Partly because a friend worked on Rise (https://www.nbc.com/rise?nbc=1), and partly out of generic interest in the subject, I recently binged the first nine episodes (of ten; the season finale isn't out until next week).
It has some pretty serious problems -- though, on balance, not as serious as those that plagued Smash and Glee at their respective worsts. But it also has an appealing cast, for whose sake one can put up with a certain amount of clumsy writing. In spite of the show's issues, and its not-great ratings, I'm kind of hoping it'll be back for a second season.
I am somewhat curious to read the book it's based on, Drama High (https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/books/review/michael-sokoloves-drama-high.html). For the record, the series's "straightwashing" of its protagonist has thus far struck me as the least of its problems. Which isn't to say that it isn't a problem; only that the show's writing overall leads me to suspect that this character might have remained just as annoying and ill-conceived even if he had been allowed to more accurately reflect his real-life (http://www.vulture.com/2018/03/rise-nbc-drama-high-all-the-differences.html) (gay, and, for much of his tenure as a high-school drama teacher, closeted) counterpart.
But there's still enough that's genuinely good about the show not to begrudge it seven hours of my life. And it's not inconceivable that, given a second season, it might rise (see what I did there?) from "watchable, with a little patience" to the level of consistently-excellent television. (True greatness may be beyond it, but where TV shows about theatre are concerned, beggars can't be choosers).
And I am looking forward to the season finale next week.
Anyone else watching?
Shucks, cancelled (http://deadline.com/2018/05/rise-canceled-nbc-1202383201/). ???