Glee (season 3)
Encyclopedia
A third season of the Fox
musical comedy-drama television series Glee
was commissioned on May 23, 2010 while the first season
aired. It premiered on September 20, 2011, and is being produced by 20th Century Fox Television
and Ryan Murphy Television, with executive producers Dante Di Loreto
and series co-creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
and Ian Brennan
.
The series features the New Directions glee club
at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio
. Season three will follow the club through local and regional show choir
competitions while its members deal with college and other future plans, and relationship, sexuality and social issues. The central characters are glee club director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
), cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
), guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
(Jayma Mays
), and current and former glee club members Artie Abrams
(Kevin McHale), Blaine Anderson
(Darren Criss
), Brittany Pierce
(Heather Morris), Finn Hudson
(Cory Monteith
), Kurt Hummel
(Chris Colfer
), Mercedes Jones
(Amber Riley
), Mike Chang
(Harry Shum, Jr.
), Noah "Puck" Puckerman
(Mark Salling), Quinn Fabray
(Dianna Agron
), Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
), Santana Lopez
(Naya Rivera
) and Tina Cohen-Chang
(Jenna Ushkowitz).
would carry on through the third, including student Santana Lopez
(Naya Rivera
) coming to terms with her sexuality, and the relationship between club director Will Schuester
(Matthew Morrison
) and guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
(Jayma Mays
). Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
(Jane Lynch
) will have a new love interest and will be running for Congress. A new recurring character will be introduced at McKinley High as Sue's archenemy. The biological mother of Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
), Shelby Corcoran (Idina Menzel
), will be returning to teach at McKinley for as many as twelve episodes.
and Ryan Murphy Television. Series creators Ian Brennan
, Brad Falchuk
and Murphy will serve as executive producers, alongside Dante Di Loreto
. This constitutes a promotion for Brennan, who formerly received a co-executive producer credit. The first
and second seasons were written exclusively by Brennan, Falchuk and Murphy. Although Murphy had intended to hire a team of five or six writers in January 2010, this plan was delayed, due to the existing team's reluctance to alter a working formula. Falchuk revealed in May 2011 that further writing staff are being sought to bring "fresh voices" to the series: "We're trying to get a lot of quirky people and interesting people and people that are not what you'd expect." Six new writers were confirmed, and began work on June 20, 2011: Allison Adler
(also co-executive producer), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
(also co-producer), Marti Noxon
and former season 1 guest star Michael Hitchcock
(who are serving as consulting producers), and staff writers Matt Hodgson and Ross Maxwell.
The third season will be structured with two "mini-seasons" mimicking the two high school semesters. While the previous two seasons have included multiple tribute episodes, dedicated to artists such as Madonna
and Britney Spears
, the musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show
, and the album Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
, Murphy intends to feature just one such tribute in season three, in the form of a two-hour television movie; Falchuk was less definite about the number or format, saying only that if there was a tribute episode, it would be "in the second half of the season." Filming for the season was originally reported as beginning on August 10, 2011, but it began on August 9. The first episode of the season was directed by Eric Stoltz
. Matthew Morrison will make his directing debut.
Broadcast began on September 20, 2011 in the US, where Glee airs on Fox in the 8 pm timeslot on Tuesdays. It debuted in Australia on September 21, 2011 at 8:30 pm on Network Ten
, hours after the US broadcast. In the UK, the show has moved from E4 to Sky1, and premiered on September 22, 2011, two days after the US.
The cast began recording for their musical numbers on the show beginning on August 8, 2011. They also began recording material for a new Glee Christmas album that month.
, Chris Colfer
, Darren Criss
, Kevin McHale, Michele, Cory Monteith
, Heather Morris, Amber Riley
, Rivera, Mark Salling, Harry Shum, Jr.
and Jenna Ushkowitz as current or former glee club members Quinn Fabray, Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Artie Abrams, Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson, Brittany Pierce, Mercedes Jones, Santana Lopez, Noah "Puck" Puckerman, Mike Chang and Tina Cohen-Chang
respectively. Criss and Shum, Jr. received contractual upgrades, having formerly been recurring cast members. According to journalist Michael Ausiello
, one main cast member who is no longer a series regular is Jessalyn Gilsig
as Will's ex-wife, Terri Schuester
, though she may appear on occasion. O'Malley, who plays Kurt's father Burt, was a series regular during the second season, but is listed among the guest cast for this season.
