Written by Matthew Hodgson and directed by co-creator Brad Falchuk, it aired on Fox in the United States on May 13, 2014, and features the return of special guest star Shirley MacLaine as rich socialite June Dolloway in her second and last appearance.
The regular Monday-night dinner is being held at Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and Kurt Hummel's (Chris Colfer) apartment, and Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris) shows up unexpectedly.
To her disappointment, Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) is not there—she is in Iowa shooting a commercial—and then a second, expected visitor arrives: famed screenwriter Mary Halloran (Kristen Schaal), who has been sent by the network to create a television script for Rachel to star in.
Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley) kicks off a nationwide shopping mall concert tour in New York; her label has added Brittany as her star backup dancer, with Santana set to join them in Reno.
With Mercedes leaving, their friends separately urge them to break off their relationship, as they feel the strains of being apart yet faithful will be unfair to Sam, who is already struggling with abstinence.
Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss) meets with wealthy socialite June Dolloway (Shirley MacLaine) in advance of their NYADA showcase; he makes one more attempt to add Kurt to the event, and she is unequivocal: she will drop her sponsorship if he tries.
[4][5] According to Murphy, the events of the episode, including to the two current New York couples Kurt and Blaine, and Mercedes and Sam—"something big happens"—will set up the sixth and final season of the show.
Other recurring characters appearing in this episode include McKinley High alumnae Mercedes Jones (Riley)[4] and Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris).
[5] Seven songs from the episode are being released on a digital seven-track EP with the title Glee: The Music, The Untitled Rachel Berry Project.