Glee episode was so controversial that viewers were urged not to watch as reboot confirmed
Glee is officially getting a reboot, and the hit 2009-20015 singing show will get to impact a whole new generation. However, not every impact it had was positive.
Disney+ and Hulu have confirmed they have ordered a revival of the high school musical, which was originally a Fox. 20th Television project.
Despite not naming the cast, producers or directors, co-creator Ryan Murphy is once again involved in the show.
Not too long ago in August, Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter that he was 'considering' a revival, and now it's here to stay.
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“For many, many people now in their 20s, they grew up on that show and it meant something to them,” he said. “The music meant something. So, let’s kick it around and see what we get.”
But in light of the happy news, a dark cloud looms on the original series – and not the controversies and tragedies surrounding some of the cast.
It all revolves around Season four, episode 13 of the Fox show, which came out less than six months after 20-year-old Adam Lanzy shot and killed 27 people during the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in Newtown, US, in December 2012.
In an 11 April 2013, article ahead of the episode's broadcast, the HuffPost published a warning email sent regarding Glee's planned Shooting Star story, which Fox's description revealed that it was based on a plot that 'an unthinkable event occurs at McKinley High.'
Because of the school setting, the word 'shooting' in the episode title, and history of school shootings in the US, many were worried the story show a similar event unfold at the fictional school.
In response, Newtown, Connecticut victims' advocacy group - Newton Action Alliance - released an email warning viewers not to watch it if it could trigger them, with the outlet reporting it as reading: "According to someone who blogs for an Internet site that is a TV spoiler site, the TV show, 'Glee' that airs tonight on Fox is going to depict a school shooting from the vantage point of the students hiding in the dark. He said it is extremely harrowing and it even freaked him out and he's not from here. I would suggest if you do watch this TV show to either not watch it tonight or watch with caution."
Despite fears of the show's content, creator Murphy tweeted just one week prior to the email, noting that he 'just saw the rough cut of next week's "Shooting Star"' and called it 'the most powerful emotional Glee ever.'
In the end, people's worries were correct and when the show aired, it was revealed that it did in fact focus on an active shooting at McKinley High.
Online, people who watched the show were left unsure of how to feel, with one asking Reddit: " im currently on season 4 episode 18 and ive gotten to the scene where the school thinks that there's a school shooting going on, and i just kind of wanted the subreddits general opinion of it. i genuinely cant decide if its in poor taste or not, so i guess just kinda put in yalls own two cents in."
Ultimately, a lot of things stuck with viewers, such as the trauma of that day not sticking to the students.
One person said: "The episode was really insensitive in my opinion but I have to admit it gave us some of the best acting from underrated members of the cast, especially Chord & Heather."
Another said: "I liked the episode, but mostly because the acting was so good. Like even thinking about it I'm nearly crying for Brittany in the bathroom."
However, in the episode, the 'active shooter' was in fact cheerleader Becky, who coach Sue Sylvester took the wrap for by saying she accidentally discharged a personal gun whilst performing a safety check on it.
Britt Jones