The problem with episodic shows: Glee case study

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't like watching episodic shows.  There has to be some overarching plot that is involved, which episodes go towards.  Having one off episodes that are trying to compel you one way or another, and the characters are for the most part flat.

That being said, I still have a soft spot for the show Glee.  I like the singing and the dance routines, because it depicts a world that is more entertaining than our own.  However, it was a chore to continue watching past the first season.

Episodic shows

 

There are a variety of problems with episodic shows.  Take for instance a cartoon like Pokemon, it provides a compelling world filled with wonder and adventure.  If you are a kid full of wonder and joy, you can watch Ash go all over the world catching Pokemon. However, no matter what Ash says, he will never be the Pokemon master that he strives for.  Instead, we see Ash and his friends not accomplish much of everything ever episodes.  It is very easy for show runners to just add more fluff to the story, because there really is no plot to begin with.

Glee: Another episodic show

Glee has the same problem as all episodic show.  Each episode would start off with Mr. Shue giving an artist as an assignment to the class.  The rest of the episode would be a medley of the songs by said artist.  It was light and fun, but it was hardly a long running concept.  The show never really showed the grit and passion the students had towards winning competitions.  Instead, it became another mandatory episode in their season's rotation.

The turning point

 

The turning point for the show was when the students graduated.  After dragging a few characters through the mud in order to keep the show somewhat interesting, the formula had to be changed.  The characters that we had grown to love through 3 seasons were about to leave us.  What would the new format look like?

The answer was Finn and Rachel trying to reach their full potential in drastically different walks of life.  Finn was trying to find himself in general, leading a new group of Glee kids.  Rachel was accomplishing all of her Broadway dreams, while studying at NYADA.

After Finn had to be written out of the show, the Glee club with Mr. Shue was very underdeveloped.  We lost the compelling struggle for Finn to find himself through any means necessary.  Rachel's arc was moving far too fast.  She was a star and far less relatable than Finn.

The show reverted to a show filled with covers and dance numbers, but it lacked substance that it was starting to achieve.  The result was the same old hackneyed episodic drama.