The Eclipse Amulet's Siren Song: Resisting the Call of Craving

The eclipse amulet holds a certain mystique, with its dark, celestial beauty captivating all who gaze upon it. But beneath its enchanting exterior lies a profound terror that can consume those who possess it. The allure of the eclipse amulet is undeniable. Its shimmering, obsidian surface seems to hold a piece of the night sky, beckoning admirers to reach out and touch its ethereal power. Its intricate design, featuring celestial symbols and mystical runes, hints at an ancient and otherworldly origin, further adding to its allure. However, those who dare to wear the eclipse amulet soon discover its true nature.

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.

However, those who dare to wear the eclipse amulet soon discover its true nature. A creeping sense of unease begins to settle in, as if an unseen force is watching, waiting to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. Shadows dance and twist, taking on a life of their own, as if the very essence of darkness has been imbued into the amulet.

‘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:

As time goes on, the terror of the eclipse amulet intensifies. It whispers forbidden thoughts into the wearer's mind, planting seeds of doubt and paranoia. Sleep becomes elusive, as nightmares plague the nights and hallucinations haunt the days. Sanity itself becomes a fragile thread, slowly unraveling under the weight of the amulet's malevolent influence. Yet, despite the horrors it inflicts, the eclipse amulet holds an insatiable craving for attention and adoration. It thrives on the fear and desperation of its victims, relishing in their torment and exploiting their vulnerability. The more its power is acknowledged, the stronger it becomes, feeding on the negative energy it generates. In conclusion, the eclipse amulet may possess a captivating beauty, but its true nature lies in terror and craving. It is a cursed object, a malevolent force that preys on its victims, driving them to the brink of madness. Beware those who dare to wear the eclipse amulet, for once it claims its hold, there may be no escape from its unyielding grip..

Reviews for "Into the Abyss: Confronting Fears with the Power of the Eclipse Amulet"

1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Eclipse amulet terror and craving". The story felt rushed and poorly developed, with flat characters and a predictable plot. The writing style was awkward and lacked finesse, making it difficult for me to engage with the story. Overall, it failed to live up to its potential and left me feeling unsatisfied.

2. Mary - 1/5 - "Eclipse amulet terror and craving" was a complete waste of time for me. The plot was convoluted and confusing, with too many unnecessary subplots that only served to distract from the main storyline. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it impossible for me to care about their fates. The writing itself was riddled with grammatical errors and awkward sentences, which made it hard to follow along. I cannot recommend this book to anyone.

3. Sarah - 2/5 - I had high hopes for "Eclipse amulet terror and craving", but it fell short of my expectations. The pacing was inconsistent, with slow-moving parts that dragged on and sudden jumps in time that left me feeling disoriented. The dialogue between characters felt forced and unrealistic, making it difficult for me to connect with them. Additionally, the romance aspect of the story felt forced and lacked emotional depth. Overall, I found the book to be average at best and was left feeling underwhelmed.

Overcoming Darkness: Harnessing the Eclipse Amulet to Conquer Fear