cory monteith

(S01E15) "I thought I smelled the cookies wafting from the ovens of the little elves who live in your hair." - Sue to Will

After being hyped to the max, did the Madonna episode of 'Glee' deliver the goods? Yes! It did! Not only were the musical numbers fun, inspired, and darn creative, but the storylines about sex, strength, confidence, independence, and individuality all blended well into the theme.

It's an entirely Madonna-based episode of 'Glee' (Tue., 9PM ET on Fox). All the songs on the show are by the original Material Girl. But as we know, singing love duets can often lead to romance. Which is what seems to happen when Finn (Cory Monteith) and Rachel (Lea Michele) skip down the school hallway while singing "Open Your Heart."

Watch the video after the jump.

I think I have established in my previous columns that I don't like 'Glee.' But here's the thing: you do. Or at least a great many of you do. Oprah likes 'Glee,' Ellen likes 'Glee,' even Michelle Obama likes 'Glee.' I have decided this week, in honour of the show's return on Tuesday, to put aside my own distaste and bring you, my readers, as much good news about 'Glee' as I can.

1. More Music

According to the producers, the second half of the first season will be even more loaded with musical numbers, jumping from 3-5 numbers to at least 5 numbers per 1-hour episode (some episodes are closer to 10 songs).

What other 'Glee'-ful things are in store? Read more after the jump!

Cory Monteith is best-known as Finn Hudson, the male lead of the glee club and the quarterback of McKinley High School in the Fox television series 'Glee.' But before he was belting tunes such as 'Don't Stop Believin'' and 'Lean on Me,' this west-coast Canadian native made his living from a string of odd jobs such as roofing and driving cabs. When a customer suggested he try out acting, Monteith began taking acting classes and discovered that not only did he really enjoy it, but that he also was good at it.

Was it Sectionals or Regionals? Is Quinn still pregnant? What's up with Will and Emma? It's been a small eternity since the last new episode of 'Glee,' and let's face it: those four long months could turn even the most die-hard Gleek's memories of the Fox hit musical into convenience store slush.

So for all those whose show choir recollections have turned a little hazy over this winter hiatus, we've provided a recap (or 'Glee'-cap, if you will) of where the show left off in its 'Sectionals' mid-season finale last December -- as well as a little taste of what's to come in the episodes ahead -- just in time for the series' return tonight at 9:28PM ET.

These days the cast of 'Glee' is everywhere; peering at us from magazine covers, rolling eggs on the White House lawn and chatting with Oprah.

They've become such media darlings that it's hard to believe we'd never even heard of most of these actors till the show debuted last spring and made them overnight stars. In fact, for some, like Amber Riley [Mercedes], Chris Colfer [Kurt] and Mark Salling [Puck], 'Glee' is one of their first professional gigs! Crazy what a difference a year can make.

So, just what was this talented bunch up to pre-'Glee?'

Read more after the jump.

Hey, folks! Did you hear? 'Glee' is coming back on Tuesday! Wow, Fox really kept that comeback under wraps, didn't they? Gone for four months, they seem to be bringing the show back without a lot of fanfare.

Too bad sarcasm doesn't translate very well in electronic print, but, believe me, I was rolling my eyes the whole time I wrote the last paragraph. Between the interviews, the appearance on 'Oprah,' the performance at the White House, the Rolling Stone cover, the weird 9:28PM ET time slot after 'American Idol,' and pretty much everything else going on, you couldn't avoid the comeback of 'Glee' if you tried.

But is the show coming back in good shape? Fox sent out the next three episodes out for review, and the answer is: yes and no. It really depends on what your favorite part of the show is.

OK 'Glee' fans, get ready. If you've been waiting for the show to come back, a date has been set. The spring premiere of the FOX show will be on April 13, right after 'American Idol.' But that doesn't mean that the show will air at 9:30. The first episode back will actually start at 9:28!

