This show has already been cancelled which is a shame. Though deeply flawed, it was nevertheless packed with talent so I'm sad to see it go.
This is based off one of the few non-fiction books I've read since graduating college and yes, there is a major difference between the real Lou Volpe and the shows Lou Mazzuchelli. Mr. Mazzu (Josh Radnor) is straight while Volpe was a closeted gay man who came out late in life. So that's a problem done to enhance the roles of the Mazzuchelli children of which there are three. They make the son Gordy (Casey W. Johnson) an alcoholic, sixteen and already struggling with his drinking but his parents don't handle as firmly as you'd think. It takes them until episode five to pour the wine down the sinks and punish their son, simply saying that they need to know where he is at all times and this is after he left a family vacation and was found with a bottle of strong liquor in his locker.
However, family problems take the backseat to the drama club, which is different from the one I had in my own high school. Spring Awakening is a controversial show but it speaks to Mr. Mazzu. It has numerous hot-button topics including child abuse and abortion. And the citizens of Stanton (in an unnamed county in Pennsylvania) aren't too pleased so the show faces backlash from the moment it is decided that that is what will be done. And Lou is also taking over the drama department from Ms. Wolf (Rosie Perez) who has been in charge for decades. Though pissed that she lost her job to a middle-aged white man, she takes the job as co-director seriously and truly does want to help and she's also more realistic than Lou and is determined to cater to the conservative minds of Stanton. There are also the stars of the show: Robbie (Damon J. Gillespie), the football star turned leading man who has a dying mother and pressure from his father to go all the way with football; Lillet Suarez (Auli'i Cravalho) who has a single mother currently having an affair with the married football coach; Simon (Ted Sutherland) who is struggling with his own sexually while living with extremely Catholic parents and a sister with Down Syndrome; Gwen (Amy Forstyth), the coach's daughter upset that her parents are divorcing because that's not what's best for her; Michael (Ellie Desautels) who is going through the transition from female to male; Maashouse (Rarmian Newton) who runs the lights and is lost in the foster system though before the end of the season his mom is released from prison and Sasha (Erin Kommer) who doesn't have much of a role until she finds out that she's pregnant and struggling with that decision and her growing feelings toward her best friend, Michael. We don't know if she will have an abortion or keep the baby. Personally, I think it is foolish that the show added a pregnancy of a minor character in season one but I didn't write the show. I think the plot line takes time away from the main characters and the center plot when there is so much more to focus on.
In general, there is too much pairing off, especially in season one. Of course Lillet and Robbie are in love, we all saw that coming, but at least I'm rooting for that couple and Robbie is actually very sweet for a guy in general. Gordy likes Gwen though she isn't so sure and Jeremy (Sean Grandillo) likes Simon and Simon likes him though it is a struggle for Simon and Lou's middle daughter Kaitlin (Taylor Richardson) has a giant crush on Maashous (horrible name).
That is only the basic summary of character parts. This show is essentially Friday Night Lights (excellent) had a baby with Glee (good for a while). I wish there were more parts of the musical in the show because the that is the main point of the show and the musical is really something brilliant. Though Lou is forced to make some changes to appease the people who have problems with the show, he doesn't want to cave despite his job being on the line and goes back to the original version. And the school board representative appreciates it, he knows that many will be upset so he cancels the drama program; after all, cuts are needed anyway so this will be first to go.
That all being said, I really would have liked to have seen more of this show as that was done well in both of the above mentioned shows and it could have been done well here too, though now we'll never know. I hope these kids have a bright future ahead of them because they are talented enough. Grade: B+
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