I love the show “Glee.” I usually try to keep my must-see shows down to a select few, but “Glee” sucked me in.
If you haven’t seen the show on Fox, “Glee” follows a high school teacher and the kids that make up his glee club. Each episode has one or more musical numbers, usually covers of popular songs (old and new). The characters are quirky and flawed, and the humor is dry and biting.
Because the show has drawn such a following and seems to break the mold of formulaic successful television shows, I think there are lessons to be learned that might apply to our work on the web.
Take something old and make it new. And better.
I love me some Journey (much to the chagrin of my husband). Their cheesy anthems are just so catchy and irresistible. And I’m not the only one who feels this way.
“Glee” could not have started off with a better cover than Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” A song everyone knows and most love (whether they admit it or not).
The song is so catchy that an updated version just has a way of sticking in your head. Even if you don’t watch the show, you have likely heard the “Glee” version.
Personally, it was a big reason I watched the first episode.
The folks behind “Glee” had big ideas for an entirely new type of show. A concept that ran the risk of being campy and appealing to a niche audience of current former glee-club members found a wider audience with a catchy, widely appealing pop song.
Lesson: Take risks and be daring, but don’t abandon the old classics that people already know and love.
If your site offers some particular product or feature that is already wildly successful, make it a part of any new plans. Your users will be relieved to see that their old favorite is still there, and they may be more open to the new things you have to offer.
Tell it straight.
“Glee” deals with some difficult topics: teen pregnancy, homosexuality, disabilities, and race, to name a few. While it would be easy for the show to turn into an after-school special or a “very special episode” each week, “Glee” manages to touch on these topics with humor, straight talk, and a surprising sensitivity.
While no one would accuse Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch, you are amazing) of being politically correct, that extreme lack of PC-ness is the reason people love her. Her barbs are always cringeworthy, but they also remind you that there’s a balance between her harsh verbal vomit and prose so watered down with euphemisms that it’s lost all meaning.
Lesson: As Amber Simmons said, “…what’s wrong with saying Marvin is a poor, fat cop from the ghetto?” (Thanks, Kristina Halvorson, for pointing out Simmons’ great article in your book.)
You can write about Marvin in a respectful way without making your readers’ eyes glaze over.
Show your passion.
Lea Michele, who plays Rachel, is an amazing singer. On the show, her character is widely panned as being annoying and intense. And she certainly is.
But when she starts to sing, her love of music and performing shines and that annoying intensity suddenly has found its perfect outlet. She attacks every song she sings with gusto and you feel every word and emotion right along with her.
Lesson: If you believe in your content–or in what you’re selling, or discussing, or whatever–pour your energy into conveying that passion to users through your site.
Obviously, a hard sell isn’t always the best strategy, but true passion shows and users appreciate it.
Make your plan. Try it. If it doesn’t work, change it.
The pregnancy sham involving Terri and Quinn was a widely reviled storyline, the one dark spot on a season of excellent episodes (does anyone really believe a husband wouldn’t realize his wife was wearing a fake belly?)
Viewers didn’t like it, and they didn’t like Terri. The inane, contrived deception was finally revealed at the end of the season–and fairly quickly, I might add.
The storyline could have been drawn out over at least another season, but the audience’s impatience won out.
Lesson: If you really believe something might work, give it a shot, but keep listening to your users and take their feedback to heart.
However, give it a chance before pulling the rug after a bit of negative feedback. If users start to like what you’ve, the feedback will start to change.
If they still hate it after your best efforts, that is the time to seriously consider backtracking.
Let people have fun with your content.
“Glee” won’t be back with new episodes until April, but the “Glee”-inspired YouTube videos have kept die-hard fans entertained—and interested—while they’re waiting.
From the mashups to the flashmobs to the covers (with all parts often sung—to the astonishment of viewers—by a single male) to the endearing song by Mark Salling (who plays Puck) about how much he loves being on “Glee,” the openness keeps the fun going and throws out the challenge for further innovation.
Personally, I’m looking forward to one of these YouTube stars making an appearance on the show.
Lesson: If users have passion around what you’re doing, be open and encourage them to apply their own creativity to something you started. The creative, amusing things they come up with will likely astound you.
Obviously, I’m a fan of the show, but I do think it’s useful to learn from outside the web world once in awhile. And while I’m not making YouTube videos (you’re welcome), I am giving some KILLER car concerts these days. A show that inspires that kind of enjoyment outside of regular viewing time has to provide some lessons.
Are there any that I missed?
