‘Glee’ Recap: Rachel And Coach Bieste Are ‘Transitioning’

Lisa Timmons | February 14, 2015 5:22 am

As Season 6 of Glee progresses, the episodes continue to become increasingly more Rachel-centric when what we all need is more Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) in our lives. By the end of this week’s installment, “Transitioning,” it becomes clear how the season will end, at least when it comes to who’s going to wind up coaching New Directions.

The episode kicks off with Vocal Adrenaline giving a rousing performance of Bon Jovi‘s “You Give Love A Bad Name,” led by their alpha male, Clint (Max George from The Wanted.) Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) bobs his head happily to the ’80s anthem as he admits in a voice-over that he’s loving his new life as the well-paid glee coach at Carmel High.

To emphasize just how much he’s balling out of control, we’re treated to a scene of him with the head of the booster club gifting him a fancy stroller for his baby with the ever elusive Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays.) Speaking of whom, guys, Emma’s apparently alive, making her first appearance of the season after spending all the previous episodes chained to a radiator in the basement.

In the park on a perfect day, the happily married couple run into Blaine (Darren Criss) and Rachel (Lea Michele), who were the victims of a violent drive-by egging courtesy of Vocal Adrenaline — VA thus expressing how many of us feel about those two.

Will storms into the Carmel High auditorium and lectures his singers about tolerance and forces them to perform songs dealing with the theme of tolerance. I scream laughing when he starts sanctimoniously rapping Macklemore & Ryan Lewis‘ “Same Love” with Unique (Alex Newell.)

Again speaking for America, Clint interrupts Will by telling him, “Shut up, stop rapping and let us rehearse for sectionals.” Clint then immediately plots to pretend to be narrow-minded and hateful, in order to prompt New Directions to waste a week singing about tolerance and effectively distract them from rehearsing for sectionals.

Coach Bieste (Dot Jones) returns to the halls of McKinley after her gender reassignment surgery. Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Sue greet her cheerfully in the hall, during which time, Sue announces that McKinley is now a “gender fluid high school” right before she scoots off to torment an overweight student. Just when you think Sue’s gone soft, she wins you back.

In the teacher’s lounge, Sam notices Rachel looking harried, which prompts her to  launch into a story about how she’s freaking out because her dads just sold her childhood home. She pauses briefly in her complaining to shush Sam about talking about his past experience being homeless.

Sam and Kurt (Chris Colfer) chat with Mercedes (Amber Riley), Artie (Kevin McHale), Blaine and Kitty (Becca Tobin) about how to help Rachel with her new transition of moving out of her childhood home. At this point, they’re not even bothering trying to explain why all these old cast members are still hanging around. Coach Bieste finds his car covered in jock straps and slurs written in shaving cream as Vocal Adrenaline speeds off, hooting and hollering. Way harsh, Tai.

Will steps into Sue’s office to meet with her and is introduced to “America’s newest male,” Coach Bieste. Sue angrily tells Will about the stunt Vocal Adrenaline pulled on Coach Bieste and he’s immediately livid. He vows to defend the good coach’s honor, saying, “No one goes after my friends and gets away with it.” Without missing a beat, Sue replies, “I always go after your friends and I’ve never not gotten away with it.” Hearts in my eyes for Sue.

Kurt cuts Rachel off from her lesson for the week for glee club, by announcing that this week’s theme is “transitioning.” As in, the show is slowly “transitioning” into That’s So Rachel! The gang all vow to help Rachel say goodbye to her childhood home, ignoring the fact  that the real issue is that she now has nowhere to live.

Then, when it’s time to select partners fo their duet, Mercedes spins the Wheel of Musical fortune and gets Roderick as a partner. Kurt gets Blaine, after nudging the wheel over the edge. Once again, there truly is no reason for Blaine to just be there. They’re not even attempting any pretense of his storyline. #Senioritis

Coach Bieste is met by an irate Sam and Spencer, who rage over Vocal Adrenaline’s prank and are thirsty for revenge. Coach Bieste talks them down and gives a good speech about being a team player.

