where did sam go in glee season 3
Glee (season 3) Chord Overstreet, who played glee club member Sam Evans during the second season, did not return to the show at the start of the third season. According to Falchuk, Overstreet was invited back to guest-star for ten episodes "with an eye towards becoming a series regular at midseason", but Overstreet declined.[51] It was reported on October 18, 2011, and confirmed by Murphy six days later, that Overstreet would be returning as a recurring character starting with the season's eighth episode.[52] With Sam gone at the beginning of the season, Falchuk said that Mercedes "has this new boyfriend she met over the summer whoâ€™s pretty cool".[32] Friday Night Lights' LaMarcus Tinker is portraying Mercedes' new love interest, Shane Tinsley.[53][54] Formerly known as "Bubba" and then as "Marcus", he is "a massive linebacker for the McKinley Titans". Their relationship was compared to Cuba Gooding Jr. and his wife in Jerry Maguire, as he "encourages her to want more for herself".[55] Ryan Murphy has said they plan to introduce four new cast members, "kids that come in with their own stories."[31] At least two of these are female students: Sugar, who is well-off, self-confident, and has a tin ear, and Sheila, "a modern-day Joan Jett".[56] The recurring role of Sugar Motta is played by Vanessa Lengies.[57] Both Tinker and Lengies appeared in the season premiere, as did a character named Sheila played by Raven Goodwin, who is one of the Skanks, a group of outcast girls that includes Quinn. Another new recurring character is Sebastian Smythe, played by Grant Gustin, a "gay Dalton Academy Warbler who sets his sights on Blaine".[58] Idina Menzel reprises her role as Shelby Corcoran in a story arc that has her teaching at McKinley; she first appeared in the season's second episode.[45][59] Jonathan Groff returned for a third season as Jesse St. James, appearing in two episodes as the new coach of Vocal Adrenaline.[60] Murphy also intended for guest star Gwyneth Paltrow to return as substitute teacher Holly Holliday.[61] Other recurring characters who are returning include former glee club member Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba), football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter), school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman), and TV news anchors Rod Remington (Bill A. Jones) and Andrea Carmichael (Earlene Davis).[62] Closeted gay athlete Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) also returns,[63] as does Finn's mother Carole Hudson-Hummel (Romy Rosemont)[64] along with Quinn's mother Judy Fabray (Charlotte Ross) and Puck's mother (Gina Hecht).