I am a Gleek.

Fresh off a Golden Globes win for Best Comedy Series on Sunday (as I predicted), I realized that except for a nod on my Best of 2009 I hadn’t fully declared my love for Glee on Girls Guide. In the McKinley High world, that would mean skipping through the halls singing its praises at the top of my lungs a la Rachel. Too bad I can’t sing.

Instead,I have provided you with this handy top ten list of the reasons I love Glee:

1. Sue Sylvester
Jane Lynch as the tracksuit-wearing, glee-club hating, heart of steel cheerleading coach hurls insults like none other. Here are a few of my favorite Sue-isms:
“You’ll be adding revenge to the long list of things you’re no good at, right next to being married, running a high school glee club, and finding a hairstyle that doesn’t make you look like a lesbian.”
“All I want is just one day a year when I’m not visually assaulted by uglies and fatties.”
“I empower my Cheerios to be champions. Do they go to college? I don’t know. I don’t care. Should they learn Spanish? Sure, if they want to become dishwashers and gardeners.”
“I’m about to projectile express myself all over your hush puppies.”

2. Guest Stars
We already had Eve as another school’s glee club coach, and Kristin Chenoweth (who is set to return this spring) as a washed-up ex-glee clubber, and more stars are in talks to appear on the Fox hit. Idina Menzel, of Broadway fame, will appear to coach the rival team- Vocal Adrenaline (and may be Rachel’s biological mother?! Just a rumor.) Jennifer Lopez is also rumored to be appearing. Oh, and saved the best for last- Neil Patrick Harris. Yep, that’s right, NPH is in talks to appear this spring in an episode directed by Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog creator Joss Whedon. Legen- wait for it…

3. The music
Just check out this performance of ‘Jump’ and try not to smile:

And as if the actual musical numbers weren’t enough, most of the songs ‘jump’ to the top of the charts on iTunes (clever?!) and the CDs sell like wildfire. And why yes, I do listen to the Glee Cast Radio station on Pandora when the occasion calls (pretty much all the time).

4. Emma’s Wardrobe
Jayma Mays‘ outfits are bright, playful, and perfect. Often mono-chromatic, always lady-like, this girl can do no wrong. Oh and the Farrah hair-flip doesn’t hurt either.

5. Terri Schuester
Before you burn me at the stake, let me explain. Jessalyn Gilsig is the ultimate villain as Will’s crazy-controlling, pregnancy-faking wife Terri; and every show needs a good villain. You could argue that Glee already has a villain in Sue, but I disagree. Be honest – you love Sue; you loathe Terri.

6. Rachel’s voice
‘Big lips,’ as my Dad calls her, can get annoying at times. And I often find myself wanting to buy her longer skirts. But, man oh man, can Lea Michele sing. Her performance of ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ in the finale seriously blew me away.

7. Brittany (aka the blonde cheerleader)
Heather Morris is one of the most underrated members of the glee club (in fact, she isn’t even on the cast list on Fox.com!), but she is perhaps my favorite. She thinks a ballad is a male duck and is an expert in ‘hairography.’

“It works best when you pretend you’re getting tazered… it’s like cool epilepsy.”

8. It’s not all fun and games
The witty dialogue, the musical numbers- this show is seriously so much fun. But it has a serious side too. We’ve seen the glee clubbers join together to raise money for wheel chair ramps for Artie; we’ve learned that Sue has a disabled sister that she reads to; and we’ve cried (don’t be ashamed) watching the glee clubbers sign ‘Imagine’ with their deaf competitors. This show has heart…. and it might make you pee in your pants laughing.

9. The (expanding) cast
It occurred to me I have already mentioned a few of my favorites- Sue, Brittany- but what kind of countdown would this be without Kurt, Mercedes, Artie, Finn, Puck… they are all brilliant! Great ensemble cast! And guess what? You could join them. Glee is currently holding open auditions to look for new talent to add to their already uber-talented young cast. The auditions will air as a special before the premiere of season 2 next fall. Who needs American Idol when you could be on Glee?!

10. My Dad likes it
Any time I can sit down with my family and not argue about what to watch on TV it is a good night. My parents tend to lean towards any variation of the procedural crime drama and/or Two and a Half Men; so Wednesday nights have become a welcome retreat. Our ritual Glee watching has even forced my parents to stay in on my Mom’s birthday so they wouldn’t miss the episode. (My pleas for a DVR have not worked… yet).

Have I enticed you to watch? Luckily, you have a lot of time to catch up. New episodes don’t start up again until April (which totally blows for obsessive fans like me, by the way). That only gives you almost three months to watch the first thirteen episodes; better get going!

Danielle is the Television and movies Editor  for Girls Guide. You can check out her personal blog, Addicted to Television, where she talks about her television obsession. If you want to give her free movie passes she wouldn’t be shy in taking them, so you can email them to her at danielle [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter – @daniellesmyname.