Disney+ and Hulu recently took to Instagram to announce the reboot of the musical dramedy, Glee! The six-time Emmy-winning series premiered on Fox in 2009 and ended after six seasons in 2015. And the announcement caused a plethora of mixed feelings.
We’re Excited for Glee‘s Fun Satire to Return
The show follows an eccentric group of kids from Lima, Ohio, as they navigate high school. Joining glee club isn’t popular at first, but it eventually fills up with athletes and cheerleaders, though not always for the right reasons.
Glee is the definition of a show of its time, one that aired before the idea of cancel culture truly fomented, when jokes that hit too close to home didn’t get you in trouble. It remains a cultural sensation, and fans continue to repost moments we would never see on TV today. The show tackled sexuality, race, disability, mental health, and more.
One of my favorite moments is when they discuss overcoming obstacles, using Nene Leakes’ recurring character, Roz Washington. When Sam Evans joins the swim team, she exclaims, “I’ve never seen lips like that on a white child.” Then continues talking about her dream that one day she would get her forty acres and a pool. Not what you would expect when hearing “overcoming,” but the show was fun and light. We need a show that can make serious topics satire, and that’s what Glee did.
That said, the blunt jokes that made the show what it was wouldn’t work in today’s society, but still, the writers shouldn’t hold back. Hopefully, a balance can be struck, with critical issues still touched on but transformed into humor we can all meditate on. We feel excited to see what Glee can bring to the conversation in a modern world.
We Want More Music From a Glee Reboot
Glee wasn’t just a success; it was a cultural phenomenon; the music was off the charts. Today, the series averages millions of listeners on Spotify. Many remember covers like “Teenage Dream” and “Don’t Stop Believin’,” but any Artie (Kevin McHale) and Mercedes (Amber Riley)collaboration was superior by far. Their cover of “Blame It” was honestly better than the original, and it’s hard to top. And we can’t forget “Smooth Criminal,” performed by Sebastian (Grant Gustin) and Santana (Naya Rivera).
We bet the Glee reboot will bring us a slew of amazing new covers, and that’s definitely a point in favor of bringing this reboot back.
But We Are Scared the Glee Reboot Won’t Be Able to Properly Adjust to a New Time
All that said, we do feel a bit scared at the idea of what Glee might do. I will listen to Kendrick Lamar and turn my TV off if I see Morrison singing “Not Like Us” to address racism at the school. Instead, I would much rather see the original ensemble stick to their Lady Gaga roots and perform “Abracadabra.” Camp was the tone of the original series, and if they get the clearance, I would love to see a show dedicated to Beyoncé’s Renaissance album, and a “Summer Renaissance” performance is a must. We hope Glee sees the right place for its existence and doesn’t go too far.
Of course, all Glee-specific notes aside, I think people are happy, but hesitant about the Glee reboot because in the last five years we’ve seen many failed reboot attempts. Post-pandemic, everyone was craving a world that once was, and many still are. But the question of if we need reboots or just new successful television remains.
We Also Can’t Imagine Glee Without Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera
It’s hard to think what Glee will look like without two souls who were the heart of the show, Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera. Given the sad losses of these two key parts of the series, we worry the reboot just won’t feel the same as the original. Santana and Finn were such big parts of Glee; we don’t want their legacy to be forgotten in a reboot.
For Now, We Don’t Know Too Much About the Glee Reboot
But the truth is, it may be too early for any of these fears. Aside from the fact that we know the Glee reboot is happening, details are scarce. Creator Ryan Murphy’s nostalgia for the show remains, telling Entertainment Tonight that he has been in touch with 10 of the original cast members. The original series’ creators, Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, have written a script for the reboot.
The show will premiere on Disney+ and Hulu, and while casting hasn’t been officially confirmed, we do know Lea Michele will reprise her role as Rachel Berry. Heather Morris and Chord Overstreet also took to social media to celebrate, confirming they’ll return as Brittany S. Pierce and Sam Evans.
Overall, Glee‘s cast included Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Darren Criss, Amber Riley, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Harry Shum Jr., Chord Overstreet, and more. We’ll have to wait and see who makes another appearance. I do wonder if supporting characters will return for the Glee reboot, like Grant Gustin as Sebastian.
Now that I’ve gotten all of these Glee reboot thoughts off my chest, I’ll still be watching the reboot when it airs. To prepare, you can rewatch Glee on Hulu, because who hasn’t seen at least one episode?