Glee: A Night of Neglect

"A Night of Neglect" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the thirty-ninth episode overall. It was written by Ian Brennan, directed by Carol Banker, and aired on Fox in the United States on April 19, 2011. It features the McKinley High glee club, New Directions, fundraising for a fellow extracurricular activity group by holding a benefit concert, while cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) attempts to thwart them. Thirteen guest stars appeared in the episode, including Gwyneth Paltrow in her final season two appearance. Several cast members returned after extended absences: Jessalyn Gilsig, Cheyenne Jackson and Stephen Tobolowsky as members of Sue's anti-New Directions "League of Doom", and Charice as student Sunshine Corazon. Four songs were covered and released as singles, and a fifth featured as a dance performance. Upon its initial airing, the episode was viewed by 9.80 million American viewers, and garnered a 3.8/11 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. Critical commentary was generally negative. Reviewers generally disliked the storyline centered on the under-appreciation of student Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley), though commended her performance of Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way". The episode's comedy moments attracted some praise, though the guest stars and League of Doom plot were ill-received, as was the cutting short of a solo by Jenna Ushkowitz, and a rendition of Adele's "Turning Tables" by Paltrow, which critics found inferior to the original.