3 Things the Writers of Glee Could Learn from “30 Rock”

My relationship with the high school musical revue Glee has been one of schizophrenic ups and downs. I remember eagerly tuning in each week when the series first started to see what the animated and vibrant members of the New Directions would do to ensure that they could compete in Show Choir competitions. However, after the groundbreaking first season, things sadly started to go flat on “Glee” with stale storylines, the over usage of guest stars, and rampant consistency issues.
But long before “Glee,” I was in love with a very different TV comedy. From start to finish, “30 Rock” was, and still is, an enchanting and incredibly smart comedy about a woman, her TV show, and trying to have it all. Tina Fey really made the fictional Studio 6H a place where I enjoyed going every week for close to 7 years. At their roots, the 2 shows share a similar theme: a group of strange people just trying to accomplish a goal against all odds.

I believe “Glee” could take a few notes from the writers of “30 Rock” especially if they want to fill their guaranteed next 2 final seasons with quality writing instead of the material we got in seasons 3 and 4 (seriously what the hell was “The Spanish Teacher”).

Side note: There’s A LOT of things I’m just not going to bring up concerning some of the latest installments of “Glee” because we’ll just be here all day and I truly think the writing staff learned their lesson. Seriously, All or Nothing could have been the worst season finale in the history of television.

1. Consistent, Solid Characters.
One of my favorite aspects of “30 Rock” was the vivid characters who, by the end of its series run, I felt I knew inside and out. Take Jenna Maroney for example. Jenna is one of the strangest characters I have ever seen on TV, and she has been since the pilot. What was great about Jenna was that she could be both Liz’s friend and enemy in the same episode and you totally believed it. Although every once in a while we got a glimpse into Jenna’s soul (being in love with Will Forte’s character, Paul, a Jenna Maroney impersonator and fellow freak) she remained unbelievably insane, giving gold one liners such as “I just got my stalker's work address from his parole officer, and I'm gonna confront him about why he's ignoring me.”

This is exactly what McKinley high is missing. A character that remains consistent across all situations. Season 3 gave us Sebastian, a character that promised to stomp out the efforts of the New Directions. After Karofsky’s botched suicide attempt, he immediately saw the light and decided to befriend the glee kids. This was very sweet, however, we put another person in the friend column for the glee clubbers. As viewers we need someone to rally against to keep us interested, otherwise it’s like watching the Care Bears in a hugging competition.

Solution: Bring back season 1/ some of 2 Sue Sylvester or Will’s Ex-Wife, Terri

Season 1 gave defined what “Glee” had some of the most insane characters if its time like Wills charmingly off balance wife, Terri, and the original Coach Sue Sylvester. If the writers were to give us characters even slightly reminiscent of these lovable women, as a viewer, I would be pleased.

2. Story Arks Consistent to Characters
Throughout its’ 7 season run, “30 Rock” was dependable in delivering successful and logical plot lines that fit with the involved characters. Liz Lemon’s quest to have a family and a successful TV show is so much part of who she is, it almost feels like we are trying to “have it all” with her. We went along on dates with Liz just knowing that someday she’d get it right. As a viewer, it was more than satisfying to watch Liz and her final boyfriend Kris pick up their adopted children at the airport. It was the best way close that chapter and it just made sense.

However over at McKinley, we get force fed unbelievable plot lines for characters we haven’t seen in weeks. The way the writers have treated Mercedes Jones, a great actress with an amazing voice, is almost criminal. We won’t hear from her for literally months, and then out of the blue she’ll have a plot line concerning something that happened in a previous season. Season 4 gave us the moderately successful Stevie Wonder tribute in which Mercedes decides she’s not comfortable with her body; a topic which was discussed all the way back in season 1’s Home. Give us something new. Recycle bottles, not storylines.

Solution: Either Keep or Kill a Storyline. Don’t Keep us Holding On

I love Liz Lemon far more than I’ve loved anyone I’ve ever worked with and that’s because I see her making progress in her life to achieve the things she wants. Although she has her missteps, we see her grow as a person, whereas all we see Mercedes do is tread water… and not well… Don’t dig up a dead horse and beat it “Glee,” just leave old storylines in the ground where they belong.

3. Less Dramatic Plotlines
“30 Rock” benefited from keeping its half hour time slot very funny and light while still maintaining its overall intelligence and wit. The workplace comedy still managed to dabble in situations some would call pushy (Frank dating his teacher with whom he had an inappropriate relationship with as a child or the highly topical “Tracy went on a stupid rampage and now people are really mad.”).

The last season of Glee was riddled with unnecessarily melodramatic tales of childhood sexual abuse and a way too soon school shooting episode. In the past “Glee” has handles issues quite gracefully, like the elegant execution of Quinn’s teen pregnancy and most recently, the absolutely heartbreaking Cory Monteith tribute. However, their guidance and instruction sometimes falls flat, like in the oh so disappointing Blame it on the Alcohol which promised to be a PSA, but read like a weird uncle telling you “it’s okay to drink a lil bit. Grown-ups do it. Do you wanna be a grown up?”

Solution: Stop Attempting to be an After School Special

Those who can’t do, teach. So those who can’t teach, should just “do” then right? “Glee” has performed best when it wasn’t so heavy handed. Please go back to the jokes about the kids being weird “mouth-breathers” and Will having weird hair and a chin that looks like a baby’s butt. It’s time the writers open their eyes and see that we don’t want to be preached to; we want to be entertained.

So, if the writers of “Glee” take one thing from this article it should be this: JUST BE MORE CONSISTENT! All we want as viewers is to be able to sit down every week and know what to expect to a certain extent. I’m not saying 100% predictability, but just a little bit of dependability.

Oh and no more original songs. They were fun at first but it’s time to leave them behind.