Haunting Harmonies: A Deep Dive into Glee's Occult Subtext

The concept of the Glee occult documentary revolves around exploring the occult and supernatural themes seen in the popular television show, Glee. This documentary delves into the various instances where occult references, symbols, and practices are introduced and utilized within the show's storylines and visuals. Glee, a musical comedy-drama series that aired from 2009 to 2015, depicted the lives of a diverse group of high school students involved in a glee club. While the show primarily focused on music and the personal lives of its characters, it also occasionally incorporated occult elements into its narrative. The Glee occult documentary aims to analyze and decode the occult symbolism and practices present in the show. It delves into episodes that showcase supernatural themes like witchcraft, fortune-telling, and magic.

But the bigger the ratings grew, the more elaborate the routines became: “Go watch the lifts that we do, they’re basically figure skating lifts without the figure skates or the ice,” recalls former dancer Doug Penikas in the first episode. “There was definitely the sense of, they were always trying to top themselves.”

But the bigger the ratings grew, the more elaborate the routines became Go watch the lifts that we do, they re basically figure skating lifts without the figure skates or the ice, recalls former dancer Doug Penikas in the first episode. The show notably ran for six seasons on FOX and followed the lovable outcasts that made up the show choir of an Ohio high school, but the real lives of the actors behind the characters changed in unimaginable ways.

It delves into episodes that showcase supernatural themes like witchcraft, fortune-telling, and magic. Detailed analysis of these episodes provides viewers with an understanding of how these elements were integrated into the storyline and the possible reasons behind their inclusion. Moreover, this documentary helps viewers identify the occult symbolism, signs, and references that might have gone unnoticed while watching Glee.

‘Glee’ docuseries explores what — or who — caused Cory Monteith’s overdose

“The Price of Glee,” premiering Monday on ID and Discovery+, gathers the most notable news coverage (both positive and negative) around the once-beloved Fox series. Though filmed without the participation of any members of the principal cast or creative team — Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz, who currently run a “Glee” podcast, respectively deemed the new series “trash” and urged viewers to “proceed with caution” — the three-part documentary recounts the dark shadows around some of its actors: Cory Monteith’s overdose, Mark Salling’s arrest, Lea Michele’s bullying behavior, Naya Rivera’s tragic death, and Melissa Benoist’s allegations of domestic violence against Blake Jenner.

The docuseries attempts to assign blame for the various controversies and casualties of the cultural phenomenon. “Part of what has happened on this show is so incredibly toxic, and yet it was a giant hit that everybody was watching, including me,” says psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser.

While most of the included information will be familiar to former and still-faithful Gleeks, the project did reveal some factoids in its first two episodes. If you’re not going to watch any of it, here’s what you missed on “The Price of Glee.”

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Social media fueled behind-the-scenes conflict.

Created by Ryan Murphy, “Glee” debuted in 2009, alongside the explosion of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. “It’s great that fans of a show can come together and connect over things, but the fighting began almost immediately,” entertainment reporter Andy Swift remarks in the first episode. “Suddenly, with social media, you can track who the fans are really into because those actors will have the most followings.”

While filming the third season, “I would oftentimes see that actors gathered talking about how many people they’ve acquired as followers, and there was a competition,” notes former hair department head Dugg Kirkpatrick. “In the beginning when they had to tweet every day, it was Lea that really had the numbers. The head gets a little bit bigger, to say the least.”

The show’s schedule took an unmentioned toll.

Like other TV shows with musical numbers, “Glee” actors split their time between recording songs, learning choreography and rehearsing entire sequences, in addition to filming each episode’s scenes — the latter of which regularly stretched past the usual workweek into Saturday mornings.

But the bigger the ratings grew, the more elaborate the routines became: “Go watch the lifts that we do, they’re basically figure skating lifts without the figure skates or the ice,” recalls former dancer Doug Penikas in the first episode. “There was definitely the sense of, they were always trying to top themselves.”

And unlike other shows, the cast spent multiple hiatuses on national concert tours. “They weren’t getting the time off — for the actors, it became almost a year-round job,” says former rigging gaffer J.A. Byerly, who adds that returning to work just weeks after Monteith’s death was particularly stressful — a decision, multiple crew members allege, made because the series was nearing the notable 100-episode mark.

Monteith had a stalker and hated fame.

Fans regularly mobbed the cast when they were shooting on location, and occasionally became invasive: Chris Colfer was kissed by a fan on the mouth without consent; Monteith had a young woman stalking him. The production even had to “build a wall from their trailers to the set that was like a tunnel so that the cast could travel safely without the tours bothering them or just people in the parking lot,” says Stephen Kramer Glickman, who filmed “Big Time Rush” on the same studio lot.

