Fan Request: Geek Out My Glee
Glee is sort of an odd topic for this website. Sure, it’s got a growing and devoted fandom, plus the kind of soap opera drama, colorful characters, and just the right level of fandom gap* that gets fanfic authors’ motors revving. On the other hand, it’s a (slightly) grown-up version of High School Musical– pretty far from the genre, game-related, and foreign materials that usually qualify for their own geekdoms.
I’d like to write more about Glee here, so here’s my proposal, Fox: first, get Joss Whedon to direct another episode. He did great when Neil Patrick Doctor Horrible Harris guest starred and everyone liked Buffy’s musical episodes, so we know he can handle it. Then, get all three Whedon brothers– writers Joss and Zach and composer Jed –to work on the episode.
Then, have Glee club director Will Schuster to give one of his weekly assignments to the club members: they have to geek out. (Suggestion: cheerleading coach/Glee club nemesis Sue Sylvester tries to give the Glee club’s room to the computer club, pronouncing that geeks and geek culture are taking over the world, after all, inspiring Schu to assign the kids to perform “geek” numbers.)
Pick something from the Rocky Horror Picture Show next. Anything but the Time Warp would work, really. Part of me wants to see resident gay teen Kurt select “Sweet Transvestite” (take THAT, possible soon-to-be stepbrother/former footballer Finn!), but in a pinch I’d take a newly-deflowered Rachel singing “Touch-a Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me” or a group “Hot Patootie” number.
Things start to get a little harder after you mine the obvious, but it’s about time to bring back the Numa Numa song, which would be a great option for the guys or a group number, or maybe even some competition from rival school Vocal Adrenaline.
Next I foresee wheelchair-bound geek Artie Abrams performing a Weird Al Yankovic number. One of his more recognizable parodies (ideally: “White and Nerdy,” to the tune of Ridin’ Dirty, to give Artie a chance to stretch his rapping muscles a little) would be preferable, but in a pinch, the Yankster has plenty of original tunes that could work. Maybe jock Puck would take on “Dare to be Stupid,” for example.
GEEKS!
And finally, the pièce de résistance: the brothers Whedon compose a completely new geek anthem for the Glee club to perform. Come on, we’re totally overdue. Okay, okay, if they can’t do that, maybe they could put together a medley of geek tunes (Star Wars theme, Indiana Jones theme, Harry Potter theme, etc) and write lyrics to go with them. I’m not sure, but if it was that trio it’d be in good hands.
So there you go, Fox: I just handed you the hard parts of a Glee episode. Just don’t forget to throw me a shout-out, okay?
Gia Manry is a professional writer specializing in geek culture. She currently writes primarily for Anime News Network, but also likes being followed on Twitter. She can be contacted via her website.