Goodbye (Glee)

"Goodbye" was first broadcast on May 22, 2012 in the United States on Fox, an hour later than its usual time, in order to air after the first day of the two-day American Idol finale. This was the same time that the previous episode, "Nationals" aired the week before as the second hour in a two-hour special evening. "Goodbye" received a 2.9/8 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic and attracted 7.46 million American viewers during its initial broadcast, a significant increase over the prior episode's 2.5/7 rating/share and 6.03 million viewers on May 15, 2012.^[16]

In Canada, which also aired the episode an hour later than usual on the same day as its American premiere and immediately following American Idol, viewership rose by over 4% to 1.63 million viewers from the 1.56 million viewers who watched "Nationals" at the same hour the week before. "Goodbye" was the seventh most-viewed show of the week, an improvement of three slots over "Nationals", which had been the tenth most-viewed.^[17]

In the United Kingdom, "Goodbye" first aired on May 24, 2012, at the show's usual time, which was the same time that "Nationals" had aired the previous week. It was watched on Sky 1 by 776,000 viewers, the same number as had watched "Nationals".^[18] In Australia, "Goodbye" was broadcast on May 31, 2012. It was watched by 657,000 viewers, up over 6% from the 618,000 viewers for "Nationals" on May 24, 2012. Glee was the twelfth most-watched program of the night, up from seventeenth the week before.^[19]

The episode was well received by many critics, though some were not as happy with it. The A.V. Club's Emily VanDerWerff gave it an "A" grade, and wrote that what she "liked most of all" was it being "remarkably clear-eyed about who these people are and what they're capable of".^[20] Crystal Bell of Huffington Post described it as "heartfelt, comical and, yes, absolutely ridiculous", and The Hollywood Reporter's Lesley Goldberg called it a "tearful and touching finale".^[21][22] Though she acknowledged exceptions, Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone characterized the episode as a "nonstop sapfest of too many tears and not enough nostalgia", while Entertainment Weekly's Erin Strecker said it had "the perfect amount of flashbacks and revelations" and described it as "a season finale that sure felt like a series finale".^[23][24] Rae Votta of Billboard wrote that "there simply isn't enough time to settle the fates of so many seniors in a mere hour", a sentiment also expressed by Houston Chronicle's Bobby Hankinson, who thought the episode might have "felt a little more logical if it was given a full two hours to breathe".^[25][26] Hankinson also said it left him with "mostly questions" but also "some fury".^[26] TV Guide's two reviewers were both enthusiastic: Kate Stanhope described is as a "perfect mix of the kids' past, present and future", and Damian Holbrook wrote that the "class of 2012 went out on a high note with a season finale so solid, emotional and entertaining, you would have thought you were watching one of the show's first 13 episodes".^[27][28]

Reviewers were impressed with the scene between Rachel (Michele, left) and Finn (Monteith, right) when he tells her he's sending her to New York.

VanDerWerff called Kurt opening his NYADA rejection letter "as good a gut-punch as I can think of for this series", though John Kubicek of BuddyTV characterized it as "the most unbelievable plot twist ever on this show".^[20][29] Bell hoped that this would extend his stay in Lima because it could give "more screen time for Burt Hummel, who is arguably the best character on Glee".^[21] The scene where Burt gives Kurt his present was described as a "gift" by many reviewers.^[21][30] Kubicek wrote, "Kudos to Glee for turning a sappy moment into a funny one", and Strecker noted how powerful scenes typically were between the Hummels before she added "last night was no exception", and ended by quoting Kurt: "Best. Graduation Gift. Ever."^[24][29]

The Wall Street Journal's Raymund Flandez deemed "unrealistic" the notion that Santana's mother would allow the money she had saved for Santana's college expenses to be "wasted on a dream", and Bell described it as "too good to be true".^[21][31] Michael Slezak of TVLine agreed and called Maribel "crazily lenient", but said Estefan had done "good work".^[32] Kubicek, however, maintained that Estefan was wasted in the role, and Futterman wrote that the "choppy, random scenes would have been a lot better with some Gloria Estefan singing".^[23][29]

