The infighting begins right away as the New Directions/Warblers super choir prepares for sectionals. The Warblers object to Will calling a break from dance rehearsal.  You can bet Sue Sylvester isn’t calling 5 minute breaks as she forces her club to walk over hot coals as an endurance exercise. (Cut to a couple of Warblers watching this, horrified.) They need to be working their asses off right about now.

Vocal Adrenaline work ethic aside–the Warblers had a little side bar and have determined that there are a couple of members–namely Roderick and Spencer–who are terrible dancers. Cool moves out on the football field? Not so much on the dance floor. Kitty steps up to play the bitch. She suggests the two hide themselves in the back for the good of the team. During this entire dialog, Will, Blaine, Kurt and Rachel never say a word. Why isn’t somebody shutting down the insubordination here? And why are the Warblers still wearing their uniforms even though they are no longer at prep school? And isn’t it ridiculous there are only 3 girls in this show choir?

Roderick and Spencer, worried they will never learn the dance routines in time for the competition, turn to Kitty for tutoring. Will is no help, because he would just go easy on them. They need some tough love.

Rachel, in the meantime, is still deciding between going back to NYADA or taking that part she snagged in a Broadway musical. Sam thinks she should go back to school. He presents a list of performers who graduated from college before they jumped to Broadway or Hollywood. Oddly, Carrie Underwood is on the list. So is Patti Lupone and Meryl Streep. Rachel made her own list. HELLO Lady Gaga and Barbra Streisand! They didn’t need college! The short of it. Rachel has made up her mind and she doesn’t want to hear from Sam unless he supports her. This is such a dumb argument.  As big breaks are so few and far between, there is no actor anywhere who would turn down a plum role to go to college.

After Sam leaves, we see Brad at the piano. That’s the cue for Rachel to sing “Listen to Your Heart” and in a major throwback moment to “Rolling in the Deep” in Season 2, Jesse St. James strolls down the auditorium to duet with her! This is so good. Major 80s dramz. Jessie has stopped by to reveal some big news. If Rachel takes the lead in the Russell Simmons musical, Jesse will be her leading man. He’s there to persuade her to say yes to the part. In fact, HE suggested to the producers that they cast her.

Maybe Rachel SHOULD go back to school. Because that musical, as Jesse describes it? Sounds awful. He plays “The Iraqi war vet who is discharged for covering the American Embassy with the graffiti that he used to make him a famous Philly street artist and when he comes home with PTSD, it’s only his love of hip hop that can save his life.”

Jesse is dismayed that Rachel would even consider putting her Broadway dream on hold to go back to class. His argument is, basically, “those who can, act. Those who can’t, run crappy performance arts schools that have a track record for turning down talented performers (Carmen personally turned Jesse down).” Rachel insists that she needs to make the decision on her own. But it will be hard to say no to Jesse, because SPARKS ARE FLYING EVERYWHERE.

Roderick and Spencer get extra special dance coaching from Kitty and Will, but it goes horribly awry when Spencer wipes out as he’s practicing a turn, resulting in a bad ankle sprain. Spencer is willing to shoot his body full of cortisone to perform at sectionals, but Beiste warns him that it could cause extensive damage to his ankle in the long run. Spencer’s athletic mindset has him risking everything for the sake of competition. He’ll suit up regardless, and worry about the consequences later.

In a heart to heart, Kurt tries to lure Rachel back to NYADA. He reminds her that last year, even when she was a big Broadway star, she wasn’t happy. Yes, she was still mourning Finn, but there was more to it. What they are doing now, together, inspiring kids, matters. His argument is a little murky. He’s suggesting that by returning to college, Rachel will be giving herself the opportunity to be inspired in the same way. Or something. I think Kurt just wants them all to be back together again. Not only is Kurt headed back to NYADA, but Blaine has been accepted to New York University. So there you go.

Can’t starring in a Broadway musical give Rachel opportunities to be inspired as well? College isn’t for everyone. That Rachel is just handed her old life back–with choices! After effing up so royally? How can anyone grow from that?

Ugh. More Sue. Every time she hits my TV screen, I cringe. She plays a series of tricks on New Directions. Glee club members receive boxes that explode glitter when opened. A wall of glitter explodes from the piano. The club is terrified. Well, not Mason. He loves it. Sue is getting back at Will for HIS glitter bomb a few seasons ago. Also, remember Sue setting pianos on fire in The Purple Piano Project? Blaine is bummed that the piano is destroyed, but at least the glitter is pretty.

The rest of the pranks include putting eye drops in the McKinley High water system, causing an explosion of another kind (PUKE). Amazingly, she sets Will’s car on fire and IS NOT ARRESTED. She warns Will that she won’t stop until he quits the Glee club. Lather, rinse, repeat? Will exacts his revenge by shaving Sue’s head after he has ditched her regular stylist at the salon. He tapes Sue’s mouth shut and ties her to the chair. The real horror isn’t a bald Sue Sylvester, but Will in a brunette wig. Pass the brain bleach, please.

Inexplicably, Sue breaks into Beiste’s locker room with Vocal Adrenaline to watch films of goose stepping Nazi’s (??!!?). Beiste is offended and annoyed that Sue broke into HIS locker room to engage in disgusting behavior, with the kids who had vandalized HIS car. And THIS after he and Will stood up for her when nobody else would. Beiste throws them all out.

I hate Sue shenanigans so much. Sue Sylvester is only humorous doled out in small doses. But thankfully, when the episode cuts to the competition, things improve considerably. It’s as if the producers suddenly remembered what made Glee great: Witnessing the hopes and dreams of underdogs as they strive for their place in the sun.

The first group is your typical joke club–from the John James Audubon Institute for Rehabilitative Ornithology, It’s the Falconers signing “Broken Wings” with real live birds perched on their arms.

“Broken Wings” – The bird school

https://youtu.be/wpt4dg2Ry4Q

Vocal Adrenaline is next, singing “We Built This City,” with their typical mix of arid acrobatics and soulless vocals. It’s still intimidating for New Directions, because technically, the performances are really really good. At the end of the second number, “Mickey,” Sue finally fulfills a dream, shooting a couple of the club members out of cannons.

We Built This City – Vocal Adrenaline

https://youtu.be/JM9_TEbQTlk

“Mickey” – Vocal Adrenaline

https://youtu.be/2kJKC_dDMZs

Wait. How are these competitions ALWAYS held at McKinley? Anyway. Before New Directions goes on, it’s show circle time! Will gives Rachel the opportunity to give the pre-show pep talk. She describes crawling back to McKinley because she needed to get her groove back. She got it, and so much more. Her motivations are no longer selfish. Even as wonderful opportunities open up for her, all she cares about in this moment is the club. Go out there and ENJOY it, she says. It sounds like she’s taken Kurt’s little pep talk to heart.

Back in the locker room, Spencer is about to get a cortisone shot, when Roderick stops him. He’s got an idea.

The New Directions close the show and they are WONDERFUL. The newbies are such a great addition to Glee, it’s a crime that we have such a short time with them. The song selections are killer. Roderick’s (Noah Guthrie) voice is tailor- made for “Take Me To Church.” It’s his first competition solo and he nails it. Kitty joins him to duet. Jane sings a gospel descant. THIS IS TREMENDOUS.

Take Me To Church – New Directions/Warblers

https://youtu.be/J4jG8cR7y9c

“Chandelier” is next. Madison and Kitty sing leads, and just as you’re thinking how awesome it is, newest club member, 13 year old Myron, busts out wearing a SIA wig and doing his best Maddie Ziegler impression all over the damn auditorium. It’s hilarious. Apparently, Myron took it upon himself to add this bit of color, as Rachel and Kurt are completely surprised and amused. Ditto when Spencer comes swinging through the stage, literally swinging on a Chandelier. I guess this was Roderick’s great idea? I’m enough of a control freak, that I would be pretty pissed if my charges decided to make random changes to a routine without asking. Nevertheless, it all makes for seemingly organized and entertaining chaos. This is the thing about New Directions. The heart and humor they display ALWAYS trumps the robotic precision of their nemesis, Vocal Adrenaline.

Chandelier – New Directions/Warblers

https://youtu.be/rv1MHcqEIsc

The newbies get all the solos, while the Warblers seem to exist to supply the big dance moves. Everyone looks natty in their sharp red blazers!

New Directions bring it home with “Sail Away.” Mason sings lead, as Spencer hobbles out on his crutches. Madison duets. It’s ANTHEMIC as a great Glee competition song should be. This is it kids. The LAST Glee competition episode and I am happy to report it’s a GREAT one.

