Though Ryan Murphy’s NBC sitcom The New Normal is likely to be cancelled, his show on FOX, Glee, has been picked up for not one but two more seasons. The FOX renewal will take the musical dramedy through it’s sixth term in the 2014-15 season.
Though the show’s ratings have dropped quite a bit, Glee is still FOX’s second-highest rated hour series (behind The Following). The fourth season has been averaging a 2.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 5.91 million total viewers.
FOX hasn’t said as much but, unless the ratings stop slipping downward, I’m guessing that season six will likely be the end of Glee.
Here’s the press release:
HOT FROM FOX…
“GLEE” TUNES UP FOR A FIFTH AND SIXTH SEASON ON FOX
Sarah Jessica Parker Guest-Stars on Next All-New Episode Thursday, April 25
FOX has ordered two more seasons of the genre-defying musical sensation GLEE, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company.
“GLEE debuted as the first and only successful musical comedy series on television, and more than four years later, it continues to defy genres, break new ground and have a significant impact on popular culture,” said Reilly. “Week in and week out, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan, Dante DiLoreto and the entire GLEE team deliver a series that not only delights and surprises fans, but also inspires them to talk about, share, debate and engage with the show – and I’m absolutely thrilled to have them on board for another two seasons.”
“GLEE has been a signature series for the studio since its launch four years ago and we couldn’t be happier that FOX has ordered two more seasons,” commented Twentieth Century Fox Television Chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “Ryan, Brad, Ian and Dante have created something that is far larger than a television show; it’s a global entertainment brand which continues to touch millions around the world. From its chart-topping musical numbers to its inventive storytelling and rich, complex characters, GLEE rewrote the rules of what network television could be, and we are enormously proud to be the studio behind it.”
“I am very grateful to Kevin, Dana and Gary for their incredible support of this series from the beginning,” added Murphy. “But I also want to thank our loyal audience, whose passion and enthusiasm continue to amaze and inspire us.”
Over the past four seasons, GLEE has built a loyal fan base of “Gleeks”; made tracksuits, musicals and outcasts cool again; attracted A-list guest stars from Kate Hudson and Katey Sagal to Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwyneth Paltrow; covered music from Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Stevie Wonder; and received prestigious awards and nominations, from the Golden Globes to the Writers Guild. This hit series and its extraordinary characters have become an indelible part of pop culture and will continue entertaining fans through 2015.
Last month, the series reached its milestone 500th performance with a rendition of the anthem, “Shout.” GLEE music continues to shatter records with more than 53 million GLEE tracks digitally downloaded and more than 13 million albums sold worldwide. GLEE albums have garnered two platinum albums (sales in excess of 1 million units) and five gold albums (sales in excess of 500,000 units). Also, the GLEE cast holds the record for most singles to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart (203 tracks to date), surpassing records previously held by Elvis Presley, the Beatles and James Brown.
This season, originals of GLEE are averaging a 3.6/10 among Adults 18-49 and 8.7 million Total Viewers. GLEE is a Top 10 comedy among Adults 18-49, a Top 10 show overall among Adults 18-34 and the No. 1 show overall on broadcast television among Teens (tied with FAMILY GUY).
Now in its fourth season, GLEE has made an effortless transition to college with Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) attending NYADA, while the new kids of McKinley continue to strive for a glee club win at Regionals.
In the next all-new episode of GLEE, “Lights Out,” airing Thursday, April 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Will (Matthew Morrison) and Finn (Cory Monteith) enlist the members of New Directions to “unplug” and perform acoustic numbers, after the power goes out at McKinley High School. Meanwhile, Isabelle Wright (guest star Sarah Jessica Parker) asks Kurt to volunteer at the Vogue.com charity event, with Rachel and Santana (Naya Rivera) in tow.
GLEE is produced by Ryan Murphy Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan and Dante Di Loreto serve as executive producers. “Like” GLEE on Facebook and download the Facebook Fan Page app at www.facebook.com/Glee. Follow the series on Twitter @GLEEonFOX and join the discussion at #glee.
What do you think? Are you glad to hear Glee will be around for two more seasons? Do you think that will be the end of it?
please don’t stop glee it’s awesome
The difference between Glee and Elvis Presley is that Elvis did not have the luxury of a weekly TV Show advertising his latest record.
Elvis achievements are far more impressive on the scale of things.
I think Glee should be axed at the end of the 2012-13 season. It is looking tired, old, and stale. At the end of 2012 Mercedes, Mike, Puck, and Santana left, yet given the show’s plummeting ratings they had to be brought back into some episodes, to try and boost the ratings. Any show that has to revisit a previous season’s episodal theme, ie Brittany Spears/ Brittany S Pierce, is floundering. Some call it jumping the shark. Glee’s good political outlook should not save it from the chopping block. One should not flog a dead horse. Even Mr schuester and… Read more »
Terrible show on a terrible network. 2 seasons? Seriously? They did everything they could with that show by season 2.
Glee better get renewed for a season 7
Hoping that fox will renew glee for 25 seasons
It shows the depths FOX has sunk to when it doesn’t have even ONE mediocrely-rated drama (or comedy for that matter).
Glee is a flop, but FOX still bought itself two years of low ratings under the ridiculous idea that it must renew a bunch of flops not to look desperate.
Doesn’t fool me.
Oh, and I’m pretty sure Bones is higher rated than Glee so that would makes it #3 (still not good for FOX though)