FOX Sings a 'Glee'-ful Tune

By Rick Porter, Zap2It.com | December 16, 2008

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Ryan Murphy's musical comedy gets a 13-episode order

FOX will inject a little "Glee" into its lineup in 2009.

The network has picked up "Nip/Tuck" creator Ryan Murphy's comedy about a ragtag high school show choir and the teacher who wants to take them to nationals. There's no set airdate yet, but reports have said FOX hopes to have the show on the air in the spring.

"Glee" is set at a high school whose formerly award-winning glee club has fallen on hard times, thanks in part to "a series of scandals." The optimistic new choir teacher (Matthew Morrison, "Music and Lyrics" and Broadway's "Hairspray") thinks he can turn things around, although even his wife (Jessalyn Gilsig, " Heroes," "Nip/Tuck") thinks he's taking on an impossible task.

The cast also includes Jayma Mays ( "Ugly Betty") as a fellow teacher and Jane Lynch ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Best in Show") as the school's cheerleading coach. Among those playing students and choir members are Lea Michele ("Spring Awakening"), Kevin McHale ("Zoey 101"), Cory Monteith ("Kyle XY"), Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz (also of "Spring Awakening"), Dianna Agron ("Heroes") and Mark Salling.

Murphy directed the pilot episode, which he co-wrote with Ian Brennan and fellow "Nip/Tuck" scribe Brad Falchuk. Murphy and Falchuk are also executive producers, while Brennan will be a co-exec producer.

FOX ordered additional scripts for the show along with its pilot, so "Glee" should be able to go into production pretty quickly.