Ryan Murphy revealed that Glee is planning a tribute episode for Cory Monteith, who died earlier this month. The episode is still in the planning stages, but here are some suggestions for finding the delicate balance between honoring Monteith’s memory and exploiting it.
Keep the focus on the music.
I'm sure there's a temptation to do a different kind of Glee episode, perhaps one without any music at all. But Glee is at its best when it's finding emotion through song. There's a special poignancy to this, and perhaps catharsis: I say this as someone who teared up learning Matthew Morrison sang "What I Did for Love" in memory of Cory Monteith. A singing-heavy episode is also a tribute to Monteith, who wasn't a singer when he auditioned for Glee but found his voice on the show, in more ways than one.
Via: Adam Rose/FOX
But honor the relationships.
Everyone will mourn the loss of Finn, but some bonds are more important than others: Rachel, Kurt, Puck, Will, Quinn. Glee would be wise to restrain itself a bit — instead of going big, spend time on the characters who had the most significant relationships with Finn. This is also a way to honor the relationships these actors had with Cory Monteith, with whom they worked so closely for four seasons. Of course, this should also be adjusted depending on their comfort level. Lea Michele can decide how much emotion she wants to bare on screen.
Via: Adam Rose/FOX
Don't make it about drugs.
Addiction is a horrible disease, and it's something worth addressing on a series for teenagers. At the same time, this isn't the right time: Turning the episode into an after school special on the dangers of drug abuse takes away from Monteith's memory. We know how he died — it's also something his friends and family will have to live with forever. The specter of addiction will hang over the episode, but any preaching would be both unnecessary and in poor taste. On the other hand, a PSA about getting help for addiction at the end of the episode would be appropriate.
Via: Eddy Chen/FOX
Find a way to incorporate Monteith's work.
Whether through flashback or otherwise, Monteith and his voice should be present in the episode. It's important to not only mourn his loss but to also celebrate his talent. As Murphy noted, this is also the first time many young Glee fans have really experienced death in any way — including a Monteith performance is a way for these people to say goodbye to the character of Finn and the actor behind him. One word of caution: Promoting this episode as including "Finn's final performance" would be incredibly tacky. I doubt Fox would go down this route, but it's not unheard of.
Via: Adam Rose/FOX
