Continuing from where the show had left off, Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz) is distressed that she's only on the waiting list for Brown University, and Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) cheers her up through a performance of "Whenever I Call You Friend".
While Blaine, Artie and Tina gather to sing "Breakaway" with their friends, Rachel decides to move out of the loft and cut ties with Santana, making their friendship come to an end.
Other recurring characters in this episode include McKinley football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), janitor and former principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba) and cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter), and NYU student and Pamela Lansbury bandmember Elliott Gilbert (Lambert).
Daniel Sperling from Digital Spy said: "'Frenemies' is a decent return for Glee, one that wisely ditches the newbies to explore and test the bonds between our favourite characters in great, if occasionally painful, detail".
Matt Richenthal from TV Fanatic said: "Glee made a triumphant return to Fox last night, airing an episode that helped us forget about that debacle of a Christmas special."