‘Glee’ season 5 spoilers: Marlee Matlin to help determine New Directions’ fate

“Glee” has made a nice little tradition for itself when it comes to booking various guest actors as judges for Nationals. In the past, we’ve seen everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Loretta Devine to Kathy Griffin take on the part of judge at various competitions, but for this pivotal trip early next year, Ryan Murphy is enlisting the help of an Academy Award winner in Marlee Matlin.

We imagine that with the casting of the deaf actress, Murphy is going for a little bit of humor, given that Matlin has always been one of the first people to often take jabs at herself. While it is possible that they could be taking more of an emotional route (given that they have shown a deaf glee club perform on the show in the past in an especially sweet moment), it’s pretty unlikely.

There are some other notable guests joining Matlin on the panel later this season, but those names have yet to be revealed. We have reported already, though, that Skylar Astin of “Pitch Perfect” is going to be stopping by in the role of Jean-Baptiste, the lead singer of Throat Explosion, the rival glee club that may as well be referred to as just the latest incarnation of the glee club’s longtime rivals Vocal Adrenaline.

“Glee” will return to the air in February, but will be doing so in a brand-new timeslot on Tuesday nights. The show will be airing after “Dads’ wraps up its run, and “The Mindy Project” will go on a brief hiatus so that “New Girl” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” will be the two shows to air after the musical comedy.

Do you like the idea of Matlin joining the show, and who else do you want to see stepping into the role of Nationals judge? Share some of your suggestions below!