Murphy has revealed that some of the original characters will depart at the end of the season. He explained, "This next season will be their senior year, and then that they will graduate. We didn't want to have a show where they were in high school for eight years. We really wanted to be true to that experience." It was initially reported that the third season would be the last for Michele, Monteith and Colfer. However, during the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con panel, executive producer Brad Falchuk
stated that while Michele, Monteith and Colfer will graduate by the end of the third season, "because they’re graduating doesn’t mean they’re leaving the show." Falchuk insisted "it was never our plan or our intention to let them go.... They are not done with the show after this season."
Chord Overstreet
, who played glee club member Sam Evans
during the second season, did not return to the show at the start of the third season. According to Falchuk, Overstreet was invited back to guest-star for ten episodes "with an eye towards becoming a series regular at midseason", but Overstreet declined. It was reported on October 18, 2011, and confirmed by Murphy six days later, that Overstreet would be returning as a recurring character starting with the season's eighth episode. With Sam gone at the beginning of the season, Falchuk said that Mercedes "has this new boyfriend she met over the summer who’s pretty cool". Friday Night Lights
LaMarcus Tinker
is portraying Mercedes' new love interest, Shane Tinsley. Formerly known as "Bubba" and then as "Marcus", he is "a massive linebacker for the McKinley Titans". Their relationship was compared to Cuba Gooding Jr. and his wife in Jerry Maguire
, as he "encourages her to want more for herself". Ryan Murphy has said they plan to introduce four new cast members, "kids that come in with their own stories." At least two of these are female students: Sugar, who is well-off, self-confident, and has a tin ear, and Sheila, "a modern-day Joan Jett". The recurring role of Sugar is played by Vanessa Lengies
. Both Tinker and Lengies appeared in the season premiere, as did a character named Sheila played by Raven Goodwin
, who is one of the Skanks, a group of outcast girls that includes Quinn. Menzel is reprising her role as Shelby Corcoran in a story arc running up to twelve episodes that will have her teaching at McKinley; she first appears in the season's second episode. Murphy also intends for guest star Gwyneth Paltrow
to return as substitute teacher Holly Holliday
. Other recurring characters who are returning include former glee club member Lauren Zizes
(Ashley Fink
), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
), football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter
), school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman
), and TV news anchors Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones) and Andrea Carmichael (Earlene Davis). Closeted gay athlete Dave Karofsky
(Max Adler) also returns.
The Glee Project
, a reality series
featuring auditions for the show, started airing on Oxygen
on June 12, 2011, and the final episode of the season was broadcast on August 21, 2011. The winning prize was a seven-episode guest-starring role in the third season. The show was originally intended to air on Fox ahead of season two, but was cancelled due to Murphy's desire to concentrate on the main series. The project was revived when Oxygen purchased re-run rights to Glee, and Murphy committed to executive produce the series as it is part of the Glee brand. Di Loreto served as an executive producer, alongside Embassy Row's Michael Davies
and Shauna Minoprio. Assisted by Glee choreographer Zach Woodlee
and casting director Robert Ulrich—who screened over 40,000 applicants—they selected the winner over ten episodes, from a shortlist of twelve contenders. After the show completed shooting, Murphy announced that the winner would play Sue's archenemy on the show. However, there were two winners of The Glee Project prize of a seven-episode arc, Damian McGinty
and Samuel Larsen. The other two finalists, Lindsay Pearce
and Alex Newell, each won a two-episode arc on the show. Pearce appeared in the season premiere as Harmony, a singer who intimidates Rachel with her talent, and will be returning later in the season for at least one more episode. McGinty appeared starting in the fourth episode as Rory Flanagan, an Irish exchange student who is living with Brittany's family. Larsen will make his debut in early 2012 in episode ten or eleven, with Newell appearing later in the season as a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline.
In July 2011, Murphy and Falchuk ask fans what they wanted to see in the third season; as meeting the character's parents was a high demand, the creators casted several actors to play the parents of various characters - Mike Chang's parents, Julia Chang and Mike Chang Sr. were played by Tamlyn Tomita
and Keong Sim
respectively; Emma Pillsbury's parents, Rose and Rusty Pillsbury where played by Valerie Mahaffey and Don Most
. John Schneider
and Tanya Clarke are set to play Dwight and Mary Evans, the parents to Sam Evans, while Gloria Estefan
is in the talks to play Santana Lopez's mother.
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
musical comedy-drama television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
was commissioned on May 23, 2010 while the first season
Glee (season 1)
The first season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired on Fox in the United States. The pilot episode was broadcast as an advanced preview of the series on May 19, 2009, with the remainder of the season airing between September 9, 2009 and June 8, 2010...
aired. It premiered on September 20, 2011, and is being produced by 20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
and Ryan Murphy Television, with executive producers Dante Di Loreto
Dante Di Loreto
Dante Di Loreto is an American writer and producer, best known for executive producing the 20th Century Fox series Glee.-Career:Prior to joining Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk to create Glee, Di Loreto produced several shows for cable and broadcast television as well as a selection of films...
and series co-creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
and Ian Brennan
Ian Brennan (writer)
Ian Brennan is a television writer, actor and producer. He is best known for his work on the television show Glee.-Early life:Brennan is the son of John and Charman Brennan. His sister, Sarah Brennan, is one of the founders of in Chicago...
.
The series features the New Directions glee club
Glee club
A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...
at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
. Season three will follow the club through local and regional show choir
Show choir
A show choir is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.-History:...
competitions while its members deal with college and other future plans, and relationship, sexuality and social issues. The central characters are glee club director Will Schuester
Will Schuester
William "Will" Schuester, often referred to as Mr. Schue, is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Matthew Morrison and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Will was developed by Glee...
(Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
), cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
Sue Sylvester
Susan "Sue" Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Sue was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian...
(Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
), guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Portrayed by actress Jayma Mays, Emma has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Jayma Mays
Jayma Mays
Jayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
), and current and former glee club members Artie Abrams
Artie Abrams
Artie Abrams is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Kevin McHale, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Artie was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Kevin McHale), Blaine Anderson
Blaine Anderson
Blaine Anderson is a fictional character from the American musical comedy-drama television series Glee. Played by Darren Criss, Blaine was introduced in the sixth episode of the second season as the openly gay lead singer of the Dalton Academy Warblers, a rival show choir to New Directions, the...
(Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
), Brittany Pierce
Brittany Pierce
Brittany Susan Pierce is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Heather Morris, and has appeared in Glee from its second episode, "Showmance", first broadcast on September 9, 2009. Brittany was developed by Glee creators Ryan...
(Heather Morris), Finn Hudson
Finn Hudson
Finn Hudson is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Cory Monteith, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Finn was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...
), Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel
Kurt Hummel is a fictional character and one of the male leads in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied at school...
(Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
), Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones
Mercedes Jones is a fictional character from the Fox popular musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Amber Riley, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Mercedes was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and...
(Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
), Mike Chang
Mike Chang
Michael "Mike" Chang, Jr. is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor and dancer Harry Shum, Jr., and has appeared on Glee since the fourth episode in the first season, "Preggers", first broadcast on September 23, 2009...
(Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...
), Noah "Puck" Puckerman
Puck (Glee)
Noah "Puck" Puckerman is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Mark Salling, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Puck was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
(Mark Salling), Quinn Fabray
Quinn Fabray
Quinn Fabray is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Dianna Agron, and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. She is a former cheerleader at the fictional William McKinley High School in...
(Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Quinn Fabray on the television series Glee.-Early life:Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California. She is the daughter of Mary and Ronald S. Agron, a general...
), Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
), Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
) and Tina Cohen-Chang
Tina Cohen-Chang
Tina Cohen-Chang is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jenna Ushkowitz, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Tina was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
(Jenna Ushkowitz).
Storylines
Ryan Murphy confirmed that certain storylines from the second seasonGlee (season 2)
The second season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired between September 21, 2010 and May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States...
would carry on through the third, including student Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
) coming to terms with her sexuality, and the relationship between club director Will Schuester
Will Schuester
William "Will" Schuester, often referred to as Mr. Schue, is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Matthew Morrison and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Will was developed by Glee...
(Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
) and guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury
Emma Pillsbury is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Portrayed by actress Jayma Mays, Emma has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
(Jayma Mays
Jayma Mays
Jayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
). Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester
Sue Sylvester
Susan "Sue" Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Sue was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian...
(Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
) will have a new love interest and will be running for Congress. A new recurring character will be introduced at McKinley High as Sue's archenemy. The biological mother of Rachel Berry (Lea Michele
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
), Shelby Corcoran (Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
), will be returning to teach at McKinley for as many as twelve episodes.
Episodes
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | US viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Production
The series will be produced by 20th Century Fox Television20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
and Ryan Murphy Television. Series creators Ian Brennan
Ian Brennan (writer)
Ian Brennan is a television writer, actor and producer. He is best known for his work on the television show Glee.-Early life:Brennan is the son of John and Charman Brennan. His sister, Sarah Brennan, is one of the founders of in Chicago...
, Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
and Murphy will serve as executive producers, alongside Dante Di Loreto
Dante Di Loreto
Dante Di Loreto is an American writer and producer, best known for executive producing the 20th Century Fox series Glee.-Career:Prior to joining Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk to create Glee, Di Loreto produced several shows for cable and broadcast television as well as a selection of films...
. This constitutes a promotion for Brennan, who formerly received a co-executive producer credit. The first
Glee (season 1)
The first season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired on Fox in the United States. The pilot episode was broadcast as an advanced preview of the series on May 19, 2009, with the remainder of the season airing between September 9, 2009 and June 8, 2010...
and second seasons were written exclusively by Brennan, Falchuk and Murphy. Although Murphy had intended to hire a team of five or six writers in January 2010, this plan was delayed, due to the existing team's reluctance to alter a working formula. Falchuk revealed in May 2011 that further writing staff are being sought to bring "fresh voices" to the series: "We're trying to get a lot of quirky people and interesting people and people that are not what you'd expect." Six new writers were confirmed, and began work on June 20, 2011: Allison Adler
Allison Adler
Allison Beth Adler is an American producer and writer for television. She is from California.-Career:Adler has worked on television series including Still Standing and Family Guy. She worked on the TV series Chuck, but she left in May 2010 to work on the ABC series No Ordinary Family...
(also co-executive producer), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is an American playwright, screenwriter and comic-book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics and for the HBO drama series Big Love.-Biography:...
(also co-producer), Marti Noxon
Marti Noxon
Martha Mills "Marti" Noxon is an American television and film writer first known for writing and producing Buffy the Vampire Slayer.- Production :...
and former season 1 guest star Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock
Michael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.In 2011, Hitchcock became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the FOX television series Glee, where he had guest starred in season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba.As an actor, he has...
(who are serving as consulting producers), and staff writers Matt Hodgson and Ross Maxwell.
The third season will be structured with two "mini-seasons" mimicking the two high school semesters. While the previous two seasons have included multiple tribute episodes, dedicated to artists such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, the musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the...
, and the album Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
, Murphy intends to feature just one such tribute in season three, in the form of a two-hour television movie; Falchuk was less definite about the number or format, saying only that if there was a tribute episode, it would be "in the second half of the season." Filming for the season was originally reported as beginning on August 10, 2011, but it began on August 9. The first episode of the season was directed by Eric Stoltz
Eric Stoltz
Eric Hamilton Stoltz is an American actor, director and producer. He is widely known for playing the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film Mask, which earned him the nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture...
. Matthew Morrison will make his directing debut.
Broadcast began on September 20, 2011 in the US, where Glee airs on Fox in the 8 pm timeslot on Tuesdays. It debuted in Australia on September 21, 2011 at 8:30 pm on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, hours after the US broadcast. In the UK, the show has moved from E4 to Sky1, and premiered on September 22, 2011, two days after the US.
The cast began recording for their musical numbers on the show beginning on August 8, 2011. They also began recording material for a new Glee Christmas album that month.
Cast
Fox credits fifteen main cast members for the season: Morrison as glee club director Will Schuester, Lynch as cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, Mays as guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury, and Dianna AgronDianna Agron
Dianna Agron is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Quinn Fabray on the television series Glee.-Early life:Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California. She is the daughter of Mary and Ronald S. Agron, a general...
, Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
, Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
, Kevin McHale, Michele, Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...
, Heather Morris, Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
, Rivera, Mark Salling, Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...
and Jenna Ushkowitz as current or former glee club members Quinn Fabray, Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Artie Abrams, Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson, Brittany Pierce, Mercedes Jones, Santana Lopez, Noah "Puck" Puckerman, Mike Chang and Tina Cohen-Chang
Tina Cohen-Chang
Tina Cohen-Chang is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jenna Ushkowitz, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Tina was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
respectively. Criss and Shum, Jr. received contractual upgrades, having formerly been recurring cast members. According to journalist Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello is an American television industry journalist and actor. He was a Senior Writer at TV Guide and its companion website, TVGuide.com. On May 28, 2008, Ausiello left TV Guide for Entertainment Weekly and posted his first blog for Entertainment Weekly on July 2, 2008...
, one main cast member who is no longer a series regular is Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Gilsig is a Canadian actress known for her roles in the television series Boston Public, Nip/Tuck and as Will Schuester's ex-wife Terri Schuester in Glee...
as Will's ex-wife, Terri Schuester
Terri Schuester
Terri Schuester is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jessalyn Gilsig, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Terri was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian...
, though she may appear on occasion. O'Malley, who plays Kurt's father Burt, was a series regular during the second season, but is listed among the guest cast for this season.
Murphy has revealed that some of the original characters will depart at the end of the season. He explained, "This next season will be their senior year, and then that they will graduate. We didn't want to have a show where they were in high school for eight years. We really wanted to be true to that experience." It was initially reported that the third season would be the last for Michele, Monteith and Colfer. However, during the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con panel, executive producer Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
stated that while Michele, Monteith and Colfer will graduate by the end of the third season, "because they’re graduating doesn’t mean they’re leaving the show." Falchuk insisted "it was never our plan or our intention to let them go.... They are not done with the show after this season."
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet is an American actor, singer and musician, best known for his role as Sam Evans on the television series Glee.-Early life:...
, who played glee club member Sam Evans
Sam Evans
Sam Evans is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Chord Overstreet, and appeared on Glee starting with the second season premiere episode entitled "Audition", first broadcast on September 21, 2010, and ending with that...
during the second season, did not return to the show at the start of the third season. According to Falchuk, Overstreet was invited back to guest-star for ten episodes "with an eye towards becoming a series regular at midseason", but Overstreet declined. It was reported on October 18, 2011, and confirmed by Murphy six days later, that Overstreet would be returning as a recurring character starting with the season's eighth episode. With Sam gone at the beginning of the season, Falchuk said that Mercedes "has this new boyfriend she met over the summer who’s pretty cool". Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights (TV series)
Friday Night Lights is an American sports drama television series adapted by Peter Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevins from a book and film of the same name. The series details events surrounding a high school football team based in fictional Dillon, Texas, with particular focus given to team...
LaMarcus Tinker
LaMarcus Tinker
LaMarcus Tinker is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as teenage football star Dallas Tinker on the NBC and Direct TV television drama Friday Night Lights, and as Kevin on the ABC comedy Cougar Town...
is portraying Mercedes' new love interest, Shane Tinsley. Formerly known as "Bubba" and then as "Marcus", he is "a massive linebacker for the McKinley Titans". Their relationship was compared to Cuba Gooding Jr. and his wife in Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. It was written, co-produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe...
, as he "encourages her to want more for herself". Ryan Murphy has said they plan to introduce four new cast members, "kids that come in with their own stories." At least two of these are female students: Sugar, who is well-off, self-confident, and has a tin ear, and Sheila, "a modern-day Joan Jett". The recurring role of Sugar is played by Vanessa Lengies
Vanessa Lengies
Vanessa Lynne-Marie Lengies is a Canadian actress best known for starring in the drama American Dreams as Roxanne Bojarski...
. Both Tinker and Lengies appeared in the season premiere, as did a character named Sheila played by Raven Goodwin
Raven Goodwin
Raven Goodwin, is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Tangie Cunningham on the Nickelodeon original television series Just Jordan, which starred Lil' JJ. Goodwin first appeared as Annie Marks in the 2001 film Lovely & Amazing and two years later, as Cleo in the 2003 film The...
, who is one of the Skanks, a group of outcast girls that includes Quinn. Menzel is reprising her role as Shelby Corcoran in a story arc running up to twelve episodes that will have her teaching at McKinley; she first appears in the season's second episode. Murphy also intends for guest star Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
to return as substitute teacher Holly Holliday
Holly Holliday
Holly Holliday is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, and appeared three times during the show's the second season. Holly is Paltrow's first-ever role in a scripted television show...
. Other recurring characters who are returning include former glee club member Lauren Zizes
Lauren Zizes
Lauren Zizes is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Ashley Fink, and has appeared in Glee since the season one episode "Wheels", first broadcast on November 11, 2009. Lauren was developed by Glee creators Ryan...
(Ashley Fink
Ashley Fink
Ashley Rae Fink is an American actress, known for her role as Lauren Zizes in the television series Glee, and also as Carter McMahon in Huge.-Personal life:...
), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba
Iqbal Theba is a Pakistani-American actor. Theba currently has a recurring role as Principal Figgins in the show Glee.-Life and career:Theba became a familiar face in the 1990s when he appeared in various TV shows and commercials in the United States....
), football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter
Lauren Potter
Lauren Potter is an American actress best known for her role as Becky Jackson on the hit show Glee.-Biography:Lauren was born May 10, 1990 in Inland Empire, California, U.S.A. She is currently 21 years of age...
), school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman
Josh Sussman
Josh Sussman is an American actor, best known for his role as Hugh Normous in Wizards of Waverly Place and his role as Jacob Ben Israel in Glee.-Biography:Sussman grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey...
), and TV news anchors Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones) and Andrea Carmichael (Earlene Davis). Closeted gay athlete Dave Karofsky
Dave Karofsky
David "Dave" Karofsky, often referred to as Karofsky, is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Max Adler, and has appeared in Glee since its first season episode "Mash-Up", first broadcast on October 21, 2009...
(Max Adler) also returns.
The Glee Project
The Glee Project
The Glee Project is an American reality television series from Oxygen. It serves as an audition for the FOX TV series Glee. Although originally planned to begin broadcasting in late May 2011, The Glee Project premiered on June 12, 2011...
, a reality series
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
featuring auditions for the show, started airing on Oxygen
Oxygen (TV channel)
Oxygen is an American cable television specialty channel with television programming marketed towards women, with a format similar to Lifetime.- History :...
on June 12, 2011, and the final episode of the season was broadcast on August 21, 2011. The winning prize was a seven-episode guest-starring role in the third season. The show was originally intended to air on Fox ahead of season two, but was cancelled due to Murphy's desire to concentrate on the main series. The project was revived when Oxygen purchased re-run rights to Glee, and Murphy committed to executive produce the series as it is part of the Glee brand. Di Loreto served as an executive producer, alongside Embassy Row's Michael Davies
Michael Davies (television producer)
Michael Davies is a British producer of television game shows in the United States. As president and CEO of Embassy Row, a New York-based television production company that is a unit of Sony Pictures Television, he was the executive producer of the U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire...
and Shauna Minoprio. Assisted by Glee choreographer Zach Woodlee
Zach Woodlee
Zach Woodlee is an American choreographer and dancer. He is currently choreographer and co-producer of the TV series Glee.-Early life and education:Zachary Vinson Woodlee was born April 27, 1977 in Mesquite, Texas...
and casting director Robert Ulrich—who screened over 40,000 applicants—they selected the winner over ten episodes, from a shortlist of twelve contenders. After the show completed shooting, Murphy announced that the winner would play Sue's archenemy on the show. However, there were two winners of The Glee Project prize of a seven-episode arc, Damian McGinty
Damian McGinty
Damian McGinty, Jr. is a Northern Irish singer and actor from Derry, Northern Ireland, and was a member of the group Celtic Thunder. He has been performing for the past thirteen years, winning his first music competition before the age of six...
and Samuel Larsen. The other two finalists, Lindsay Pearce
Lindsay Pearce
Lindsay Pearce is an American singer, actress, and reality TV personality. Pearce is best known for being one of the runners-up on The Glee Project, which gave her a recurring role on the TV show Glee.-Early life:...
and Alex Newell, each won a two-episode arc on the show. Pearce appeared in the season premiere as Harmony, a singer who intimidates Rachel with her talent, and will be returning later in the season for at least one more episode. McGinty appeared starting in the fourth episode as Rory Flanagan, an Irish exchange student who is living with Brittany's family. Larsen will make his debut in early 2012 in episode ten or eleven, with Newell appearing later in the season as a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline.
In July 2011, Murphy and Falchuk ask fans what they wanted to see in the third season; as meeting the character's parents was a high demand, the creators casted several actors to play the parents of various characters - Mike Chang's parents, Julia Chang and Mike Chang Sr. were played by Tamlyn Tomita
Tamlyn Tomita
Tamlyn Naomi Tomita is an actress, who has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series.-Early life:Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in...
and Keong Sim
Keong Sim
Keong Sim is an American actor. A Korean American, he is a native to the city of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature graduate of the University of Chicago. He is a comedy mentor of Laughter for a Change, and has acted in numerous television, film and stage productions...
respectively; Emma Pillsbury's parents, Rose and Rusty Pillsbury where played by Valerie Mahaffey and Don Most
Don Most
Don Most is an American actor best known for his role as Ralph Malph on the television series Happy Days.-Acting credits:...
. John Schneider
John Schneider
John Schneider is the name of:*John Schneider , American football player*John Schneider , Seattle Seahawks executive...
and Tanya Clarke are set to play Dwight and Mary Evans, the parents to Sam Evans, while Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
is in the talks to play Santana Lopez's mother.