<P> The series features the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in the town of Lima, Ohio . Season two follows the club competing on the show choir circuit, while its members and faculty deal with sex, religion, homophobia, financial difficulties, rumors, teenage drinking, death and other social issues . The central characters are glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), and glee club members Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale), Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris), Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley), Noah "Puck" Puckerman (Mark Salling), Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron), Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) and Tina Cohen - Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz). Will's ex-wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) and Kurt's father Burt (Mike O'Malley) round out the list of main characters . </P> <P> The season received generally positive reviews from critics . The musical performances from the second season expanded on the success of the first season, with the show releasing five soundtrack albums and over one hundred digital singles . The cast decisively broke the record for most charted songs by an act in the 52 - year history of the Billboard Hot 100 with 156 appearances through the end of its second season . Two singles, "Teenage Dream" and "Loser Like Me", were the first to have over 200,000 downloads in their first week of release in the US, and both charted in the top ten in the US and Canada, and have been certified gold in the US . The season was nominated for twelve Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, five Satellite Awards and over fifty other awards . Three DVDs have been released with episodes from the season: Glee--Season 2, Volume 1 featuring episodes one through ten, Glee--Season 2, Volume 2 featuring episodes eleven through twenty - two, and Glee--The Complete Second Season . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> Prod . code </Th> <Th> U.S. viewers (millions) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 23 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Audition" </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> September 21, 2010 (2010 - 09 - 21) </Td> <Td> 2ARC01 </Td> <Td> 12.45 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> McKinley High's glee club and cheerleading squad budgets are cut to allocate more money for the football program and its new football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot - Marie Jones), so directors Will Schuester and Sue Sylvester scheme to get their money restored . Finn and Rachel try to find new recruits for New Directions, but Rachel feels threatened by the talent of her recruit, Sunshine (guest star Charice), an exchange student from the Philippines . Quinn replaces Santana as head of the Cheerios, Finn is kicked off the football team, and Tina and Mike (Harry Shum, Jr .) begin dating . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 24 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Britney / Brittany" </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> September 28, 2010 (2010 - 09 - 28) </Td> <Td> 2ARC02 </Td> <Td> 13.51 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> New Directions wants to perform a Britney Spears number at the Homecoming Assembly, but Will is reluctant to let them be that edgy . Emma's new boyfriend Carl (John Stamos), a dentist, treats glee club members Brittany, Santana, Rachel and Artie, all of whom experience Britney Spears fantasies while under anesthesia . Artie joins the football team, and Finn is reinstated . Will ultimately okays a Spears number and takes a lead role in the hopes of impressing Emma, but the assembly performance ends in chaos . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 25 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Grilled Cheesus" </Td> <Td> Alfonso Gomez - Rejon </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> October 5, 2010 (2010 - 10 - 05) </Td> <Td> 2ARC03 </Td> <Td> 11.20 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Upon seeing the face of Jesus in his grilled cheese sandwich, Finn has an existential crisis . Because of this, the members of the glee club discuss religion and its significance to them, but this is uncomfortable for Kurt, who is an atheist, and who is facing his own, more serious crisis when his father Burt has a heart attack and becomes comatose . Sue questions her own beliefs and talks to her sister Jean about God . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 26 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Duets" </Td> <Td> Eric Stoltz </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> October 12, 2010 (2010 - 10 - 12) </Td> <Td> 2ARC04 </Td> <Td> 11.36 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> When Puck is sent to a juvenile detention center, New Directions welcomes Sam (Chord Overstreet) as a new member, and Will assigns a duet competition for the week . Kurt wants to partner with Sam because he suspects Sam might be gay, but Finn and Burt dissuade him, and Kurt sings alone . Finn and Rachel secretly throw the competition so that Sam will feel welcome; the victory dinner with Sam and his partner Quinn turns into a first date for the couple . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 27 </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" </Td> <Td> Adam Shankman </Td> <Td> Story by: Ryan Murphy & Tim Wollaston Teleplay by: Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> October 26, 2010 (2010 - 10 - 26) </Td> <Td> 2ARC05 </Td> <Td> 11.76 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> After Will learns of Emma's newfound love for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, he impulsively decides to have the glee club perform the stage version of the musical as a fundraiser in the hopes of winning her back from Carl, recruiting her to help him with the production . However, problem after problem, including Sue going undercover to expose the boundary - pushing production on her television news segment, prevent New Directions from performing it in front of an audience . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 28 </Th> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> "Never Been Kissed" </Td> <Td> Bradley Buecker </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> November 9, 2010 (2010 - 11 - 09) </Td> <Td> 2ARC06 </Td> <Td> 10.99 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Will separates the group for another boys vs. girls mash - up competition . Kurt, who's being harassed by Karofsky (Max Adler), spies for New Directions at Dalton Academy, where he meets Blaine (Darren Criss), lead singer of the rival Warblers . Blaine encourages Kurt to stand up for himself, and backs him in a confrontation with Karofsky . Coach Beiste discovers the boys use her as a turn - off method and submits her resignation, but Will convinces her to stay at McKinley . Puck returns and develops a friendship with Artie through his community service project; he helps Artie get a date with Brittany . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 29 </Th> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> "The Substitute" </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> November 16, 2010 (2010 - 11 - 16) </Td> <Td> 2ARC07 </Td> <Td> 11.70 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Will becomes ill, and is replaced by freewheeling substitute teacher Holly Holliday (Gwyneth Paltrow), who lets the glee club members choose which songs they get to perform . Sue takes over as principal when Figgins is also ill, and makes several changes including firing Will, though she is ultimately convinced to reinstate him . Kurt and Blaine become friends, and Mercedes organizes a protest against Sue . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 30 </Th> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> "Furt" </Td> <Td> Carol Banker </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> November 23, 2010 (2010 - 11 - 23) </Td> <Td> 2ARC08 </Td> <Td> 10.41 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Sue's Nazi - hunting mother Doris Sylvester (Carol Burnett) pays her a visit due to Sue's upcoming wedding to herself, and Finn and Kurt face the marriage of their parents, Carole (Romy Rosemont) and Burt . The school board refuses to take a stand against Karofsky's threats to Kurt, which leads to Kurt transferring from McKinley High to Dalton Academy, and Sue resigning as principal . Quinn accepts a promise ring from Sam . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 31 </Th> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> "Special Education" </Td> <Td> Paris Barclay </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> November 30, 2010 (2010 - 11 - 30) </Td> <Td> 2ARC09 </Td> <Td> 11.68 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Taking Emma's advice, Will decides to feature some of the less - heralded members of New Directions in the Sectionals competition . With the glee club in disarray and new member Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink) replacing Kurt, New Directions, the Warblers (augmented by new member Kurt), and the Hipsters face off at Sectionals: New Directions and the Warblers both advance to Regionals . Carl and Emma marry in Las Vegas; Rachel confesses to Finn that she made out with Puck to make him jealous after discovering that Finn had lied about having sex with Santana the previous spring . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 32 </Th> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> "A Very Glee Christmas" </Td> <Td> Alfonso Gomez - Rejon </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> December 7, 2010 (2010 - 12 - 07) </Td> <Td> 2ARC10 </Td> <Td> 11.07 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> The faculty holds a Secret Santa gift exchange, but Sue tampers with it so she gets all the gifts . Artie finds out Brittany still believes in Santa Claus, and convinces the other glee club members not to disillusion her . When Brittany asks a mall Santa to make wheelchair - bound Artie able to walk again, Artie recruits Coach Beiste to play Santa in order to tell her it won't be possible after all . Kurt tells Will that he's fallen in love with Blaine . Finn breaks up with Rachel . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 33 </Th> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle" </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> February 6, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 06) </Td> <Td> 2ARC11 </Td> <Td> 26.80 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> McKinley High's football championship game takes place, and a "Thriller" mash - up is performed during the halftime show . Will and Coach Beiste attempt to get the glee club and the football team to work together, and Sue does everything she can to make sure she clinches Nationals again while attempting to sabotage both the football team and the glee club, with disastrous results: McKinley wins the championship, and Sue loses three cheerleaders and Regionals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 34 </Th> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> "Silly Love Songs" </Td> <Td> Tate Donovan </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> February 8, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 08) </Td> <Td> 2ARC12 </Td> <Td> 11.58 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Will assigns the McKinley High glee club to perform love songs in honor of Valentine's Day . Finn sets up a kissing booth for the occasion, to raise money for the club and to kiss Quinn . Puck falls in love with Lauren, but his song to her backfires . Blaine and the Dalton Academy Warblers perform "When I Get You Alone" at a Gap clothing store, but all does not go as planned . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 35 </Th> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> "Comeback" </Td> <Td> Bradley Buecker </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> February 15, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 15) </Td> <Td> 2ARC13 </Td> <Td> 10.53 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Rachel tries to get back into McKinley High's social swing with the help of Brittany, but her attempts backfire . Sam forms a Justin Bieber tribute band in the hopes of cementing his relationship with Quinn, but later finds out from Santana that Quinn cheated on him with Finn and breaks up with her; he starts dating Santana . Sue tries to sow dissent in New Directions from the inside, and after failing, she becomes coach of Aural Intensity, a glee club rival for Regionals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 36 </Th> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> "Blame It on the Alcohol" </Td> <Td> Eric Stoltz </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> February 22, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 22) </Td> <Td> 2ARC14 </Td> <Td> 10.58 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Principal Figgins attempts to teach the student body about the danger of underage drinking . Rachel throws a party, and after heavy drinking starts, things really heat up with a game of spin the bottle . To Kurt's dismay, Blaine questions his sexuality . Will drunk - dials Emma, and is publicly shamed by Sue . New Directions performs at a school assembly on drinking, with disastrous results . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 37 </Th> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> "Sexy" </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> March 8, 2011 (2011 - 03 - 08) </Td> <Td> 2ARC15 </Td> <Td> 11.92 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> When substitute Holly Holliday fills in for the absent sex education teacher, she joins forces with Will to teach the kids of New Directions the facts of life . Santana and Brittany ask Holly's advice about their relationship . Emma heads up the Celibacy Club, and she and her husband Carl face some issues in their marriage with Holly's help, notably her continuing celibacy; when Emma confesses to still having feelings for Will, Carl moves out . Finn and Quinn get back together . A warning from Blaine prompts Burt to give Kurt "the talk" about sex . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 38 </Th> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> "Original Song" </Td> <Td> Bradley Buecker </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> March 15, 2011 (2011 - 03 - 15) </Td> <Td> 2ARC16 </Td> <Td> 11.15 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> When their planned anthem for the show choir Regionals competition is axed due to Sue's sabotage, New Directions writes and performs original songs to compete against the Dalton Academy Warblers and the Sue - coached Aural Intensity; Kathy Griffin and Loretta Devine guest star as judges Tammy Jean Albertson and Sister Mary Constance . Blaine falls in love with Kurt, and the two begin a relationship . New Directions wins the Regionals competition . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 39 </Th> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> "A Night of Neglect" </Td> <Td> Carol Banker </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> April 19, 2011 (2011 - 04 - 19) </Td> <Td> 2ARC17 </Td> <Td> 9.80 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> The glee club performs songs from artists that they feel are neglected at a benefit in an attempt to raise money for Artie, Mike, Tina and Brittany's Academic Decathlon team . Sue makes a plan to sabotage the fundraiser; when Sunshine, who now sings for rival club Vocal Adrenaline, offers to perform for the benefit, her director, one of Sue's allies, pulls her from the show . Lauren convinces Mercedes to become a truly demanding diva to get what she wants . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 40 </Th> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> "Born This Way" </Td> <Td> Alfonso Gomez - Rejon </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> April 26, 2011 (2011 - 04 - 26) </Td> <Td> 2ARC18 </Td> <Td> 8.62 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Santana blackmails Karofsky into starting an anti-bullying club in order to convince Kurt to return to McKinley High and New Directions; Kurt returns and the Warblers serenade him in farewell . Lauren runs against Quinn for prom queen and, with Puck's help, digs up some surprising information about her past . Most of the glee club tries to convince Rachel not to get a nose job after Finn breaks her nose while dancing . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 41 </Th> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> "Rumours" </Td> <Td> Tim Hunter </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> May 3, 2011 (2011 - 05 - 03) </Td> <Td> 2ARC19 </Td> <Td> 8.85 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> Sue revives The Muckraker, the school newspaper, and prints blind items about the kids in the glee club in order to sow discord among the members . Quinn gives Finn an ultimatum about their relationship and his friendship with Rachel . Brittany breaks up with Artie after he quizzes her about her relationship with Santana and calls her stupid for not seeing through Santana's machinations . Sam is forced to reveal that his family now lives in a single motel room after their house was foreclosed upon . April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth) returns to try to convince Will to perform on Broadway with her . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 42 </Th> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> "Prom Queen" </Td> <Td> Eric Stoltz </Td> <Td> Ian Brennan </Td> <Td> May 10, 2011 (2011 - 05 - 10) </Td> <Td> 2ARC20 </Td> <Td> 9.29 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> As the race for prom queen heats up, Principal Figgins recruits New Directions to perform at the prom . Mercedes is distressed because she doesn't have a prom date, and Rachel arranges for Sam to take the two of them as a group . Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) returns to woo Rachel, which angers Finn . Kurt attempts to help Karofsky deal with his sexuality, and takes Blaine as his date to the prom . A surprising pair wins Prom King and Queen, with dramatic repercussions . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 43 </Th> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> "Funeral" </Td> <Td> Bradley Buecker </Td> <Td> Ryan Murphy </Td> <Td> May 17, 2011 (2011 - 05 - 17) </Td> <Td> 2ARC21 </Td> <Td> 8.97 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> As New Directions gets closer to Nationals, Will brings in Jesse to give advice on how to win the championship; Rachel is the only one happy with his efforts . Sue sabotages the club's travel itinerary to New York, though Will's ex-wife Terri ultimately fixes the damage . When Sue's sister Jean dies and Sue is unable to cope, Finn and Kurt get the club to help them plan her funeral . Finn breaks up with Quinn due to his lingering feelings for Rachel . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 44 </Th> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> "New York" </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> Brad Falchuk </Td> <Td> May 24, 2011 (2011 - 05 - 24) </Td> <Td> 2ARC22 </Td> <Td> 11.80 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> New Directions heads to New York City for the National Show Choir Championship and faces Vocal Adrenaline once again, taking time to see landmarks while there . Will prepares to head to Broadway with April while hiding it from the kids . Finn is desperate to win Rachel back, and Kurt helps Rachel to make a decision about her future . The performance by New Directions includes an unplanned interlude, which imperils their chances of victory . Back in Ohio, Blaine and Kurt declare their love for each other . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> Prod . code </Th> <Th> U.S. viewers (millions) </Th> </Tr>

When does jesse come back to glee season 2