The new rock version of 'Glee'
The CW Network is developing a harder-edged competitor to the massively popular Fox show. Will imitation breed success?

Success always inspires imitation, and the inevitable knockoffs of "Glee," Fox's smash musical-comedy, are starting to appear. On Tuesday, New York reported that The CW Network, home to youth-oriented shows like "Gossip Girl" and "America's Next Top Model," is developing a rock-themed variation on "Glee" tentatively titled "The Prickly Spheres." Can this upstart co-opt its inspiration's cultural cachet? Here's a brief guide:
What is the new show's premise?
While "Glee" frequently pays homage to the Broadway musical style, "The Prickly Spheres" will reportedly be less florid, centering around a "struggling Minneapolis rock band led by a classical music virtuoso who shirks his acceptance to Julliard in order to play in the band."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Who's behind it?
The new show is being developed in part by Jeff Kwatinetz, a music biz impressario who has worked with Britney Spears, was once engaged to the recently deceased actress Brittany Murphy, and "now manages a strange nostalgic assortment of bands including Ice Cube, Backstreet Boys and R. Kelly." Kwatinetz's production partner at "red hot" production company Prospect Park Entertainment is Rich Frank, who is behind cable hits like USA's "Royal Pains."
What's the prognosis?
Early reactions are mixed. If, as rumored, the show's protagonist is essentially "Glee's" uptight Rachel Berry but "with a guitar," then "yuck," says Kelsea Stahler at Hollywood.com. "I'm hoping they're going to dig a little deeper on this one." On the other hand, Kwatinetz's involvement is "promising," and Minnesota is a great place for new music. It's too bad the show won't draw on its producer's own "wild" music-business adventures, says Josef Adalian at New York, "but that doesn't mean this show still couldn't be fun." It certainly sounds "more edgy than 'Glee,'" says Anna Breslaw at Ology, but since the Fox hit is a "sugary ball of candy-colored pop goodness," that's not saying much.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sources: Hollywood.com, The Hairpin, New York, Ology
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imagination
Feature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Google: A monopoly past its prime?
Feature Google’s antitrust case ends with a slap on the wrist as courts struggle to keep up with the tech industry’s rapid changes
-
Patrick Hemingway: The Hemingway son who tended to his father’s legacy
Feature He was comfortable in the shadow of his famous father, Ernest Hemingway