New York (Glee)

"New York" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the forty-fourth overall. The episode was written and directed by series creator Brad Falchuk, filmed in part on location in New York City, and first aired on May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States. With a $6 million budget, it was reportedly the most expensive episode of Glee at the time of broadcast. It garnered a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Costumes for a Series. The episode features an appearance by Patti LuPone as herself and guest stars Jonathan Groff, Cheyenne Jackson, and Jake Zyrus. The McKinley High School glee club, New Directions, performs at the National show choir competition in New York City and finishes in twelfth place. While they are there, the glee club members see the sights, including Times Square and Central Park. Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) sing a song from a Broadway stage, as does their director, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison).

The episode, and the musical performances featured, received mixed reviews from critics. While a number of scenes were praised, including the epilogue after the club's return to Lima, Ohio, reviewers excoriated the fact that New Directions arrived in New York with their songs for the competition unwritten, and deemed it completely illogical. The original songs in the competition were met with a wide range of opinions, as were most of the covers. Five original songs and five covers were performed, all but one of which were released as singles; three of the originals and two of the covers charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Upon its initial airing, this episode was viewed by 11.80 million American viewers and garnered a 4.6/11 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. The total viewership and ratings for this episode were up significantly from the previous episode, "Funeral".