Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Watch

Loading streaming options...

Screenwise Verdict

Glee is a time capsule from the late 2000s/early 2010s that was genuinely important for its time—particularly for LGBTQ+ representation on mainstream TV—but has aged unevenly. The first two seasons have some magic: underdog kids finding their voice through music, tackling real teen issues, and delivering legitimately great performances.

But let's be real: the show is also a hot mess. The writing is wildly inconsistent, characters behave terribly to each other (and not always in a 'teaching moment' way), and the adult storylines are often inappropriate and distracting. By season 4, it loses the plot entirely.

For parents of high schoolers (14+), this can be a decent watch-together if you're prepared to pause and discuss the messy stuff. It's not going to corrupt anyone, but it's also not the wholesome musical experience you might hope for. The performances are fun, the representation matters, but the show itself is... a lot. And honestly, it feels pretty dated now—the humor, the cultural references, even some of the 'edgy' storylines that seemed bold in 2010 feel tired in 2025.

If your teen is into musical theater, there are better options (Pitch Perfect, The Greatest Showman, actual Broadway recordings). If they're specifically interested in the LGBTQ+ storylines that made Glee notable, watch the first two seasons together and call it a day.

Age Fit

This is firmly 14+ territory—Common Sense Media's rating is spot-on. The sexual content, mature themes, and emotional complexity make it inappropriate for middle schoolers, though high schoolers who can handle PG-13/TV-14 content will be fine. Adults might find it nostalgic or entertaining in a campy way, but it's not prestige TV.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

52

Glee tackles important themes like acceptance, anti-bullying, and finding your tribe, which is genuinely positive. However, the show frequently undermines these messages with adult relationship drama that's messy and sometimes toxic (teacher-student boundaries get blurred, cheating storylines abound, characters treat each other poorly). The tone swings wildly between heartwarming underdog moments and deeply cynical, mean-spirited humor. It models some kindness but also a lot of backstabbing and manipulation, even among the 'good guys.'

Imaginative

71

The musical format is inherently creative, reimagining pop hits and classic songs through elaborate performances. The show introduced a generation to musical theater and encouraged kids to think about self-expression through performance. However, it's more interpretive than truly original—it's covering existing songs rather than creating new worlds or inviting audience participation. The creativity is in the execution and mash-ups, not in building something from scratch.

Safe

48

This is where Glee really struggles for younger viewers. Common Sense Media rates it 14+ for good reason. The show contains sexual content (including references to teen sex, affairs, pregnancy scares), adult themes (addiction, eating disorders, suicide ideation in later seasons), and language that's not appropriate for tweens. There's also a lot of emotional manipulation and bullying depicted—sometimes for narrative purpose, but it can be intense. The teacher-student relationship storylines are particularly problematic. For a 14+ audience who can contextualize this content, it's manageable, but it's absolutely not safe for surprise viewing with younger kids.

Enriching

63

Glee genuinely broke ground for LGBTQ+ representation on mainstream TV and tackled issues like disability inclusion, body image, and finding belonging as an outsider. It introduced millions of teens to musical theater and sparked real conversations about acceptance. The performances themselves are often excellent and expose viewers to a wide range of musical styles. However, the show's messaging gets muddled by inconsistent writing, and it sometimes exploits the very issues it claims to champion for shock value. The later seasons especially lose the plot. It's enriching in spurts but also frustrating and uneven.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation and storylines that were genuinely progressive for 2009-2015
Introduces teens to musical theater, classic songs, and performance arts in an accessible format
Tackles real issues like bullying, disability inclusion, body image, and finding your people
Some genuinely excellent musical performances and creative mash-ups that still hold up
The underdog narrative and 'found family' theme resonates with teens who feel like outsiders

⚠

What to Watch For

Sexual content and references throughout—teen sex, affairs, pregnancy storylines that are not subtle
Teacher-student relationship boundaries get uncomfortably blurred in ways that haven't aged well
Bullying and mean-spirited behavior is frequent, even among protagonists—not always clearly condemned
Later seasons decline significantly in quality and introduce heavier themes (suicide, addiction)
The show's 2009-2015 cultural references and humor feel pretty dated now—your teen might cringe

Conversation Starters

"The show tackles LGBTQ+ identity in high school—how do you think things have changed since this aired?"
"Some of the teacher storylines are pretty inappropriate. What boundaries should exist between teachers and students?"
"The characters are often mean to each other even when they're supposed to be friends. Is that realistic or just bad writing?"
"Which performances or song choices did you think were actually good versus just trying too hard?"

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic