It’s been over six years since the last episode of Glee graced our screens, but that hasn’t stopped the Fox series from maintaining a presence in popular culture. With covers that have remained in the public eye, tragic cast member deaths, and amusing controversies (like whether lead cast member Lea Michele can read), it is evident Glee isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

This kind of lasting popularity typically results in a reboot or sequel series, neither of which has happened for the musical show yet. But that isn’t for lack of interest. Co-creator Ryan Murphy has expressed a desire to make a reboot several times, most recently in the Glee podcast “And That’s What You REALLY Missed," hosted by cast members Kevin McHale (Artie) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), as reported by Variety.

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Despite the iconic nature of the series, like the celebrity guests and outlandish dance numbers, the reboot should have some differences to be its own entity. Here are the two key differences the Glee reboot needs to remain relevant and bring the magic back to fans.

There Should Be More Original Music

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Part of the magic of Glee was hearing what music they’d cover each week. From the Top 40 (somehow while they were still charting) to our favorite oldies, the cast sang it all, even when their characters didn’t want to. While there were a few full-length original songs throughout the show’s six-season run, it would be great for a reboot to include more.

Many remember the silly original songs that characters made, especially Brittany’s (Heather Morris) “My Cup” or Santana’s (Naya Rivera) “Trouty Mouth,” but the series did have a few “serious” ones. In season 2, the original song “Loser Like Me” was used to win regionals, while their competition Vocal Adrenaline performed the original composition “As Long As You’re There” at Nationals.

Season 2 has the most recognizable original songs of the series. Season 4 tries to ride that wave again, utilizing the new character Marley, meant to be the “new Rachel,” as a songwriter, but her music didn’t hit in the same way “Loser Like Me” did.

In a time when music can really take off on TikTok, like Em Beihold’s “Numb Little Bug,” Dove Cameron’s “Boyfriend,” and Conan Gray’s “Family Line,” it would be to the reboot’s benefit to create more original music. This could better their chances of reaching a wide audience, as trending clips and music tends to cause users to look into the original source material. Rather than rely on whatever music is trending, which can pass quickly in today’s social media landscape, they should create the trends. This would solidify the reboot’s place in popular culture while also influencing it similarly to the original series.

The Reboot Needs to Handle Social Issues in a More Nuanced Way

While many still watch Glee for nostalgia, much of what was covered in the series has not aged well. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), in particular, was at the center of many of the issues within the show that would likely not be featured on television in the same way today.

Right off the bat, Sue is clearly the bully of the school. She always wants everything to go her way and doesn’t seem to have the ability to open her mind up to new ideas, especially when it comes to the students of William McKinley High School. When Wade “Unique” Adams (Alex Newell) transfers to the school from Carmel High, the character goes by different pronouns and wears alternative clothing while in the Glee club. It was the show’s first attempt at trans inclusion within the series. It was handled incredibly poorly, with Sue committing several transphobic acts against the teen before the character was written off. This doesn’t include when the students staged The Rocky Horror Picture Show, an episode that was called out by GLAAD for its use of a slur.

The treatment of Unique was only one of many social issues that weren’t handled well. Finn (Cory Monteith) uses the R-word to refer to a baby with Down’s Syndrome, and rather than explain why that term is inappropriate to use, he simply apologizes and notes he shouldn’t have said it.

This half-baked attempt to include relevant social commentary was the norm for the show. Social issues were mentioned, only to be immediately swept under the rug or not actually discussed. In the latter half of the show, Ryder (Blake Jenner) tries to open up about being sexually assaulted by a babysitter when he was younger. All the episode does is have the male characters congratulate him on being wanted in that way by a teen girl. It was a missed moment to discuss that this kind of abuse impacts men or male-presenting individuals as well and was instead written off as something Ryder shouldn’t be embarrassed or upset about.

Can a Glee Reboot Succeed?

If the reboot is to succeed in today’s market, it needs to handle these complex social issues better. There are ways to include transphobia or abuse in ways that reinforce why the actions are wrong and make more of an impact on the viewers. A show with teens as a target audience should discuss issues teens may run into. Still, it should also show them how to appropriately handle these situations and why dismissing people’s experiences or using certain words or phrases is a problem.

While it’s unlikely fans will see original cast members return for a reboot, it means they can be introduced to a new set of musical prodigies. Maybe they will even see members from across the multiple Glee clubs that Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) implemented at the end of the show.