What Gleeks Want To See In New ‘Glee’ Docuseries!

Fox’s hit show Glee has been off the air since 2015, but since then, there have been countless headlines and controversies surrounding the cast. With seemingly enough drama to unravel, Discovery+ shared they are working on a behind-the-scenes documentary. Here are 5 issues fans hope to see addressed!

Recently, Discovery+ announced that a three-part docuseries exploring the hit Fox comedy-drama Glee is in the works. Cast and crew members are set to be featured, as well as close family and friends, sharing their experiences from the show’s production, which ran from 2009-2015. Shedding a light on famed controversies and stories never heard before, “It will lift the curtain to reveal the highs and lows of the production and the on-set community,” according to Deadline. The news has surely stirred up a conversation among Glee fans online, with many excited to watch truths come out that have been speculated amongst the fandom for years. Here’s what Gleeks want to see addressed!

Lea Michele’s Bullying

Over the years, cast members have spoken out, accusing Lea Michele of bullying and racist remarks. In 2020, Samantha Marie Ware — who played Jane in season six — said she used “traumatic microaggressions” against her and threatened to get her fired. Heather Morris (who played Brittany) supported her, saying Michele should be called out for disrespecting others for as long as she did. Just as the documentary news came out, Chris Colfer (who plays Kurt) said he won’t be seeing Michele’s new Broadway show Funny Girl because he “can be triggered at home.” Michele has a close relationship with Glee creator Ryan Murphy, so people are wondering just how much will be said about her on-set toxicity and favoritism. Fans want to see her exposed for the problems and harm she has caused her castmates. There is already a bunch of evidence for her behavior from credible names who have firsthand accounts, so it’s only fair for the doc to mention and bring some type of justice to the issue.

The “Glee Curse”

While there was much drama to be had on screen, the behind-the-scenes was plagued with arguably more, which has been deemed “The Glee Curse.” Three cast members have died since the show’s airing, with tragedy striking as early as season five when Cory Monteith (Finn) died from a drug overdose after a long time of struggle in 2013. Then in 2020, the world was in mourning over Naya Rivera’s (Santana) heartbreaking accidental drowning from saving her son during a boating trip. Mark Salling (Noah AKA Puck) took his own life after being convicted of child pornography possession. With the fandom who grew up watching these characters tell realistic teen stories, a lot of this news came as a shock. It seems as though as more time passes, news that trickles out is often negative — can the show really be cursed? This is what fans want to find out, they hope the documentary will explore these burning topics and find root causes. Reactions from those involved in the stars’ personal lives and other people who worked on Glee could really be a crucial perspective here.

Family & Friend Reactions

There’s been much wonder amongst fans about who exactly will be featured. With the confirmation that close family and friends will be partaking, this could give some well needed insight into ongoing drama and the cast members’ deaths. They’d really be able to help explain the effects of the Glee environment on their respective loved ones and who they were when they weren’t working. This would provide a much more vulnerable and personal side of the story, and they’d rightfully be in control of telling their narratives. In any case, people want to see this side of things handled respectfully, with hopes that the families were made aware of the project and asked about it ahead of time. Naya Rivera’s father George acknowledged the documentary announcement on his Twitter, essentially confirming he has a role to play in its making. The thought of this involvement eases some fans that the creators have good intentions, but there are still mixed opinions online about exploiting their tragedies. Regardless, as some cast members are not here today to speak for themselves, or there are sure to be cast members who have declined to be part of the docuseries, fans are hoping they’re rightly treated with respect and their names are done justice.

Dianna Agron & Ryan Murphy Drama

It’ll be interesting to see what new information the documentary can reveal that Gleeks don’t already know about, one being the feud between creator Ryan Murphy and Dianna Agron (who played Quinn). Unlike the rest of the old and new cast, Agron wasn’t invited to appear on the tribute episode for Cory Monteith (and subsequently, his character Finn) “The Quarterback” back in 2013. Her character was integral to Monteith’s, but at the discretion of his then girlfriend Lea Michele (who was his love interest on and off the show) and Murphy, they excluded her because they intensely disliked her. Murphy said everyone was asked to be a part of it, but Agron said she was never asked. Additionally, Murphy has come out to say that Agron ruined the character of Quinn, who was a fan favorite for the first three seasons. Quinn was initially the stereotypical mean girl, but Agron brought a more sympathetic life to her character. Fans believe tensions started forming between the two when Agron wanted to leave after season three, and that her character’s major inconsistencies have been effects of his disagreements with her seeping into his work. Either way, no one has known the exact truth other than Murphy and Agron themselves, but with years of speculation, people hope this will be finally answered with the coming docuseries.

The Show’s Impact

Many can agree that Glee seemed ahead of its time, culminating in a large cultural impact. True fans want to know the ups and downs of the show’s inner workings. While there’s much demand for exposing deeper truths of controversies and using the platform for setting rumors straight, people also really want to delve into the production culture — choreography, how songs/performances were chosen, never seen BTS footage, stuff that was cut, etc. Some think that because of the societal impact the show has had and the resulting popularity thanks to the booming fanbase, the fans should also be involved in the documentary. Whether it’s in interviews exploring how much Glee means to them or a deep dive into social media archives, this would be another important perspective to have. Fans are the ones who kept show discussions going years down the line, good or bad, so they clearly have a bigger role to play than producers may realize. Glee is such a phenomenon and the docuseries will only reignite it, so people are hoping for something enlightening without anything too exploitative or coining already beaten-to-death sensational gossip.

Will you be watching the Glee documentary when it releases?