Such privacy concerns left Monteith isolated, along with being exhausted by the show’s filming schedule and the nonstop headlines about his relationship with co-star Michele. “I remember him specifically saying, ‘I wouldn’t wish fame on my worst enemy,’” says Monteith’s former roommate Justin Neill. Plus, he was particularly stressed about his lack of dancing skills in comparison to his co-stars, and had to turn down multiple film projects because of the series’ demands.

A fellow actor may have triggered Monteith’s relapse.

Monteith was written out of numerous episodes of the fourth season to attend rehab, but overdosed four months later. After rehab, “[Monteith] said he was at a party and hadn’t been drinking, and he wanted to have a drink, but he knew he shouldn’t,” says former hair department head Kirkpatrick, who stayed in contact with the actors beyond his third-season stint on the series. “He was told by a certain cast member that night, ‘If you want to have a drink, you should have a drink. I’ll be here, you can trust that I’ll always be here.’”

“That confused him and made him mad,” added Kirkpatrick, who doesn’t name the actor who spoke to Monteith. “But he did. He started drinking because he was given permission by somebody that he loved. He resented it, but he also took the direction. It took him on a path to destruction.”

The docuseries also mentions the numerous other actors and crew members who tragically passed away during and after the show’s run, which reporter Swift called “rare” for any series.

Michele’s on-set behavior did not go unnoticed.

The second episode briefly touches on Michele’s ongoing feuds with Rivera and Amber Riley, and includes accounts of her behavior by fellow actor Dabier Snell and Garrett Greer, a former assistant to a “Glee” executive producer. “I’d had friends in New York who grew up with and knew Lea, so I was aware of her reputation before that, and she had a rap for being a little bit difficult,” says Greer.

“She wants to keep Rachel Berry front and center, so if there was ever a threat to that kind of attention, that caused conflict,” adds Greer, recalling a set visit by the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. ahead of the Golden Globes. “Amber sang a song and Leah sang a song live for them, and Amber’s song was more showy than what Leah was singing. And I remember being like, ‘Oh, she’s not gonna like this.’ … Lea’s a narcissist.”

‘The Price of Glee’

When: 6 and 9 p.m. Monday

Streaming: Discovery+, any time starting Monday

Rating: TV-14 (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 14)

The official synopsis for the docuseries is as follows:

By analyzing the use of specific images, gestures, and rituals, viewers can develop a deeper comprehension of the occult undertones within the show. The Glee occult documentary also explores the impact of incorporating occult themes into a mainstream television show. It discusses the reactions and controversies sparked by Glee's portrayal of these topics, drawing attention to the show's influence on a wider demographic and how it contributed to opening up discussions surrounding occult practices and beliefs. In conclusion, the Glee occult documentary analyzes the occult themes and practices found within the popular series Glee. By examining specific episodes and decoding the symbolism used, viewers gain a greater understanding of the occult elements woven into the show's narrative. This documentary provides unique insights into the impact and reception of mainstream media incorporating occult themes, attracting a broader audience and sparking discussions on the topic..

Reviews for "The Dark Arts of Singing: The Occult Techniques in Glee's Musical Numbers"

1. Jane - 2 stars

I was really disappointed with the "Glee occult documentary". Firstly, there was hardly any mention of occult practices within the Glee series. The title is misleading and does not accurately represent what the documentary is about. Additionally, the format of the documentary was confusing and lacking structure. The information presented seemed scattered and disorganized, making it difficult to follow along and understand the main points being made. Overall, I was hoping for a more insightful and focused exploration of occult themes within Glee, but unfortunately, this documentary fell short.

2. Mark - 1 star

I found the "Glee occult documentary" to be a complete waste of time. The premise promised an in-depth analysis of the occult elements in Glee, but it only scratched the surface. The documentary barely delved into any meaningful discussion about the occult and its influence on the show. Instead, it meandered through irrelevant anecdotes and personal opinions that had no real connection to the occult or Glee. I was looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of these themes, but all I got was a mishmash of unrelated content. Overall, a highly disappointing documentary that did not fulfill its purpose.

3. Samantha - 2 stars

As a fan of both Glee and documentaries, I was excited for the "Glee occult documentary". However, it completely missed the mark. The documentary lacked proper research and relied heavily on speculation rather than presenting factual information. I was hoping for a more scholarly approach, with experts discussing the occult themes in Glee and their cultural significance. Instead, it felt like a poorly executed fan theory video. The editing was also subpar, with awkward transitions and repetitive footage. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and craving a more comprehensive exploration of the occult elements within Glee.

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