If it's following 'American Idol' though I don't see how it's going to start at 9:28. The live episodes of 'Idol' are often a scramble at the end, aren't they? Maybe stuff like this gets people more interested in tuning in a little early just in case. The episode, which will feature Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye," runs until 10:30, which means that FOX will be cutting into local station time a bit.

It's funny that fans of 'Glee' are called "Gleeks." We still need a name for fans of TV Squad.

Last season it would've been hard to describe any show as a "phenomenon" without having it be a stretch. However, this season the TV gods -- or you could just thank Fox -- gave us 'Glee.'

The hit musical series is back in less than month and Fox has been releasing new promos and special videos in an effort to wet the nation's collective appetite.

New segments of "Sue's Corner" have hit the Internet and commercials featuring new music and scenes are hitting Fox's airwaves, readying us for what we hope is a triumphant return on April 13 at 9PM EST on Fox.

Check out the new videos after the jump.

Releasing Glee on DVD before the first season is even over was somewhat of an odd move, but one that makes sense when you look at both its fanatical fan base and the fact that it's taking a nearly unheard four-month hiatus (it returns April 13) between the first and second halves of the its premiere season. Basically, FOX knows they have a hit on their hands and they're trying to milk it for everything it's worth.

It's a smart move, considering that the response of most Glee fans (like myself) when they heard that there would be a DVD this quickly was something along the lines of, "Ohmygodgivethatomerightnow.Glee!Glee!Glee!." The days are short and dark; we need some sort of happiness to get us through the next couple of months until the new episodes come out.

My question about the DVD was, how good will it be? I mean, it will obviously have the first 13 episodes, so that's a big plus, but what of the DVD extras? Is there a reason to buy the DVD instead of just getting all of the episodes off of iTunes? The answer to that question is, "it depends on how you feel about video diaries."

What happens when the boys of 'Glee' get together and bond in our 'Outside the Box' studio? Matthew Morrison, Chris Colfer and Cory Monteith reveal secrets about their break dancing pasts, Pterodactyl fetishes and the songs they're dying to sing on the show -- as well as TV crushes, their favorite theme songs and the future of their characters' relationships.

You may not know all their names, but if you've been watching 'Glee,' you know who they are: The kids in the Glee Club have shot to stardom right along with their new hit show.

And it's not because they've got distinctive nicknames like "Wheels," "The Asian Girl," "The Cute One" and "The Hot Guy With the Mohawk" ... or because they're all talented singers and dancers. The cast members of 'Glee' are energetic, funny and a genuine kick to be around, as we learned when they visited the AOL offices to hang out with us (jealous?) and answer fan questions.

So what did we learn about Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Cory Monteith, Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz? Maybe that whenever you see Kevin frown, it's because he's trying not to crack up at a Sue Sylvester line ... or that Amber thinks her character Mercedes beats up on her brothers ... or that someone once asked the cast to autograph a baby ... or that Lea has a song in mind for a potential Rachel-Puck duet ... or that Cory plays drums for real on one 'Glee' recording.

Want to know more? Watch our exclusive video interviews after the jump.

So, tell me why you're watching Glee. Entertainment Weekly put the Fox musical/drama/comedy on it's cover this week, calling it "TV's Happiest Hour." With around 8 million people tuning in each week and iTunes sales of songs featured on the show going through the roof, there's no denying that Glee has turned into a barely contained phenomenon.

EW says it's "snarky, theatrical and totally addictive." All very true, but I watch for one reason: this show makes me happy. Nothing I've seen on TV in the past few years, much less this season, puts a grin on my face like these high school kids earnestly singing and dancing. I mean, come on. Did you see Puck's rendition of "Sweet Caroline"?

(S01E06) Steve Niles has become the modern day horror maven of the comic book world. He brought us 30 Days of Night, which is far better in the comic world than on the big screen. Here, he's paired with Darren Bousman, director of the Saw sequels to bring zombies to broadcast television. Right away, then, this had a better chance of me liking it because I've always had a soft spot for zombies and Niles has offered us a pretty different take on the genre.