Sail Away – New Directions/Warblers

https://youtu.be/bwN63Ja7kmE

Donna Landry, the cranky vice comptroller is back as show choir judge, along with Rod Remington and Butch Melman, Westminster Kennel Club trainer of the year (Fortune Feimster). The trainer’s GIANT POODLE actually got the invite, and will be choosing the winner with his paw. Donna is black and unfortunately has to endure Rod’s inappropriate, creepy racist horn dogging over Jane and her “natural Pam Grier Afro,” that got him “hankering for a piping hot cup of cocoa.” The GIANT POODLE only barks at black people. Uhm. What?

The judges panel, played always as a joke, randomly end up voting for New Directions. Did you doubt for even a minute that New Directions would come in first?  Vocal Adrenaline is 2nd and The Falconers are third. Aw. I love the way Jane and the Warbler lead guy clutch hands as they wait for the verdict. This group has really become a team.

After, Will and Sue face each other in the hall. Incredibly, Sue claims that she meant to do that. It turns out that she really DID appreciate that Will and Beiste stood up for her after the Geraldo Rivera hack job. She sabotaged Vocal Adrenaline from the inside, in order to hand Will the competition. Yes, it seemed like she coached her team to win, but there were subtle decisions tailored to push all the negative buttons of the judges. Like, for instance, picking a Jefferson Starship song when Rod Remington had once been in an acrimonious open relationship with the whole band. Kicking off a day of mass puking at McKinley was about jump starting a little weight loss and the glitter bomb was designed to get the adrenaline pumping at just the right time. The car bombing, however, was just for fun. When Will refuses to thank her (or believe her, really) she’s back on the warpath. Or so she says. The last shot of the episode is Sue, looking in on the Glee club celebrating in the choir room, with a satisfied smile on her face.

Jesse waits for Rachel in the auditorium. He admits that he misses his Glee club days–all the teen angst, and life or death drama. But he and “Berry” have bigger fish to fry. He invites her to crash at his pad when she moves back to New York to take that Broadway part. But Rachel has decided. She’s going back to NYADA. Jesse isn’t mad. Sad that he won’t be sharing the stage with Rachel, proud that she went with her gut. She’s choosing to make her way back to Broadway the hard way. Or the stupid way, maybe.

They hug. And kiss goodbye. And we know where this is going. Bye Sam! Did she ever even break up with him? She’ll be there at Jesse’s opening night. He better not screw up, because she’ll be there with an egg in her purse. She’s never going to let him live that horrible Vocal Adrenaline prank down.

Back at school, the new trophy takes its place in the case. Rachel glances at the spot where the old trophies sit and Kitty checks that. She suggests all the old awards go in the case next to the new ones. As the newbies symbolically install each trophy, the scene flashes back to the old guard celebrating each one of those wins. When Rachel and Finn grab the nationals trophy, I got a little teary-eyed. Next week’s finale is going to be really really hard. I’ll be stocking up on tissues this week.

Highlights:

• Jesse St. James comes back into Rachel’s life! As she’s singing “Listen to Your Heart” Jesse surprises her in the auditorium. It’s a total call back to their “Rolling in the Deep” duet.
• If she takes the Russell Simmons musical, he will be her leading man. He really wants her to take it. But Kurt and Sam believe she needs to go back to scratch–back to college where she can be inspired.
• In the end, Rachel decides to go back to NYADA.
• Kurt plans to head back to NYADA. Blaine has been accepted to NYU!
• The Sectionals performances were fantastic. FANTASTIC. Reminded me all over again why I love this friggin show.
• Of course, New Directions/Warblers WON sectionals.
• Sue claims that she sabotaged Vocal Adrenaline so that New Directions would win, because after the Geraldo Rivera hack job, Will and Sheldon were the only ones that supported her.  Will is skeptical.
• Spencer sprains his ankle learning new dance moves. He’s determined to perform no matter what, even if it exacerbates the injury in the long run.  Roderick comes up with an alternate to shooting himself up with cortisone, which involves Spencer swinging on a chandelier during “Chandelier.”  The 13 year old kid is HILARIOUS in a Sia wig playing the Maddie Ziegler part from the video.
•  Sue blew kids out of cannons during the Vocal Adrenaline performance of “Mickey”, just like she wanted Brittany to do back in season 2. Nobody died, however.
• The last scene took place in the choir room. As they kids put old New Directions trophies back in the case there were flashbacks to past wins. Definitely got a lump in my throat right there.

I’ll be back later with a full recap! Also, DON’T MISS Glee at Paley Fest! CLICK to  LIVESTREAM the panel beginning at 10:55 ET

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Photo Gallery

Glee Season 6 Finale Promo

https://youtu.be/U50e4fh49X8