009.[39] The series returned on September 9, 2009,[40] airing on Wednesdays in the 9:00 p.m. timeslot until December 9, 2009 for a total of thirteen episodes. On September 21, 2009, nine more episodes were ordered for the first season by Fox,[41] with the first of these episodes airing on April 13, 2010. These episodes aired on Tuesday evenings at 9pm[42] On January 11, 2010, it was announced that Fox had commissioned a second season of the show. The second season began production in June 2010.[43][44] Season two began on September 21, 2010,[45] airing in the 8 p.m. time slot on Tuesdays. Fox originally planned to move the show to the 9 p.m. time slot on Wednesdays following the 2011 Super Bowl,[46] however later revised its schedule, leaving Glee on Tuesdays in order to concentrate on building up its weaker Wednesday and Thursday line-ups.[47] A third season was ordered by Fox on May 23, 2010. The early renewal of the show will allow the production team to cut costs and to plan ahead when writing scripts.[48] In June 2010, it was announced that Oxygen would host a reality series set to air in June 2011, featuring performers competing for a spot on Glee.[49][50] [edit] Merchandise Main article: Glee merchandise Three soundtrack albums were released to accompany Glee's first season: Glee: The Music, Volume 1, Glee: The Music, Volume 2 and Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers.[51][52][53] Two extended plays (EP) accompanied the episodes "The Power of Madonna" and "Journey": Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna and Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals respectively.[54][55] Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One, a compilation album featuring all 100 studio recordings from the first season, was released exclusively to the iTunes Store.[56] Two EPs accompany the second season: one entitled Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show accompanying the Halloween episode,[57] and another which will feature songs from the Super Bowl tribute episode.[58] Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album, featuring winter holiday-themed songs, and Glee: The Music, Volume 4 are both set for release in November 2010.[59][60][61] Another soundtrack volume is planned for the first quarter of 2011.[58][62] Glee has been released on several DVD and Blu-ray box-sets. Glee – Pilot Episode: Director's Cut features the pilot episode and a preview of the second episode, "Showmance".[63] Glee – Volume 1: Road to Sectionals contains the first thirteen episodes of season one,[64] and Glee – Volume 2: Road to Regionals contains the final nine episodes of the first season.[65] Glee - The Complete First Season was released on September 13, 2010.[66] Little, Brown Books plan to publish five Glee–related young adult novels, which will be developed in collaboration with the show's producers and writers.[67] The first authorized novel, Glee: The Beginning, is written by Sophia Lowell and serves as a prequel to the events of the television series.[68] The second novel in the series, Glee: Foreign Exchange, will also be written by Lowell.[69] Separate to the young adult series, during season two Sue Sylvester will write her autobiography. Murphy plans for it to be released as a real book, with Lynch going on an accompanying book tour in character as Sue.[70][71] Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products have plans for a line of Glee–related merchandise including games, electrical products, greeting cards, apparel and stationery.[72] Macy's carry a line of Glee–related clothing, and Claire's stock accessories.[73] [edit] Reception [edit] Critical reception Variety's Brian Lowry said that Jayma Mays as Emma offered "modest redemption" to an adult cast of "over-the-top buffoons".Glee has received generally favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 77 out of 100, based on 18 critic reviews.[74] It was praised by critics in several round-up reviews of 2009 in television. James Poniewozik of Time ranked it the eighth best television show of the year, commenting: "when Glee works — which is often — it is transcendent, tear-jerking and thrilling like nothing else on TV."[75] Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker ranked it ninth, calling it "Hands down the year's most novel show [and] also its least likely success",[76] Lisa Respers France of CNN wrote that while ordinarily Glee's premise would have been "a recipe for disaster", the show has "such quirky charm and bravado that it is impossible not to get swept up".[77] After the episode "Showmance", the Parents Television Council named Glee the 'Worst Show of the Week', calling it "an edgy, sexually-charged adult series that is inappropriate for teenagers".[78] Nancy Gibbs of Time magazine wrote that she had heard the series described as "anti-Christian" by a youth minister, and commented: "It is easy to see his point, if you look at the specifics. [...] The students lie, they cheat, they steal, they lust, they lace the bake-sale cupcakes with pot in order to give the student body a severe case of the munchies. Nearly all the Ten Commandments get violated at one point or another, while the audience is invited to laugh at people's pain and folly and humiliation". However, Gibbs continues to mention: "It insults kids to suggest that simply watching Characters Behaving Badly onscreen means they'll take that as permission to do the same themselves. [...] And it's set in high school, meaning it's about a journey not just to college and career but to identity and conviction, the price of popularity, the compromises we must make between what we want and what we need."