Will bursts into the Carmel High auditorium, yelling at Vocal Adrenaline for their prank. He’s quickly cut off by Clint, who finishes his speech by asserting, “Winning is everything.” Indignant, Will cuts Clint from glee club. Scandal!

Sporting the latest in neo-Victorian lingerie, Emma steps into the living room to see Will trying to repair his expensive stroller. Will starts complaining about his job, but guiltily admits he loves all the trappings of his new position. Emma tells him she’ll support him if they decide to leave Carmel High. Clearly, she’s still suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

At Rachel’s childhood home, the house party is a full-on rager with Mercedes and Roderick singing “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor.  At the line, “My momma told me don’t worry about your size,” the thinnest girls in glee club jump up to start dancing their skinny little rears off.

While this is happening, Rachel and Sam slip away unnoticed to her bedroom. They wax nostalgic over her bulletin board covered in high school photos. Seated close to one another on her bed, Sam gives Rachel a pep talk about eventually moving back to NYC. They kiss and then full-on make out. Nothing gets Rachel horny like talking about her talent.

The next performance is a duet of Betty Who‘s “Somebody Loves You” between Kurt and Blaine. Nobody notices that Rachel and Sam are busy sucking face. Shortly thereafter, Kurt and Blaine have a moment outside Rachel’s house, which ends with Blaine kissing Kurt — shocking, given that Sue’s evil puppet is nowhere to be found!

The final house party performance has Rachel and Sam singing a duet of Cyndi Lauper‘s “Time After Time” over a room-packing montage. Making new memories!

Coach Bieste runs into Unique in the boys’ locker room. They discuss Coach’s new identity as Sheldon and share a moment.

Clint shows up and is back on the team after Will tells them he’s quit fighting the Vocal Adrenaline way. In fact, he tells them he’s come up with the ultimate prank to play on New Directions.

Dave (Max Adler) and Blaine arrive at home after a day of football. Blaine is, no lie, dressed like Mickey Mouse. David calls out Blaine for acting weird. In response, Blaine blurts out that he sang a duet with Kurt, and then confesses to kissing his ex. Meanwhile, these two have so many dish sponges! And Fiestaware.

Dave sadly laments that they were ultimately going to break up and then is positively jokey about Blaine leaving him. Again, a character displaying a serial killer level of coolness about a really weird situation.

From there, Blaine runs to the school, straight into the music room where he hopes Kurt is awaiting him with open arms. Instead, he finds Kurt, his older beau, Walter (Harry Hamlin) and Rachel and Sam preparing for a double date. Walter tells a crestfallen Blaine,  “Neat bow tie!” Ha!

Meanwhile, Will leads Vocal Adrenaline to pull the ultimate prank, and tells them they’re going to squirt KY jelly tubes onto the McKinley High stage. But, he’s double-crossed them! Much to VA’s surprise, Unique steps to the stage, belting, “I Know Where I’ve Been” from Hairspray.

Coach Bieste joins Unique on stage, his transition into a nerd now complete with double pocket protectors. A choir full of transgender singers arrive to back up Unique. While it’s a beautiful sentiment, I do find it interesting that 300 people showed up just to teach Vocal Adrenaline a 10-minute lesson about pretending to be intolerant.

Vocal Adrenaline is pissed that they’ve been prank-blocked. But it’s all worth it when Will quits his position at Carmel High. Sue then saves the day/episode with a threat to unleash her hounds on Vocal Adrenaline if they don’t vacate the school premises within six minutes.

Rachel and Kurt ask Will to be their “special alumni consultant,” and he agrees to do it because of course, what else is he doing? He then wistfully says this is where he belongs. And we see the set up that he’ll take over when Rachel inevitably returns to NYC.

Next week, it’s a lesbian wedding, complete with Jennifer Coolidge, Gloria Estefan and Pointer Sisters tunes. My head is going to explode with joy.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Glee? Let us know below!