Glee features a classic example of how OCD is represented in popular media.
Glee (2009) is an American musical TV series that follows the fictional lives of students who are members of their school’s glee club: singing and competing in show choir competitions. It was one of the most popular shows of the 2010s, gaining millions of viewers at it’s peak. In the show, Emma Pillsbury is a recurring character who works as a guidance counsellor at the school. Over the course of the series, she forms a romantic relationship with Will Schuester, the teacher in charge of the glee club.
Emma experiences symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly relating to contamination. She is often shown to be scrubbing grapes before eating them, meticulously cleaning surfaces before sitting, and repeatedly organising pamphlets. Will sometimes makes attempts to help Emma by getting her to admit that her OCD is her biggest insecurity, as well as by putting chalk dust on her face and holding her hands still whilst she was rubbing them with lotion.
In season 2, Emma goes to therapy for her OCD where she is prescribed medication and behaviour therapy:
Soon after, she is shown to be doing better, as she eats grapes after only rinsing them:
Given Glee’s enduring popularity, the show’s representation of OCD likely has widespread reach. However, several people, including those with lived experience of OCD, criticised Glee’s portrayal as being underdeveloped, for instance by missing the anxiety and distress that is usually characteristic of OCD. They suggest that this misrepresentation perpetuates the stigma surrounding OCD and the wrongful notion that people with OCD are simply perfectionists or “neat freaks”.
The way in which other characters respond to Emma’s OCD has also received mixed reviews. Will’s attempts to “help” Emma were especially criticised by multiple Reddit users who deemed them ableist, rude, and overstepping boundaries. They highlighted that people with OCD “literally CANNOT function unless things happen a certain way”, linking back to the show’s lack of engagement with how the problem manifests in reality. Other Reddit users suggested that it was simply a case of “tough love”, and he merely wanted the best for Emma.
Nevertheless, the scene where Emma seeks therapy can be commended as evidence that Glee not only uses OCD as a comedic device but also highlights that treatment is available and helpful.
