The actress' recent passing has gripped fans all over the world. It was the turning point of a decade when Glee released its first season in 2009. Needless to say, it became a runaway hit—here's why
As with many young adults, I grew up at the time when Glee was slowly climbing its way towards becoming a TV legend. I distinctly remember its breakout season, how everyone was talking about this "great new TV show" that "you have to watch". This was years before Netflix or streaming sites came on the scene—people then really had to make time to catch Glee on TV (or download it, at that). In my mind, as well in the minds of many others, it was the zeitgeist of a generation—one that was only beginning to understand what it meant to be living in a world such as ours.
Gleeks all over the world have been commiserating over the tragic news of actress Naya Rivera's recent passing. The actress played the role of cheerleader Santana on the show for six seasons. According to news reports, the actress drowned while she was out swimming in a lake in California with her four-year-old son. Her body was recovered early yesterday near the shore of Lake Piru, after she was reported missing on Wednesday. Some members of the Glee cast were spotted at the lake on Monday morning once news got out that a body had been found; they held hands on the shore while waiting for the body to be identified.
Glee has earned its place as one of the biggest pop culture hits, but the cast is no stranger to tragic deaths. Cory Monteith was found dead in a hotel room back in 2013. Authorities confirmed his death to have been due to an apparent drug and alcohol overdose. Five years later, Mark Salling, who had dated Rivera, took his own life at the age of 35. He had been found guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography.
Despite everything, the show continued to have a strong fanbase.
Below are a few of the reasons why Glee was such a memorable (and important!) TV show in the late 2000s and early 2010s.