Charice returns to "Glee," sings 'All By Myself'

CEBU, Philippines - The Filipino recording artist returns to the Fox show Tuesday night after making her debut in September.

After making her first appearance on Glee in the Sept. 21 season premiere, Charice disappeared from Fox’s musical dramedy.

But the Filipino recording artist returned Tuesday night to reprise her role as Sunshine.

In the episode, she performed a cover of Celine Dion’s “All by Myself.”

Dubbed as “Night of Neglect,” the episode finds New Directions at a crossroad; they need money to get to nationals. The price of the trip is $5000 and Mr. Schue has an idea — well, maybe a not-so-brilliant idea: selling salt water taffy at five cents a pop like he did when he was kid. Do the math and that means the glee club will make it to nationals in New York City after they sell 20,000 pieces of taffy. It’s back to the drawing board.

“You’re thinking too small,” charges substitute Holly Holliday, aka Mr. Schue’s new girlfriend, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, who suggests glee club put on a ‘Night of Neglect’ benefit in the McKinley High auditorium to raise some cash for their trip to nationals.

In the meantime, Coach Sue forms the League of Doom with other faculty and Schue’s ex-wife Terri to take down the glee club and enlists Sergeant Handsome with the first mission: to take down Schue’s romance with the new sub.

The club starts throwing around ideas of songs by neglected artists. Tina plans on covering Lykke Li, Mercedes is going to flex her chops on Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect,’ while Rachel has her heart set on Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On.’ They add another to the group — a returning Sunshine Corazon, played by Charice, after she belts out Eric Carmen’s ‘All By Myself’ in an impromptu audition.

“So, can I perform with you guys?” she asks. “Absolutely not,” a jealous Rachel responds, but loses after the rest of the group realizes that Sunshine’s thousands and thousands of Twitter followers might bring more money at the ‘Night of Neglect’ fundraiser.

So what did the US critics think of Charice’s performance? For Eonline.com.: “Charice is back! And singing the most depressing song ever. But at least she’s singing it wonderfully.”

According to WallStreet Journal: “It’s ‘All By Myself,’ and Charice milks that sad ballad with control and efficiency belying her young age. Even New Directions was impressed.” (FREEMAN)