We spotted a fox frolicking around in our backyard from the window this morning, and we tried to show Mio. Much to our chagrin, whenever Mio says the word “fox,” it comes out sounding more like a four-letter word that also starts with “f”… Oh dear.
She also often has the same problem with the word “frog”… hopefully she’ll start pronouncing them a little more accurately soon! We can’t help but cringe when she excitedly yells “fox” or “frog” in the middle of the grocery store or in a restaurant… (It has happened, and it has drawn stares.)
Since as early as I can remember, I’ve been head over heels in love with musicals. The first movie my mother bought for me (back in those VHS days when I was still a preschooler) was Mary Poppins, shortly followed by The Sound of Music. As a child, I sat mesmerized alongside my parents as they watched West Side Story, and they became my favorite musical (actually, make that movie) of all time — I watched the VHS over so many times over the years that it eventually wore the tape down. I was heartbroken when a family friend borrowed our copy of My Fair Lady and moved away without ever returning it. Of course, I watched the typical Disney movies that all the other kids were watching, but what really kept me fixated were the musicals. There are still so many musicals that I have yet to see, but my love for them has never faded, and I continue to discover newer ones in recent years, such as The Phantom of the Opera and RENT.
So when I saw the pilot episode of Glee a few months ago, I was blown away. It was like watching a Broadway musical in the form of a TV series. What a great idea! Why hadn’t anyone thought of this sooner?! Just from watching the pilot, I knew it would be my new favorite show. That episode was such a tease, and I waited all summer with bated breath for the series to actually start.
Since its series premiere on September 9th, the show is five episodes in and I’m already addicted. Despite critics’ reviews that the pilot was a “one hit wonder” and that the season does not live up to its initial promise, I think that it’s great so far. Each of the episodes feature at least a couple songs and it’s a pretty big feat when you can combine awesome musical performances with a plot that doesn’t suck. The storyline so far has been pretty engaging — of course, it’s not the gripping type that keeps you on the edge of your seat like LOST or 24, and although the sappy factor comes in once in a while, overall Glee is a good balance of drama, comedy and quirkiness. The musical aspect is definitely the driving factor that keeps me coming back for more, and I’m really impressed with the fact that they can put on such incredible performances of both singing and choreography every episode. It’s quickly joining the ranks of The Office (which has started again!) among my favorite television shows, and for the next few months, you’ll likely find me parked in front of the telly every Wednesday night for my musical fix.