[79] Variety's Brian Lowry was critical of the show's early episodes, highlighting acting and characterization issues and deeming the adult cast "over-the-top buffoons", with the exception of Mays' Emma, who he felt offered "modest redemption".[80] Though he praised Colfer and Michele's performances, Lowry wrote that the show's talent was squandered by its "jokey, cartoonish, wildly uneven tone", deeming the series a "one-hit wonder".[81] Following the show's mid-season finale, Lowry wrote that while Glee "remains a frustrating mess at times", its "vibrant musical numbers and talented cast have consistently kept it on [his] TiVo must list" conceding that "even with its flaws, TV would be poorer without Glee."[82] As Glee's initial success pulled in a large audience, John Doyle, Globe & Mail, wrote that the early shows "felt fresh, mainly because the motley crew of kids had a kind of square naïveté." Doyle notes that the early success took Glee away from its original characters and plot, focusing more on celebrity guests. 'The gaiety is gone from Glee. You should have set it in its prime, mere months ago".[83] [edit] Music The show's musical performances have been a commercial success, with over thirteen million copies of Glee cast single releases purchased digitally, and over five million albums purchased worldwide.[84] In 2009, the Glee cast had 25 singles chart on the Billboard Hot 100, the most by any artist since The Beatles had 31 songs in the chart in 1964.[85] The cast performance of "Don't Stop Believin' was certified gold in November 2009, achieving over 500,000 digital sales.[86] The series' cover versions have also had a positive effect on the original recording artists, with sales of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" increasing by 189 percent after the song was covered in the Glee episode "Showmance".[86] However, there has also been critical condemnation of the cast performances, with Jon Dolan for Rolling Stone commenting that Matthew Morrison "couldn't rap his way out of a 98° rehearsal", and Allmusic's Andrew Leahey opining that Cory Monteith and Dianna Agron "can't sing nearly as well as their co-stars".[87] E! Online's Joal Ryan criticized the show for its "overproduced soundtrack", in particular, complaining that many songs rely too heavily on the pitch correcting software Auto-Tune, noting: "For every too-brief moment of Lea Michele sounding raw—and lovely—on a "What a Girl Wants," or Monteith singing a perfectly credible REO Speedwagon in the shower, there's Michele and Monteith sounding like 1990s-era Cher on "No Air," or Monteith sounding like the Monteith XRZ-200 on the out-of-the-shower version of "Can't Fight This Feeling".[88] The cast was invited to sing at the White House at the behest of Michelle Obama in April 2010 for the annual Easter Egg Roll.[89] During the second season, Rob Sheffield for Rolling Stone noted the Britney Spears and Rocky Horror tribute episodes as examples when he lauded Glee and its choice of music. He praised Murphy for his selection and resurrection of "forgotten" pop songs and compared the show's uniqueness to "MTV in its prime" as the embodiment of popular culture.[90] [edit] Fandom Fans of Glee are commonly referred to as "gleeks",[91] a portmanteau of "glee" and "geek". Fox ran a "Biggest GLEEK" competition, measuring fans' Glee-related activity on social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, and found that the growth of the fanbase outpaced the network's science-fiction shows.[92] The cast's Hot Topic tour was titled "The Gleek Tour".[18] Glee is one of the most tweeted about TV shows.[93] Fans have recreated many of its musical numbers in tribute to the show, sharing them on YouTube. Based on this trend, show producers included instrumental versions of some songs on the show's soundtracks.[93] [edit] Accolades Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Glee Glee has received a number of awards and nominations. In 2009, the series won five Satellite Awards: "Best Musical or Comedy TV Series", "Best Actor" and "Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV Series" for Morrison and Michele, "Best Supporting Actress" for Lynch and "Special Achievement for Outstanding Guest Star" for Kristin Chenoweth.[94] In 2010, the show won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy". Morrison, Michele and Lynch also received acting nominations.[95] The series was nominated for two Writers Guild of America Awards, with screenplays nominated in the "Comedy Series" and "New Series" categories.[96] The Glee cast won the "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series" award at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards.[97] Paris Barclay and Ryan Murphy both received nominations for "Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series" at the Directors Guild of America Awards for their work on Glee.[98] In July 2010, Glee received 19 Emmy Award nominations, including "Outstanding Comedy Series", "Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series" for Morrison and "Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series" for Michele.