The inevitable problem of high school television programs is what to do when your stars age out of high school over the course of a series. Glee creator Ryan Muphy has the answer: fire them.
“Every year we’re going to populate a new group,” says Murphy, who believes “there’s nothing more depressing than a high schooler with a bald spot.” (Ahem, Karofsky.) So the show that reaches 12 million people every week will inevitably let its characters age out, even if they’re the stars. Or so he says now, a couple years before he’ll be absolutely forced to decide whether Lea Michelle, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, and Kevin McHale get to stick around.”When some of them finish their run at high school it will be very teary episodes. For me it will be particularly tough but a new crop (of actors) will come in.” Fine. Just so long as Darren Criss is forced to repeat 12th grade three times.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Ask Disney how that worked out for the “High School Musical” franchise.
That said, does he really think this show will last more than three, four seasons? If I was any of the actors on this show, I’d be looking for a new job now.
Stephen
This show will crash and burn long before that is necessary! already has jumped the shark.
Marcus M.
Oh, he’s not thinking very hard at all.
Fitz
Wow, you guys are so ugly and negative. How awful it must be to be in your skin everyday.
Pygar
@Fitz: even though Snow White and Dumbo still make me cry I could still never tire of All About Eve.
Scott
Britney is so stupid she’ll be the one to repeat several grades. I love how perfectly the actress portrays her.
Francis
I don’t know how they could continue after this gang leaves. It would be really annoying to have the same “We have to win sectionals/regionals/whatever” every single time. They might manage to actually do it but as much as I love this show I just don’t think they can do it. The whole “band of outcasts” thing only works for so long too. It would be annoying to see the Glee club still getting picked on the most and all that season after season even after they win whatever the major contest is. It’d be interesting to see them actually pull it off though.
Cam
THANK YOU!!!!!
That is what killed shows like “Heros” continuing to focus on the same few characters when there were other interesting storylines that could have been developed or found. Having Rachel and Finn turn into 40 years olds still trying to play 17 would be ridiculous.
Jack
Once they win Nationals, I really don’t see what else they could do with the story…
alan brickman
Mr Shue should go first! He got aging witch face..there I said it outloud..
alan brickman
Bring back Morning Goods!!!
Aaron in Honolulu
Ryan Murphy is not making this switch-up until the end of 2012. There’s time.
Raul
Awwww there will be college years….
Ian
@Raul: And if there is a particularly popular pair of characters (Chris/Kurt is my fav) there can always be spin-offs. Sometimes it doesn’t work (Joey) or is very successful (Rhoda), you never know. I’d watch a show and give it a chance if say Kurt & Rachel team up as a duo act that goes to try out their dreams on Broadway in NY after graduating high school.
Seldom
@alan brickman: Totally agree – he’s scary looking!! Also ginger before he dies his hair.
Mrs. Garrett
They could always come work for me!
Hilarious
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: Exactly. This hasn’t worked out for a single show that’s tried it. You can’t replace the faces people become invested in with a bunch of newbies and expect your fans to keep watching.
It doesn’t work.
They should’ve decided that when it’s time for the characters to “move on” they’d end Glee and make a spin-off with all or most of the original characters.
Baxter
@Fitz: I mostly enjoy Glee, but there’s no way it’s going to last for more than a couple more seasons.
AgBoiNV
Darren Criss can be my Teenage Dream any day!
Chuck
This is a really dumb idea. Successful shows almost always follow the characters we know and love through the college years.
I will not watch Glee without Chris Colfer.
BillCooney
Well, “Saved By The Bell” had some noticeable and notorious cast members after school ended.
Peter Proud
Friday Night Lights has been very successful at replacement of main “young” characters but of course is a higher caliber show. I loved Glee initially but it is already getting a little worn.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Geeze Queens take a chill pill………..Glee is simply a guilty pleasure, it it not high drama nor is it going to stimulate your intellectual capabilities. Murphy actually has a great plan to keep adding new charachters to the show. I 100% agree that it is silly and annoying to see high school students with receeding hair lines. By changing the charachters the show would actually stay fresh and interesting…………Plus you can be 100% sure Murphy will keep on adding new Gay cast members. And being that Chris Colfer is actually the youngest member of the cast, he will probably be around the longest…………
Bobby
Glee is great fun and the cast is amazing, but it would be fun to see where they could take Glee after that cast “graduates”.
I’ll watch it as long as it stays as fresh as it is now and keeps me laughing and crying and thinking.
Hilarious
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: It’s such a great plan that it’s literally never worked for a single American show on television.
Jeffree
Glee can introduce newer, younger characters to see if they’re worth keeping, but some of the mainstays are gonna have to age out of the plot line. If the newer folks work out we may not miss the others that much.
billy
Is there a reason why you left out Jenna Ushkowitz and Amber Riley? It seems you, like most faggots in the media INCLUDING RYAN MURPHY, seem to be entirely fixated on a white-washed world.
fredo777
I think the people claiming that this show will only last a couple more seasons are way, way off the mark.
Steve-O
Well its already established that all the kids are in their junior year (Rachel stating in season one that she was a junior)
Therefore, assuming they are all in the same grade and at the current rate the show is progress they will be graduating at….WAIT???? END OF SEASON 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOOO SOON