While television shows are not afraid to kill characters off, especially during season finales and sweeps weeks, the death of an actor needs to be handled with care. Show runners do not want to do a disservice to fans of the show and the actor by half-heartedly putting up a tribute episode in an effort to give closure. Although “Glee’s” goodbye to Cory Monteith, who died of an overdose of heroin and alcohol this past July, had some flaws, the hour managed to honor his memory and legacy over the past four seasons.

The episode picked up three weeks after the funeral, which might mess with the timeline of the show, however spared the audience and the actors from having to experience or relive the moment when they heard the news of Monteith’s passing. In a private memorial held for members of the glee club, students could honor his memory in song, including “Seasons of Love” from the musical “Rent“, The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young,” and Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” preformed by Monteith’s on- and off-screen girlfriend Lea Michele.

Although the show has gone through some cast changes over the years, Glee brought back original cast members Amber Riley, Mark Salling, and Harry Shum, Jr. who worked with Monteith the longest. In addition, Mike O’ Malley and Romy Rosemont returned to play Finn’s parents, with the latter delivering a heartbreaking monologue about how a mother continues to be one, even when she does not have a son anymore.

While Rosemont’s scene was memorable, Michele was the MVP of the episode. The show wisely chose to hold off with focusing the episode on her. Instead, she only appeared in the final act for her song and a scene with Matthew Morrison, the choir teacher and one of the few cast members who had been with the show since the beginning. It was occasionally hard to tell if the two were weeping for the character or the actor.

One of the heavily debated points of the episode was the reluctance to issue an official cause of death to Finn. Personally, I was a fan of the decision. Having Finn die due to a drug overdose, mirroring Monteith’s private battle with addiction, would have hit a little too close to home while also turning the episode into a public service announcement. By not addressing the cause of death, the show managed to accomplish what it set out to do, honor the life of both Finn Hudson and Cory Monteith.

4/5