Oh boo!
It’s just been announced that GLEE will be taking a mid-season break with the last episode airing in the US on Wednesday 9th December, before it returns on Tuesday evenings from 13th April 2010.
American Idol is to blame, but also may be benefit to a second series as when GLEE starts to re-air straight after the live Idol shows, they’re hoping it will swell viewing figures even more.
With E4 here in the UK starting to air from January 2010 we’re going to have caught up (or possibly overtaken) the Yanks with GLEE!
I don’t know what this means for the DVD and the soundtrack, as I understand that both were to be released via the usual media channels/outlets in January 2010 – a quick search online and it seems they’ve pulled the products 😦
Information from broadwayworld.com:
FOX has announced it’s winter line-up, which features the usual favorites, in addition to some new additions. American Idol will begin its ninth season on the network on January 12. The fan favorite will air in its usual slot, Tuesdays at 8:00pm. Also announced is that GLEE will button for the season on December 9, and move from its Wednesday, 9pm slot to Tuesday nights beginning April 13, 2010, opposite ABC’s Lost. it will be a long wait for the Gleeks.
Upon its return, GLEE will get the coveted lead-in of American Idol, the top-rated show on television for the past seven years. GLEE will re-air after the live “Idol” performance show on April 9.
Gari Wellingham 
We won’t overtake, they’ll halt it and run at the same schedule. In the US episodes are usually only completed a few days or a week before they’re broadcast.
Seems odd they’re going to put it up against Lost though, considering it’s the final season next year and going to be massive. The previous season had great reviews & ratings so there are high expectations for the finale!
(i’ve bought Sky just so I can watch it as it’s aired rather than wait for the DVDs as I have done up to now! But it’ll also mean I can keep up with Glee. I’ve got the worst memory ever for keeping up with TV shows)
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Yeah I thought as much… I think they risk disenfranchising the UK viewer though by doing that.
For example, I gave up with Ugly Betty and nearly did with Desperate Housewives when the writers strike meant that both disappeared from our screens for nearly a year mid-season! I got back into Desperate Housewives when it came on, but Ugly Betty has been confined to DVD catch up (so I’m hoping we get it for Christmas heh!).
I notice that Flash Forward has just been shunned by the media (and some arms of ABC) for “only” getting 8-9 million viewers at the moment, so with GLEE getting on average 7 million I am a little worried, but I think it’ll be safe for some time yet! I think they’re moving Glee so it’s right after the American Idol live performances, hoping to cash in on the huge number of viewers that catch Idol, which remains by far the biggest show in the US.
The one good thing about all this, we can all watch E4 and re-view episodes until April, and then by the time the season finishes, it’ll soon be time for Season 2 heh!
I’m terrible for keeping up with TV shows – I’m lucky the PVR has a series record button, so I just watch whatever it tells me heh! It’s annoying that it keeps downloading the same repeat of Flash Forward about 6 times a week! Five need to sort their listings / reference numbers out heh! Hope you enjoy Sky and episodes as they happen!! 😀
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