Disney+ and Hulu have officially greenlit a reboot of Ryan Murphy's musical series Glee. The announcement follows creator Ryan Murphy's July reveal of his continued affection for the show, and his September confirmation that a script had been completed and that he had spoken with around ten original cast members about returning.
While initial series order announcements did not include casting details, original cast members Lea Michele and Heather Morris have since confirmed their participation. The prospect of a Glee revival has elicited strong reactions from fans, often characterized by a blend of excitement and apprehension. "This is the best worst day of my life," commented one fan on social media, while another expressed, "This is gonna be so bad! I’m so happy and can’t wait."
This sentiment of complicated feelings stems from the original series' trajectory. Early seasons of Glee garnered critical acclaim and significant popularity, but later seasons were criticized for relying on sensational plotlines and struggling to manage a large ensemble cast. Murphy himself has faced criticism for perceived tone deafness in his recent work, including the Netflix series Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.
A primary concern among fans is the potential for a full original cast reunion. "A Glee revival with no cast announced is just a really expensive school choir," one fan argued. There are also strong opinions on which original cast members are essential for the reboot's success, with many advocating for the return of Jane Lynch, who portrayed the Emmy-winning Sue Sylvester. The loss of Naya Rivera, who played Santana Lopez and passed away in 2020, weighs heavily on the fanbase, with one fan stating, "Glee without Naya is like earth without water."
Fans are also voicing concerns about potential re-evaluations of established canon, particularly regarding the show's representation of queer relationships, with repeated pleas to "Don’t touch Brittana" and "Don’t touch Klaine."
Despite the reservations, some fans see potential benefits. The popular X (formerly Twitter) account Terri Schuester Updates humorously noted the possibility of receiving actual updates about the character, tweeting, "Wait, does this mean I might finally have some actual Terri Schuester updates?" Speculation is also rife regarding the music selection for the reboot, with suggestions ranging from contemporary artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan to a general sentiment of anticipating "so many more songs to say 'they sang this on Glee'." Whether these developments will be enough to draw viewers to the new series on Disney+ remains to be seen.