Goodbye (Glee)

The episode introduces special guest star Gloria Estefan as Maribel Lopez, Santana's (Naya Rivera) mother, and has appearances by six other parents of graduating seniors.

The enthusiastic ones cited the combination of humor and tears, past events and present revelation, while those who were more critical felt there was not enough time to wrap up all the storylines or that it strayed into sappiness.

Monteith was also praised for his solo in the song "You Get What You Give", and Michele's rendition of "Roots Before Branches" received even higher marks.

Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and Brittany (Heather Morris) then join him on the stage to help him re-enact the turning point, which serves as Kurt's graduation gift: the "Single Ladies" dance.

Mercedes (Amber Riley) has been offered a recording contract as a backup singer and will be moving to Los Angeles; Mike (Harry Shum, Jr.) has accepted a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago.

There is another flashback to the pilot episode showing Monteith's a cappella performance of "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon.

[10] Estefan was reported to be in talks to play Santana's mother as early as November 30, 2011, the morning after the episode "I Kissed a Girl" aired.

These include glee club members Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet), Joe Hart (Samuel Larsen), Rory Flanagan (Damian McGinty) and Sugar Motta (Vanessa Lengies), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba), football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), synchronized swimming coach Roz Washington (NeNe Leakes), European geography teacher Eleanor Doosenbury (Kathleen M. Darcy), and the parents of many other graduating students: Kurt's father Burt Hummel (Mike O'Malley), Finn's mother Carole Hudson-Hummel (Romy Rosemont), Mike's parents Michael Chang, Sr. (Keong Sim) and Julia Chang (Tamlyn Tomita), Quinn's mother Judy Fabray (Charlotte Ross) and Puck's mother (Gina Hecht).

[1] On August 6, 2012, co-creator Ryan Murphy uploaded a deleted scene from this episode to YouTube in which Kurt reads a message Rachel wrote in his yearbook.

[15] "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.

[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".

[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] 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][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.

[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.

[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".

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".

[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][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".

[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+".

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.

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".