Glee returns to Fox after Cory Monteith’s tragic death

Stephanie Pitera


The return of fall comes will the return of a whole new T.V. lineup. After a long summer of hit reality shows, fans of scripted T.V. have been eagerly anticipating the return of some of their favorite shows, as well as the addition of several new ones.


New shows on Fox this fall include futuristic cop drama “Almost Human,” “Brooklyn Ninety-Nine,” starring SNL’s Andy Samberg, and “Dads,” a comedy about two successful men whose fathers decide to move in with them. “Dads” was created by funnyman Seth MacFarlane, who was the mastermind behind hits such as “Family Guy” and the box office hit “Ted.”

NBC’s new lineup includes the highly anticipated drama “Blacklist,” about a criminal who teams up with the FBI to fight terrorism and other crime. Another of NBC’s new shows, vampire thriller “Dracula,” has already been picked up for a full season. NBC also brings the television return of actor Michael J. Fox with the new series, “The Michael J. Fox Show,” which has also been picked up for a 22-episode season.

New shows on ABC include “Betrayal,” a drama revolving around lies, cheating and a murder trial, 80’s comedy “The Goldbergs,” and “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland,” a spin-off of the network’s popular fantasy series “Once Upon a Time.”   With so many promising new shows, many viewers are eager to see the return of a few familiar ones. FX’s thriller “American Horror Story” returns in October with the new season titled “Coven.” The new season deals with the concept of witches that have survived over 300 years after the Salem Witch Trials.

“I [think] the premise of Coven is ingenious. After all, even though witches are one of the few things that have diminished fear-wise, they are still one of the scariest paranormal creatures. I [also] love the fact they are staying with the history of The Salem Witch Trials,” university student Jessica Puccio said, “American Horror Story” is interesting in the fact that each season deals with an entirely new story line. Last year’s season, “Asylum,” left viewers hungry for more of creator Ryan’s Murphy’s original storylines.

The return of HBO’s award-winning series “Boardwalk Empire” is also one that fans have been eagerly awaiting. Despite entering its fourth season, the period drama is still one that is consistently watched by its loyal views. “Boardwalk Empire is the best mob drama since the Sopranos. The fact that it’s set in prohibion-era Atlantic City adds to the glamour of the show,” University student Amanda Perez said. The new season, which premiered on September 8, has so far received mixed reviews from critics.

Of course, the much-anticipated season five premiere of Fox’s hit show “Glee” will be bittersweet for many of the show’s fans. The premiere comes just two short months after the death of one of the show’s lead actors, Cory Monteith. Monteith, who played the role of glee-clubbing quarterback Finn Hudson, was pronounced dead in his Vancouver hotel room on July 13 after overdosing on a deadly mixture of heroin and alcohol.  Monteith, who had struggled with addiction since he was a teenager, had previously checked himself into a rehab facility earlier this year.

“I don’t think the show will ever be the same,” university student Gabrielle Garcia said. “Cory was such a big part of the show’s storyline and was loved by the fans.” Creators of the show plan to write Finn off in the third episode of the new season. The episode is expected to be a tribute to Monteith and his finest moments on the show.

The season will also introduce new cast members, including pop star Demi Lovato, who is slated to play Santana’s new love interest. Lovato released a statement to Access Hollywood expressing her excitement about joining the cast: “[I hope to] inspire people with my character to love who they are and accept who they are, and not give a crap what other people think.” Glee returns to Fox Sept. 26 with a Beatles tribute episode entitled “Love, Love, Love.”