The scene where Finn tells Rachel he's sending her to New York instead of marrying her both surprised and impressed reviewers. Strecker called it one of her "favorite non-singing scenes of the year, possibly the series", and VanDerWerff put it even more strongly: "It's one of the best things I've seen on TV this year".^[20][24] Both Monteith and Michele were praised for their acting: Slezak said it was their "best work", VanDerWerff said they "kill[ed]" the scene, and Bell said it was "some of Cory Monteith's finest acting".^[20][24][32] Rachel's arrival in New York brought comparisons to Mary Tyler Moore from Bell and Strecker; as the latter put it, "she's going to make it after all".^[21][24]

The performances were given generally good marks by reviewers, and the one that received the most enthusiastic reception was not for singing at all, but Burt's lipsynch and dance to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" with the aid of Tina and Brittany. Futterman called it the "best gift of the season" and Slezak said it was "another shining moment for Glee's best parental unit" and gave it an "A−".^[23][32] Bell wrote "I loved every second of it", and E! Online's Jenna Mullins described it as the episode's "rewind moment".^[21][33] Jen Chaney of The Washington Post was fond of the other flashback number, "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat", to which she gave an "A−" and commented, "it was a nice reminder of how far these plucky Glee kids have come".^[34] MTV's Fallon Prinzivalli was not as enthusiastic about the repeat performance, and said it was "not much better" than the pilot rendition and he was "happy to see their version of the song retired".^[30]

"Forever Young" generated differing reactions from reviewers. Slezak wondered whether Will's "diminished role this year" reduced the impact of his farewell song and gave it a "B", and Futterman wrote that "while the bare-bones guitar arrangement is suitably melancholy, Schue's voice never quite settles in, seeming forced the whole way through".^[23][32] Strecker thought "it sounded lovely", gave it a "B+" and asked for more in the next season, and Chaney graded it an "A" and said that it was "sweet".^[24][34] The same word, "sweet", was applied by Slezak to Kurt's rendition of "I'll Remember"; he called the song an "underrated Madonna ballad" and graded it a "B+".^[32] Chaney, however, said it was "not one of Madonna's best" and the performance "not particularly memorable", so she gave it a "B−", while Pinzivalli wrote "leave this one to Madge".^[30][34] Futterman characterized Kurt as "dapper and emotional while singing in a crisp, clear and natural voice", though she wanted the performance to be "more than everyone's sad faces".^[23] Strecker's grade was an "A−", and she wrote that "Colfer sold it" and that it was a "nice arrangement for his voice".^[24]

"You Get What You Give" by the graduating seniors was welcomed by reviewers. Prinzivalli called it "one of Cory Monteith's best solos all season" and a fun cover, while Futterman described it as "fine and fun, but nothing really spectacular".^[23][30] Slezak gave it an "A" and wrote, "this spirited rendition captured [the song's] jaunty essence", and Strecker noted with her "B+" that "this was the moment when it really kicked in that the show will never be the same".^[24][32] Chaney also complimented Finn for having gotten "the hang of this whole singing-and-dancing thing in the last three episodes of this season" and gave a grade of "B".^[34] She gave an "A" to "In My Life", sung by the underclassmen, and said "the harmonies sounded lovely"; Bell called it "a perfect song to signify graduation".^[21][34] Others were less enthusiastic: Futterman described it as "a blended-past-recognition, laden-with-harmonies Beatles tune" and the point where the show "entered sappy hour", and Slezak said it was "not the most ringing endorsement for the National Champions' 2013 chances" and graded it a "C+".^[23][32]

Reviewers wondered at the inclusion of "Glory Days". Chaney stated, "There is no way anyone should have been blaring Springsteen in the middle of a commencement ceremony", and Slezak called the song "a tone-deaf choice for modern teenagers on their big day"; their grades were "B" and "C+" respectively.^[32][34] Strecker merely noted that the ceremony "doubled as a performance" when she gave her "B+", and Futterman thought it looked "more like a fashion show than a graduation ceremony".^[23][24]

The show's final number, "Roots Before Branches", was greatly praised. Although Hankinson was "hoping for a Journey reprise" or some other big group number, he noted that Rachel "kill[ed] it", and Prinzivalli said "Lea Michele shines as always".^[26][30] Strecker, Slezak and Chaney each gave the performance an "A": Chaney called it a "well-chosen song" and Slezak wrote that he was glad to be introduced to it at the episode's "triumphant ending for a girl chasing her dreams, not her delusions, in the streets of New York City".^[24][32][34]

• "Goodbye" at Fox.com
• "Goodbye" at IMDb