Cory Monteith to Be Honored in 100th Episode

In the magical fairytale land that is Lima, Ohio, sometimes things aren't quite so realistic. For instance, Oscar Award winning substitute teachers, transporting from NYC to Ohio at the snap of a finger, twenty six year old high school juniors-- we digress. When Cory Monteith died unexpectedly last July of an alcohol and drug overdose, there was a lot of speculation on how a show as fantastical as Glee could handle such a serious and personal situation. If the tribute episode to Monteith entitled, 'The Quarterback,' was any indication, it's clear that the show executives, cast, and crew are determined to take the tragedy that befell Monteith and make it into something positive and palatable.

Since 'The Quarterback' aired, Finn's name has been mentioned, and even tattooed for emphasis. A smart decision on the writer's part, for one, it would be nearly impossible for the show to go on without acknowledging the huge hole that Monteith's death left in the Glee universe. The character of Finn had so many ties to so many characters-- stepbrother of Kurt, ex-fiance of Rachel, best man of Mr. Schue-- that it would be impractical to ignore the relationships and insult the audience's intelligence by just forgetting about him. Besides, it's clear that they don't want anyone to forget their beloved friend either.

Paris Barclay, director of the Glee's 100th episode, hints on what to expect. He makes mention of Monteith and his character and how it would be quixotic to assume that the characters had all just moved on. He explains:

"I don’t think it could go much farther without continuing to talk about how that hurts. There is so much feeling there and it affected the Glee family in such a profound way, and you can expect it to be dealt with in the 100th episode. It definitely comes back and is dealt with in a significant way."

Gleeks alike can now rest easy knowing that the show is keeping up with continuity and that they won't ever forget Finn or Monteith and what he and his character meant to the show. We hope the 100th episode, and the rest of the 5th season for that matter, will satisfy the audience who has kept with it for so long.