Why Fox is the New Black

Rupert Murdoch is not someone I normally praise on this BLOG but frankly what Fox (US Network) is doing for Music right now, is cutting edge. When distribution and sales are down, albums drop at the drop of a hat, no one in the industry seems to have a clue what works and what doesn't but what is currently working is Empire and from time to time Glee.

When Glee kicks goals it fucking kills it, when it misses it truly does miss. I for a while have thought Mr Ryan Murphy has an extreme load for one man on his plate and this week signing Miss Lady Gaga for season 5 of American Horror Story, shit ain't slowing down.

But Glee's episode this week "Child Star" hit the nail on the head. Camp, fun and filled with anthems that appeal to a general audience not fucking musical theatre numbers NO ONE and I mean NO ONE gives two shits about. Yes I sound a bit jagged today but I lost my car keys this morning, had a run and then on top of this had to walk home, FML.

But life ain't bad and if that's the worst of my life my life is great. But I am talking about TV here and namely Fox network shows.

Empire is hotly blogged about by me this year whilst Glee I have had some negative reactions to. Empire just week in week out, gets the music and the story lines right. Glee has it's storyline moments and nails some important social messages but for me they fuck around the music/storyline ratio sometimes and whilst Empire gets it, sometimes Glee just misses the mark completely.

That said I have to say to Fox, well done, six seasons of Glee is an epic win, a hugely successful season one of Empire another goal well kicked and the future? This 2014-2015 US season of TV has been littered with Superhero shows (The Flash, Agent Carter & Gotham, joining Arrow & Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D), Murder/Mystery/Legal (yes more CSI) shows and some very average comedies.

Look apart from HBO and Showtime it is hard to find a network with a great roster of talent, Fox is getting there if The Following fires again this series that's a hit, Gotham has potential, Brooklyn Nine-Nine apparently is great & losing is Glee is smart it's done it's dash, I almost think 13 episodes was too long for this final series. It was a start to get it down from 22 to 13 but this could have easily have been wrapped in 8 tidy episodes brimming with music.

So thanks Fox for giving music a life line. Here are some musical fox highlights: