The new focus on New York and adulthood affecting the Glee kids took a turn towards the deeper issues with this episode.
GAY-BASHING:
The episode starts with an introductory song of “No One is Alone” from Into the Woods. Rachel, Blaine, Kurt and Sam sing the song as they walk to a vigil for an unknown character.
At the weekly dinner in the loft, the unknown guy’s identity is revealed. He’s the friend of a neighbor who was violently gay-bashed and is in the hospital.
The issue of gay-bashing will seep in and affect their personal lives however, more than they ever expected when Kurt walks home alone and sees another gay guy being beaten in an alley. He interferes, and the victim runs away. The attackers then turn their attention on Kurt. By the time the scene ends, Kurt is unconscious in the alley and the attackers have left him alone.
At the hospital, everyone gathers around and learns that Kurt has cuts and scrapes and a hairline fracture above his right eye, but he will be okay, and they can all visit him. They’re all heartbroken about what has happened to him, and have all learned something from it. While there, Blaine also sings “Not While I’m Around,” (which also doubles as his Mid-Winter Critique performance).
Kurt has woken up from the medically induced coma, and Burt has arrived. He’s angry with Kurt for doing what he did, as much as he’s proud of him. And he also asks if he was an idiot for thinking Kurt would be safer in New York than he was in Ohio.
Out of the hospital, he pays another visit to the vigil and Blaine tells him the guy who was beaten worse has also broken up. At the loft, he and Rachel have made up after fighting (to be revealed later), and she encourages everyone to go his Mid-Winter Critique—where he sings “I’m Still Here
SAMCEDES AND INTER-RACIAL RELATIONSHIPS:
Sam and Mercedes have started hooking up again and are considering a relationship again. While walking along the East River in Brooklyn Bridge park, Sam tries convincing her they should be together, despite their differences. She suggests a few boundaries which he agrees to, but then asks him to go so she can clear her head a bit. She begins singing “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” on Jane’s Carousel.
However, the relationship takes a turn for the worse when Mercedes introduces Sam to her backup singers. They like him, but they point out that he’s white and she’s black—a no-no in the recording industry which would alienate any of the people who would be interested in buying her CD.
Mercedes considers this and tells Sam they can’t be together because of that. Sam tries to convince her otherwise, but she won’t be swayed and says they can’t date—and he should move out of the apartment.
However, after Kurt’s bashing, Mercedes reconsiders and admits it was messed up to consider their skin colors as a reason to not date one another. She sings “Color Blind” to him and they soon announce to everyone that they’re dating again.
RACHEL TOO GOOD FOR NYADA:
Rachel is in the final weeks before opening night of Funny Girl, and she’s running into scheduling conflicts between final rehearsals and her Mid-Winter Critique and classes at NYADA. She teams up with Blaine to perform “Broadway Baby” for the Critique—which Carmen Thibodeaux likes, but points out is a duet, which she did not assign, and flunks them. She then has a change of heart and says she will reschedule them each for later in the week to do individual performances.
Rachel wants to reschedule because of the show, and Carmen tells her that’s not an option because she’s been under-performing in all of her classes since the show. She tells Rachel she has talent and drive, but can’t take direction. Rachel doesn’t take the critique well and quits NYADA as a result.
Rachel then meets up with Kurt for dinner and he tells her she’s crazy for quitting school. He asks her the tough questions she doesn’t want to hear, like what if this is the last role she ever gets? She needs to be smart and get an education. Again, Rachel doesn’t take the critique well and tells Kurt he’s afraid to venture out and grow up and be an adult. He says screw you and she storms out. It is while he was walking home alone that he intercepted the attack.
Next week, Artie has a secret that will shock everyone.