“Glee” takes on cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

The television show "Glee" has been a cultural barometer ever since it debuted last fall. It has tackled major social issues like homosexuality, teen pregnancy and religion head on. The songs are provocative and the characters, though sometimes slightly caricatured, are all easily relatable. Sometimes the way the show approaches subjects—like when Finn found Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich—may seem out of place or make the audience feel a little uncomfortable, but when the lesson is learned at the end of the show, all of the uncomfortable feelings amount to an understanding that leaves you wanting more. That is why "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was the perfect choice for a themed "Glee" episode. Although some of the themes from the original are inappropriate for a sizeable percentage of "Glee's" audience, the show does an excellent job of combining certain key acts from the show to form a convincing re-make of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

As a cult classic, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is hard to re-imagine. It is considered "sacred" by its die-hard fans, and a re-make that did not do it justice would be criticized. "Rocky Horror" is also widely considered groundbreaking, because it tackled untouchable issues like transsexuality and homosexuality at a time (1975) when those subjects were considered taboo. The movie sheds light on transsexual and bisexual cultures in a way that—although funny—does not mock or degrade those cultures for the sake of entertainment. Instead the movie shows the culture for what it is and even inclines the audience toward embracing the culture—not rejecting it.

Glee's rendition follows "Rocky Horror['s]" lead. The show does a fabulous job of breaching social norms. For example, Kurt, a gay character on "Glee," is automatically pegged as perfect for the part of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the transvestite, just because  he is gay. But he quickly points out the fact that being a transvestite is not the same as being gay, and in the end Mercedes, the black diva, takes the role—and is a hit. Her rendition of "Sweet Transvestite" is provocative but not in a heavy-handed way. It embodies the original while adding a new flair. Of course there are some word changes here and there to censor it for more sheltered members of the audience, but when comparing Mercedes' version to Tim Curry's (the original Dr. Frank-N-Furter), both convey their message effectively. There is a different feel to them because they are doing the role to prove different points. The original urges people to fearlessly embrace who they are and the "Glee" version encourages people to chase their dreams regardless of any labels that have been applied to them.

Though nothing can fully measure up to the wild, raunchy, provocative and groundbreaking romp that is the original "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Glee" certainly deserves an honorable mention.