Rise, NBC’s new high school drama, premieres tonight at 10 Eastern.
It’s Friday Night Lights meets Glee, writes Ed Week‘s Mark Walsh. A high school teacher in a small, Rust Belt town takes over the drama program and changes the school musical from Grease to Spring Awakening.
The principal is not pleased because “Spring Awakening” includes themes of suicide, teen sex and pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality, and obscenities. He orders a production of “The Pirates of Penzance,” because the school already has the uniforms. . . . A well-timed protest, including a bonfire of the pirate costumes, results in the principal relenting on “Spring Awakening.”
The star quarterback can sing, but the football coach doesn’t want him to be in the musical. That does sound very Glee-ish, with a dash of High School Musical.
It’s better than you’d expect, but very familiar, writes Brian Lowry on CNN.
Lous, the allegedly inspirational teacher is patronizing and petulant, writes Caroline Framke on Vox.
Lou “just too mean to be a hero, and he continually degrades the women in his life, especially Tracey (colleague who should have gotten the drama job) and Gwen (drama club regular),” writes Kelly Lawler on USA Today. “He thinks they’re too big, too noticeable, too loud.”
Everyone seems to like the young actors and dislike the character of Lou.