Glee' has all the right ingredients

Much could be made about Fox's Glee DVD decision to skip President Obama's address to Congress tonight in favor of kicking off its fall season, but unless he's going to announce a war or cut taxes by 50 percent, then the country could probably benefit more by watching "Glee." (If you want to watch "So You Think You Can Dance," that's your decision.) Americans need a little emotional lift, yes? Chuck DVD The whole pursuit-of-happiness thing? "Glee," one of the season's best and most anticipated new series, delivers on both counts - and more. It's a quirky, sweet, humorous, nonpartisan funfest. It also happens to be a musical. And while those haven't traditionally done well on television, and the very mention of the word might make you think of "Cop Rock" Mad Men DVD or worse, "Glee" is completely different in this one regard: It's great. Created by Ryan Murphy ("Nip/Tuck," "Popular"), the series is an irreverent, upbeat, non-cynical take on the cliche-ridden trope of high school life, as seen through the eyes of cheerleaders, jocks, quirky and underpaid teachers and - now that the geeks have inherited the hip tech world - the lowest of the low: the Glee Club. Will (Matthew Morrison) is an idealistic Modern Family DVD teacher at McKinley High School who gets the chance to take over the downtrodden Glee Club - the same one he starred in years ago at the same high school. What he's got going against him is that everyone thinks Glee Club is lame. And worse, McKinley High dotes on its "Cheerios" - the snotty, world-beating cheerleading squad coached by Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), the brassy, strangely feared, MI5 DVD sweat-suit-wearing teacher who seems to be channeling Gen. Patton ("I want the agony out of your eyes!" "Your resentment is delicious," etc.).