[99][100] It won 4, including "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series" for Lynch and "Outstanding Guest Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series" for Neil Patrick Harris. The pilot episode of Glee averaged 9.62 million viewers,[102] and the following eleven episodes attained between 6.10 and 7.65 million.[103][104] The mid-season finale was watched by 8.13 million viewers,[105] with the show returning in April 2010 to a season high of 13.66 million viewers.[106] The following six episodes attained between 11.49 and 12.98 million viewers,[107][108] falling to 8.99 million for the penultimate episode "Funk".[109] Viewing figures rose to 11.07 million viewers for the season finale,[110] giving Glee the highest finale rating for a new show in the 2009–10 television season.[111] Only the first twenty episodes of the first season were accounted for when calculating the season average due to the final two episodes airing outside the traditional sweeps period.[112] I loved this episode. Guest stars are one of the best things about Glee. Gwen was no different. Her character was adorable and I hope this isn't her last appearance on the show. What's so great about this show are the little moments of brilliance with songs that they have, and... Emily Kurt, for me, stole every scene he was in tonight. I loved his reactions to everything, such as when Dave winked at him, or when the students started screaming for tots and he jumped in surprise. The restaurant scene between him, Mercedes, and Blaine had me in tears, I was laughing so... Kate I thought "The Substitute" episode was a great one. It had some excellent songs, and cool dancing. The rain dance sequences were visually beautiful and amazing. The guest star Gwyneth Paltrow was pretty awesome too. And I'm glad to see that Kurt has a new friend. It's also cool to see that... Tyler ntering its sophomore season, GLEE is a biting musical comedy that has quickly become a pop-culture phenomenon. The highest-rated new scripted series of the season boasts critical acclaim, a loyal fan base of "GLEEks," two certified Gold albums, more than 10 million song downloads and an incredible 19 Emmy nominations - earning it the distinction of being the most-nominated series of the year. To top it off, the genre-defying, award-winning series has been picked up through its third season. After GLEE was recognized by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with nominations in all major categories, the show took home four awards, including one for Ryan Murphy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and one for Jane Lynch for as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. In its freshman year, GLEE was also honored with a Peabody Award; a Golden Globe for Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical; a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series; and a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy. The cast has performed for the President and First Lady at the White House, appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," sang the national anthem at the World Series and graced the covers of Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. GLEE follows a group of eager and ambitious students as they strive to outshine their singing competition while navigating the cruel halls of McKinley High. Although New Directions lost at Regionals, they now have their sights set on making it to Nationals and defeating their arch rivals, Vocal Adrenaline. The glee club's fearless leader is WILL SCHUESTER (Matthew Morrison), a talented young teacher with hip-hop skills and a heart gold. New Directions' aspiring stars include RACHEL (Lea Michele), a pitch-perfect singer with an unfaltering determination to be popular; FINN (Cory Monteith), the heartbreakingly cool quarterback who struggles with his personal life; KURT (Chris Colfer), the baby-faced soprano with a fierce eye for fashion; MERCEDES (Amber Riley), a powerhouse vocalist whose diva attitude rivals the greats; ARTIE (Kevin McHale), a physically disabled performer with killer vocals and a dream to dance; and TINA (Jenna Ushkowitz), a goth chick with a soft side. There's also arrogant and cocky crooner PUCK (Mark Salling); ice-cold queen-bee-turned-teen-mom QUINN (Dianna Agron); and the dynamic dimwitted cheerleading duo of BRITTANY (Heather Morris) and SANTANA (Naya Rivera). With his heart in the right place, Will is determined to help the kids take Nationals, but at every turn he must battle with his nemesis, SUE SYLVESTER (Jane Lynch), the conniving cheerleading coach; and his evil ex-wife, TERRI (Jessalyn Gilsig). Mr. Schuester's only allies at McKinley are OCD-afflicted guidance counselor EMMA PILLSBURY (Jayma Mays) and supportive parents like Kurt's dad, BURT HUMMEL (Mike O'Malley). In addition to the regular cast, GLEE has featured guest appearances by a wide range of talented performers, including Kristen Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Molly Shannon, Olivia Newton-John and Neil Patrick Harris, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the show. The second season of GLEE will include guest appearances by comedy icon Carol Burnett, pop superstar Britney Spears, heartthrob John Stamos, Broadway sensation Cheyenne Jackson, international recording artist Charice and newcomer Chord Overstreet. GLEE is produced by Ryan Murphy Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan are co-creators of the series. Murphy, Falchuk, Brennan and Dante Di Loreto serve as executive producers.