Claim: Glee has a series finale.

The sixth and final season of the Fox musical comedy-drama television series Glee was commissioned on April 19 , 2013 , along with the fifth season , as part of a two-season renewal deal for the show on the Fox network . The final season , consisting of 13 episodes , premiered on Friday , January 9 , 2015 , with the first two episodes , and the last two episodes -LRB- functioning as a single series finale -RRB- aired on March 20 , 2015 .   The series features the New Directions glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School -LRB- WMHS -RRB- in the town of Lima , Ohio , and some of the graduates of McKinley . The season focuses on the former glee club member , Rachel Berry , who returns to McKinley after her TV Pilot bombs to rebuild the disbanded glee club . The central characters are the former glee club director Will Schuester -LRB- Matthew Morrison -RRB- , school principal Sue Sylvester -LRB- Jane Lynch -RRB- , and Glee club graduates Rachel Berry -LRB- Lea Michele -RRB- , Kurt Hummel -LRB- Chris Colfer -RRB- , Blaine Anderson -LRB- Darren Criss -RRB- , Artie Abrams -LRB- Kevin McHale -RRB- , and Sam Evans -LRB- Chord Overstreet -RRB- . Amber Riley returns to the main cast as Mercedes Jones and Dot-Marie Jones , who portrays Shannon Beiste , the school 's football coach , was promoted to the main cast after four years as a recurring character . Jenna Ushkowitz , Naya Rivera , Becca Tobin , Jacob Artist , Melissa Benoist , Blake Jenner , and Alex Newell who have portrayed Tina Cohen-Chang , Santana Lopez , Kitty Wilde , Jake Puckerman , Marley Rose , Ryder Lynn , and Wade `` Unique '' Adams , were demoted from the main cast this season with Ushkowitz , Rivera , Tobin , and Newell recurring during the season , while Artist and Jenner returned briefly in the series finale . Benoist , however , does not appear at all in this season .   The season was nominated for one Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics .