ID original series review: ‘THE PRICE OF GLEE’ – Crew and friends talk behind-the-scenes drama and tragedies surrounding one of the most iconic shows in television history

 

THE PRICE OF GLEE

GLEE premiered the week of my 30th birthday. I was a musical theatre nerd in high school who graduated from a Manhattan conservatory that has churned out Tony winners and Oscar nominees. Watching GLEE made me feel seen for the first time through the storylines of these young adults. The attachment was real, and the show became a cultural turning point for millions. Because of that emotional investment, the drama surrounding the show still affects so many. Nothing is off the table in the salacious ID (Investigation Discovery) docuseries THE PRICE OF GLEE.

As a self-professed Gleek, the series contains so much information I didn’t know. Safety issues, money, and around-the-clock nonstop work, from the mouths of friends, crew members, and entertainment reporters, The Price of Glee pulls the curtain back on all the behind-the-scenes drama and addresses the all too familiar internet rumor that the show may be cursed. Episode one concludes with Cory Monteith’s death and ends on a cliffhanger. Episode two picks right back up where we left off, focusing mainly on the aftermath of Monteith’s passing. Delving into Mark Salling’s child pornography conviction and subsequent suicide, this episode melds into the third with Naya Rivera‘s father speaking about her tragic death.

Transitions between conversations feature video clips and cast photos. My main gripe with episodes two and three is the repetition of said images. A show that spanned six seasons deserved fresh photos. It was a glaring amateur mistake. Is THE PRICE OF GLEE a touch like an E! True Hollywood Story? Very much so, but as a fan, I was endlessly intrigued, hoping for any new information. While the cast has come forward to say they were not involved, hearing crew members that genuinely cared for them and with (mostly) kind words, their insight is vital to understanding the immense pressure this phenomenon created.

courtesy of ID


All three parts of THE PRICE OF GLEE premiere back-to-back Monday, January 16 starting at 9/8c on ID and will be available to stream the same day on discovery+


Synopsis: The cultural phenomenon and hit musical series, “Glee,” catapulted a cast of relative unknowns into international superstardom and literally rocked pop culture. But, the show that sparked a new era of acceptance was also saddled with extreme devastation on the inside. Endless scandals, tabloid gossip, and fatal tragedies plagued the rising stars on what was supposed to be the most joyful show on television. Now, ID pulls back the curtain on “Glee” to explore the harsh reality of fame with the three-part limited series, THE PRICE OF GLEE.

 

Sundance (2022) capsule reviews: ‘The Dark Heart’ series & feature ‘Leonor Will Never Die’

THE DARK HEART

Sweden: in a mythological landscape, search parties roam through forests of spruce, secret conversations are whispered in open fields, and verbal duels fought on narrow country roads. A story of family feuds, inheritances, and forbidden love.


Sweden’s true crime game is above and beyond. The US had already remade series like The Killing and The Bridge. Sundance 2022 audiences can dive headfirst into The Dark Heart. The series is a five-part psychological drama-thriller about how an old family feud clashes with a young, forbidden love story, leading to a tragedy with a deadly outcome, ultimately solved by a private investigator who gets obsessed with the case. The series is based on journalist Joakim Palmkvist’s book “The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator”, which delves into the story about how a mysterious missing person’s case is investigated and solved by a local Missing People-volunteer involved in the searches. Think Broadchurch and Mare of East Town vibes. Small town politics and mystery with enough breadcrumbs and insinuation to keep you guessing. You will not be able to look away.

Cast: Aliette Opheim, Clara Christiansson Drake, Gustav Lindh, Peter Andersson.

World Premiere. Fiction. 


LEONOR WILL NEVER DIE

Fiction and reality blur when Leonor, a retired filmmaker, falls into a coma after a television lands on her head, compelling her to become the action hero of her unfinished screenplay.


As a writer, this script is essentially a dream, pun intended. Leading lady, Sheila Francisco is an absolute joy to watch and her energetic narration/script reading is a blast. In her coma, she is living inside her story. The recreations of 80s action films are astounding from the perfectly hokey score to the fight sequences. The visual jumps from these, to real-life, to memories, keeps you on your toes. The semiautobiographical nature of Leonor’s writing makes for a haunting present circumstance. The nonchalance in which her son and ex-husband converse with their lost loved one is bizarre. But that’s only half of the wackiness that ensues. Leonor is weird meta fun. You cannot help but adore the heart behind it.

Cast: Sheila Francisco, Bong Cabrera, Rocky Salumbides, Anthony Falcon.

World Premiere.


For more information and the complete lineup for Sundance 2022 film, click here!


Review: ‘OUT On Stage’ is first LGBTQ stand-up comedy series.

OUT on Stage: The Series
Hosted by Zach Noe Towers
Premieres – Jan 17, 2018

OUT on Stage: The Series is full of laughs and genuinely funny comics. You will laugh out loud at every episode. The comics are eclectic and wonderful. You’ll recognize a few faces right off the bat. If you are a part of the LGBTQ community or an ally, this is a show for you just as much as this blog post about all pride flags and names. But let’s be real for a second, if you are a prude, hate funny people, or generally have a stick up your butt, well we don’t need your sass or your judgypants. It can be incredibley raunchy and unexpectedly poignant. We need more of this brand of comedy (and storytelling) in the limelight. This should the new norm.  OUT on Stage: The Series is a brilliant show about opportunity and inclusion and we should all be here for that.

HOST: Zach Noe Towers
Zach Noe Towers is an LA-based comedian, actor, and writer who was recently named one of Time Out Magazine’s “2018 Comedians to Watch.” Zach was recently the host of the “The Elite Daily Show” on Verizon’s Go90 network for Seasons 1-4, and will be hosting and starring “Out on Stage”. Zach’s recent short film “Killer Friends” (which he directed, wrote, and starred in) was screened at many film festivals both domestically and internationally, and won the overall audience award at Dances With Films.
FEATURING: Jonathan Rowell, Brendan Scannell, Casey Ley, Julian Michael, Irene Tu, Jared
Goldstein, Raneir Pollard, Kyle Shire, Jordan Pease, Chris Bryant, Eric Hahn, Daniel
Webb, Joe Dosch, Gloria Bigelow, Anthony Desamito, Janine Brito, A.B. Cassidy and
Zach Noe Towers
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Comedy Dynamics & Dekkoo
EPISODES PER SEASON: 6
TRT: 30 min. (per episode)

ABOUT COMEDY DYNAMICS

Comedy Dynamics, a Nacelle company, is one of the largest independent comedy production and distribution companies, producing Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History, Animal Planet’s Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson, the new scripted comedy on Hulu, There’s… Johnny!, History’s Join Or Die with Craig Ferguson, MTV2’s Wild ’N On Tour, and Hulu’s Coming To The Stage. In 2018, Comedy Dynamics began releasing original films in theaters starting with the acclaimed documentary, Poop Talk. The company has worked with a wide range of established and emerging comedic talent including Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Jim Gaffigan, Katt Williams and many more. In total, 12 of Comedy Dynamics’ releases have been Grammy-nominated, with 2 wins

ABOUT DEKKOO

Dekkoo (pronounced “DECK-koo”) is the premiere subscription-based streaming service dedicated to gay men, providing the largest streaming collection of gay-centric entertainment available, boasting a larger selection than Here TV, Netflix or Amazon.  Dekkoo is available internationally via iTunes, Google Play, AppleTV and Roku.  In the U.S. and U.K., Dekkoo is also available via the Amazon Dekkoo Channel.  Dekkoo original series include “Feral,” “Love is Blind” and “I’m Fine.”  www.dekkoo.com

Shiny new trailer for all you #Firefly fans from Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion’s new ‘CON MAN” series

If you are a true Browncoat, you will be overjoyed at the upcoming series written and directed by Alan Tudyk. Very clearly poking fun at themselves and embracing the fandom that has kept both Joss Whedon‘s Firefly and Serenity alive and kicking in the minds of millions, Con Man is the perfect way to celebrate two of our favorite sci-fi heroes and all that comes with being part of such a short-lived but much loved series. The trailer below is filled with surprises and some incredible cameos that we anticipate are just the beginning of this hilarious venture. If you didn’t already know, the entire project was crowdfunded on Indiegogo. This is truly the perfect way to illustrate what a big deal Firefly is/was to fans and celebrate the humor attached to it’s nostalgia. While we’re sad that it was cancelled, we’ll gladly open our hearts to Con Man… and still hold out hope for a future reboot… We have a hard time letting  go.