Who Will Be Left After the Next Season of Glee?

Glee creator Ryan Murphy broke the news this summer that some of the core cast members would be leaving the show after its upcoming third season because they would be graduating from McKinley High School. While the move will keep the show fresh and stay true to its high school setting, it left hardcore fans reeling at the thought of a Glee without the likes of Lea Michele.

We decided to take a look at Murphy's words and other news around the show to see who will be out, who will be in, and who's status is up in the air after the third season.

End of the Line

Lea Michele
Ryan Murphy has specifically said he feels the most attached to Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry, so we can expect to see some great senior year material for both of them. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter , Murphy teased that we might even meet Rachel's dads!

"I’m really interested in seeing Rachel's gay dads who we’ve never met," he said. "I’ve said that I don’t want to do that. But maybe now is the time to do it."

Chris Colfer

Chris has said he's been "so fulfilled" by his stint on Glee, but he sounded like he had mixed emotions about the whole graduation thing when he first heard about it via Twitter.

“I didn’t necessarily know that it was going to be our last season next year," he told Access Hollywood. "I knew something like that was coming up eventually. I mean, we can’t be there forever. I don’t necessarily want to leave so soon, but I mean, it’s fine. It’s what it is. And all things come to an end.”

Cory Monteith

The third season of Glee will also mark Finn Hudson's senior year at McKinley High, which is probably a good thing. By the end of the third season, Monteith will be turning 30, which is a little long in the tooth to be playing a high school student. In case you're curious, he's only three years younger than Matthew Morrison, who plays music teacher Will Schuester on the show.

Dianna Agron (unconfirmed)

While Murphy has said the Glee seniors will be graduating at the end of the third season, the characters' ages have always been left a little ambiguous (probably to give the writers some wiggle room). Never the less, we have to guess that Quinn Fabray was a sophomore in the first season or else her whole pregnancy plot line seems even creepier.

Mike O'Malley (unconfirmed)

It just won't make any sense to keep Kurt's dad around once Kurt has left the show.

Mark Salling (unconfirmed)

When the first season of Glee premiered, Puck was Finn's best buddy and probably the biggest dude at McKinley High. It's hard to believe that would have been his freshman year. Of course he could always be held back a grade.

Darren Criss (unconfirmed)

Blaine Anderson became a mentor to and romantic interest for Kurt in the second season. It's hard to believe that mentor relationship could have developed with someone younger than Kurt. Murphy has confirmed that Blaine will have a nice, meaty story arc in the third season, but he hasn't said whether that's the last we'll see of him.

In for Season 4


Matthew Morrison, Jayma Mays and Jane Lynch (Getty Images)

Matthew Morrison

Murphy has confirmed that the McKinley High School faculty will be sticking around to provide a sense of continuity to the show. That means Will Schuester will have a whole new crop of aspiring young performers to mold into Journey-singing music machines.

Jane Lynch

Will's faculty nemesis, cheerleading coach and curmudgeon Sue Sylvester will also remain on the show to help maintain that sense of continuity. It's a good thing, too. Lynch was just nominated for a second Emmy for her portrayal of the tough-talking Glee villain.

Jayma Mays

Since Will and Sue are sticking around, all signs point to Schuester's sometimes-love-interest, guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury, staying on the show.

The Unknowns

Heather Morris

Murphy has left it up in the air whether Brittany will be leaving the show, but he's definitely left the door open for her to stay on the show, remarking: "Some of the characters clearly have academic issues. Like Heather Morris’ Brittany I’m sure gets straight Fs. I would not be shocked to see her flunk. I love her."

Naya Rivera

What does that mean for Brittany's best friend and recently-out lesbian? It's up in the air for now, but we do know she gets better grades than Brit.

Amber Riley
Not even Amber knows what will happen to Mercedes Jones after the third season. She's told E! News that she found out about Murphy's plan to send Monteith, Michele and Colfer out the door "like everybody else did, on the Internet." But if she leaves, she says she won't be upset.

"I may not be coming back for a fourth season. Who knows? Whatever happens this third season is what happens, and I think everybody's OK with it...I love my job to pieces, but when it's time to go, it's time to go and, hopefully, there are greater things on the horizon."

Chord Overstreet

Sam Evans was the first character introduced to the show who was explicity a year younger than the core cast. Unfortunately his contract option for the third season wasn't picked up, which means he's no longer a regular castmember. He could still be brought back as a recurring guest star (like Darren Criss in the second season), but this could be the end of the line for Chord.

Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz and Harry Shum, Jr.

We hate to lump all three parts of this awkward love triangle into one category, but we haven't heard any specific news about any of the three. Murphy has said that "more characters are leaving than staying," but some of the original characters had to have been freshmen. Perhaps some of this will be cleared up when the show comes back on the air September 20th.