For a strange, gleeful stretch, Fox rules the TV universe.

There is singing, dancing and shooting. Also, the world will be saved. Again.
The core is "American Idol," with its finale tomorrow and Wednesday. This year, it's had big voices and big, Broadway-style performances.
"It's not a bad word any more," said Jillian Reynolds, the "American Idol Extra" host. "They used to say something was 'too theatrical' or 'too Broadway,' but not any more."
This season's final four included Adam Lambert, once in "Wicked" and now giving rock music some showy touches. And Danny Gokey and Kris Allen, accustomed to stirring up large church crowds. And Allison Iraheta, who won a national cable contest (on Telemundo) at 14. They've brought a bigger-than-life style.
That's just part of the Fox week, though. On one end is the high-stakes finale of "24"; on the other is the high-energy opener of "So You Think You Can Dance." In between is pure "Glee."
That whimsical series, set in a high school glee club, won't start until fall. The pilot film, however, airs after Tuesday’s "Idol," sharing that sense of youth and energy.
"The other thing it has ... in common with 'American Idol' is that it really relies heavily on top-40 songs that ... the audience knows all the words to," said Ryan Murphy, the show's creator.
Alongside that music is humor and hope. "This has a big heart at its center," said Fox programming chief Kevin Reilly. "It really delivers. It's upbeat; the music is used in just the right way."
Glee clubs are huge in some high schools, said co-creator Ian Brennan. "What's amazing is how intense and (what) a self-contained world it is."
Costumes and choreography are elaborate; moods are bubbly. In one perverse scene, "Glee" has a powerhouse school doing a slick version of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab."
Entering that turf is a ragged school, with spurts of hope coming from two teens and a teacher. They're played by:
-- Lea Michele, 22. She starred in the Tony-winning "Spring Awakening."
-- Kelly Monteith, 27. He's a Canadian actor, basically getting his first chance to sing on-camera.
-- Matthew Morrison, 30. On Broadway, he had lead roles in "Hairspray," "The Light in the Piazza" (getting a Tony nomination) and "South Pacific." On TV, he was the romantic Sir Harry in "Once Upon a Mattress."
For Michele, this is all new. "This isn't my world, television," she said. "Theater is completely different."
Morrison never expected those worlds to link. "This is a dream job for me," he said. "It's great to have the crossover of Broadway on television."
That was spurred by several forces: "High School Musical" and other cable films brought musicals to a new generation. "So You Think You Can Dance" emphasized zestful moves. "American Idol" stirred pop music.
"I just think it's amazing, the way they put it together," Reynolds said of the "Idol" production. "They let it get a little ragged ... You never know what's going to come out of Simon Cowell's mouth."
She talks to contestants’ moments after they've been ousted. Reactions vary from the light-hearted Megan Joy -- "she was a funny little bird, very beautiful, very quirky" -- to the serious. "Anoop (Desai) took the longest to compose himself afterward."
She's also talked to other contestants, occasionally getting a jolt. Allison Iraheta, who's from Los Angeles, told Reynolds she's been watching her on "Good Day, L.A." her whole life.
"I've been on that show for as long as she's been alive," Reynolds marveled, exaggerating slightly. Iraheta was in the final five before she turned 17; she's typical of the youthful surge that sometimes helps Fox rule TV.

Fox's busy stretch:
-- Tonight: "24" finale, 7 p.m.. Jack Bauer faces Tony Almeida -- once his dead friend, now his live enemy -- with the world (or part of it) at stake.
-- Tuesday: Final "Idol" performances, 7 p.m.; viewers vote afterward. "Glee" pilot film, 8 p.m.
-- Wednesday: "Idol" finale, 7 p.m.; winner is announced.
-- Thursday: "So You Think You Can Dance" opens its season, then settling into Wednesdays. The first two nights each have two hours of auditions.
-- Fridays: "Don’t Forget the Lyrics" returns May 22; a scripted show, "Mental," joins it a week later.
-- Also: "American Idol Extra" is on the Fox Reality Channel, after the "Idol" results.