Did You Watch "Glee"?

I just finished watching the most fabulous hour of network TV since Pushing Daisies was cancelled. If you watched TV, listened to the radio or visited MySpace in the last month, you probably heard that Nip/Tuck and Popular creator Ryan Murphy's new project Glee was premiering after American Idol tonight. But did you watch it? 'Cause you totally should have.

The plot involves Spanish teacher Will Schuester's leading of his Ohio school's Glee Club after the director is fired for sexual harassment. He butts heads with the coach of the cheer team (played by the fabulous Jane Lynch) and the rest of the sports cliches, and even finds himself at odds with his wife. He nearly quits, but is lured back by his passionate love of singing.

I'm not sure if I would call it an hour-long comedy or more of a dramedy, but it had moments both moving and funny. A lot of the characters are a bit broadly portrayed, but Broadway star Lea Michele's Rachel is a revelation. Fresh from winning a Drama Desk award for Spring Awakening, Michele brings a fresh joy to the screen as the overbearing former child prodigy and main diva of glee club. Cory Monteith is also a bright young talent, the two have amazing chemistry and pure joy on their faces as they perform the much hyped "Don't Stop Believin'" at the close of the pilot episode. He also shines in a speech to his football team mates after they call a wheelchair-bound glee member a loser.

It wasn't perfect - I found the closeted former director to be a bit campy, and Schuester's wife is almost unbelievably annoying. But Jayma Mays is delightful as Will's germaphobic coworker nursing a major crush on the married teacher, she has always brought such bubbly enthusiasm to the screen in roles on Ugly Betty and Heroes.

I would highly recommend this bright new series to anyone who loves music, teen comedy or Jane Lynch. Also, in case this doesn't sound gay enough, Josh Groban, the Chenoweth!!!! and Cheyenne Jackson guest star in upcoming episodes. The full series arrives in September, until then watch the pilot at Hulu or Fox.com. And you can download both "Don't Stop Believin'" (which owes a big debt to Petra Haden's cover from Guilt By Association) and a rival Glee club's version of Winehouse's "Rehab" at iTunes. Or just listen below: