Glee and Cory Monteith, Dead at 31

I'm sure most people have heard by now that Cory Monteith, best known for playing Finn on Glee, is dead. As a Glee fan, I'm still somewhat in shock. I had heard a little about his struggles with substance abuse and his going back to rehab, but didn't know the extent of his issues and never expected his life to be cut so short.

I hate to admit it, but when I first heard the news, one of the first things I wondered was how Glee would deal with his character. This is the first time in my memory that a still-running tv show has lost one of its stars, and so it does beg the question. Finn had less screen time after graduating, but he was still a major part of the show, with his on-and-off relationship with Rachel and his return to coach Glee Club at McKinley.

But anyway, reports confirm that Monteith had heroin and alcohol in his system when he died. Reactions have been frustrating but not altogether surprising - a lot of "well, clearly he didn't try hard enough to recover" and "well, he never would have become an addict if he didn't start using in the first place." There's not a lot of compassion or understanding out there surrounding the devastation that is drug addiction.

So I'm kind of hoping that Glee actually ties the reality of the circumstances surrounding Monteith's death into the show somehow. It wouldn't be the first time; one of the things I most admire about the show is how they manage to gracefully incorporate real, often "heavy" issues (bullying, domestic violence, guns) while still maintaining the lighter musical elements.

On the subject of lighter elements, Puck could reprise "Only the Good Die Young" - it would be a tribute fitting of his character.

In fact, they could also work the whole trauma of seeing someone close die young into the episode. I can see Marley singing The Band Perry's "If I Die Young," for instance.

Rachel and Kurt could do a duet of Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven," perhaps for a funeral scene.

If I were a screenwriter, right??

But as hard as it must be for Hollywood to deal with Monteith's death, it's gotta be even harder for his family and friends. May he rest in peace. And maybe something as frivolous as a tv show can help other addicts to seek help before it's too late.