In the opening minutes of Fox's monster hit "Glee," cheerleaders fly through the air, then form a human pyramid to a pounding soundtrack. The camera zooms in on coach Sue Sylvester, imperious in an Adidas track suit, a bullhorn in hand.

"You think this is hard?" she shouts to her panting crew. "Try being waterboarded. That's hard!" Although "Glee" shares DNA with "High School Musical" -- the Clearasil set frequently breaking into song -- this is no Disney treacle.

In December, to make way for "American Idol," Fox mothballed "Glee," sending fans into withdrawal. But it returns Tuesday after four months in detention. Have yet to see the series that earned a Golden Globe as television's best musical or comedy this year?

Just imagine throwing the following titles into a blender and hitting puree: "HSM," any version of "Fame," Judd Apatow's NBC series "Freaks and Geeks" and Alexander Payne's caustic "Election," wherein power-hungry teen Tracy Flick (perfectly embodied by Reese Witherspoon) torments her teacher, Mr. McAllister (Matthew Broderick, pasty and glum), during a race for class president.

The gonzo formula works. "Glee" is a bona fide cultural phenomenon, as big as Snooki and her "Jersey Shore" cronies, except that the "Glee" kids are talented and have skin tones found in nature.

First lady Michelle Obama invited the cast to perform at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll last Monday, and two days later, they showed up on "Oprah."

The show's premise is the stuff of classic high school dramedies: Idealistic Spanish teacher Will Schuester (a darling Matthew Morrison) wants to rebuild William McKinley High's once-glorious, now-defunct glee club. Popular students consider the group radioactive.

A collection of startlingly gifted misfits gravitates to Mr. Schu: Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), a type-A diva with two gay dads; a wheelchair-bound Artie Abrams (Kevin Michale); and the Alexander McQueen-wearin' Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer). Kurt voguing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" as he prepares to kick a field goal is a season highlight.

The ragtag crew lures the more genetically blessed to the glee choir -- sweet-but-dim quarterback Finn Hudson (Cory Montieth); his girlfriend, mean girl Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron); and Finn's best bud, bad-boy pool cleaner Noah "Puck" Puckerman (Mark Salling, glorious in a mohawk).

As they struggle to earn respect at school and win glee-club sectionals, Coach Sylvester (Jane Lynch, who should win an Emmy immediately) and her squad of "Cheerios" try to quash their dreams. An added bonus? The show is set in Lima, Ohio.

Blogs are atwitter with news of upcoming guest stars: Neil Patrick Harris, Molly Shannon and Idina Menzel of "Wicked" fame will join Mr. Schu and the gang. Early reports aside, J.Lo will not be shaking her ample attributes as a cafeteria lady at William McKinley.

Pity. Ms. Lopez should consider signing on for Season 2. It'd be a good career move.

The dialogue is wickedly inventive; story lines are nice 'n' soapy, like creator Ryan Murphy's other show, "Nip/Tuck," but without the deviant sex, mimes and serial killers.

Quarterback Finn thinks Quinn is carrying his baby, but it's actually Puck's; a married Mr. Schu has the hots for germophobic guidance counselor Emma Pilsbury (Jayma Mays); Mr. Schu's batty wife, Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), learns of the budding romance from Sue: "Let me be frank. Your husband is hiding his kielbasa in a Hickory Farms Basket that doesn't belong to you."

But it's the mash-ups of songs and musical styles that make "Glee" soar -- pop hits from Billy Idol, Journey, Heart and Queen seem perfectly right alongside hits from Kanye and Beyonce and standards from "West Side Story" and "Wicked." If you're just joining the show, here's a "Glee" primer to catch you up on one of the funniest, freshest comedies to fill the screen since "30 Rock":