Glee Episode 509 Recap: Frenimies Forever!

Meanwhile in the City of York, Adam Lambert and Kurt are hitting up Sam Goody so Kurt can pretend to learn guitar for two episodes.

Then I just stuck both my index fingers right into two adjacent electrical outlets and ever since my hair has done this completely on its own

Then I just stuck both my index fingers right into two adjacent electrical outlets and ever since my hair has done this completely on its own

Obviously the rascally rabbits are inspired by the instruments surrounding them to break into a rousing musical number.

ANAL FISTING IS THE BOMB!

ANAL FISTING IS THE BOMB!

The song in question is “I Believe in A Thing Called Love” by The Darkness, which was my ex-boyfriend’s ringtone in 2003 until he slept with this girl on the swim team and so I snorted a bunch of things and went to a party and we got in a fight on the phone and he threw his phone at his car window and broke it. Anyway where was I. THE MUSIC!

Let's Do-Si-Do With Megan Rapinoe

Let’s Do-Si-Do With Megan Rapinoe

This performance is amazing because everything Adam Lambert does is amazing and I have a weak spot in my heart for real-life-gay-boys-playing-gay-boys-singing-songs together. See:

http://youtu.be/gka__DBWZhw


Back at the Barbie Dreamhouse Bushwick Loft, Rachel’s flipping out about how Santana is pursuing her career and “Rain on my Parade” belongs to Lea Michele and Kurt is like, okay you need to slow your roll.

ME WANT JUNIOR MINTS GIVE NOW

ME WANT JUNIOR MINTS GIVE NOW

Then Santana arrives and is like HELLO ROOMIES and all hell breaks loose.

Look, I spread my legs, and you just stick your head between them and go for the gold. It's really quite simple, Rachel.

Look, I spread my legs, and you just stick your head between them and go for the gold. It’s really quite simple, Rachel.

Santana says Rachel’s really been enjoying being cooler than Santana with her Big Broadway show, and Rachel says that Fanny Brice can’t be Puerto Rican because she’s a New York Jew which is HILARIOUS on so many levels like that Broadway doesn’t work like that but especially because Rachel played Maria in the Glee edition of West Side Story. Anyhow, then Santana says that Rachel’s ambition is fueled by all of the hate she got in high school, which is really reductive and also inaccurate as Rachel Barbara Berry has wanted to be a star since she first sat in front of a mirror with a hairbursh.

These are MY boobs and you can't touch them anymore!

These are MY boobs and you can’t touch them anymore!

Kurt volunteers to make espresso so everybody can chill out because espresso is right up there with “cocaine” and “amphetamines” as #1 Best Way To Chill Out.

This is gonna get really awkward when my rent boy shows up

This is gonna get really awkward when my grindr date shows up

Santana wants Rachel to admit that she’s just jealous that all of Rachel’s singing lessons and assorted privileges didn’t stop Santana from being just as good as her, and Rachel starts packing up her shit in that disorganized wrinkled way that people only pack on television shows, and really Santana should stop saying these terrible mean untrue things, but also Rachel should just stop, period — or, rather, should never have started this fight to begin with.

And let's be real, you're always eyeing my nipples like a nursing infant

And let’s be real, you’re always eyeing my nipples like a nursing infant

Santana says, “I was better than you then, and I’m always gonna be better than you. You are short, you are awful, and that is never gonna change.” Then Rachel slaps her in the face.

And then Rachel says she should move out.

Kurt: “This is crazy! We’re friends.”

AND THEN, as if on cue, Santana gets the call — she’s Rachel’s new understudy, SURPRISE! I already knew that this was gonna happen because Intern Grace emailed me about it like two months ago.

"You know, I'm thinking her skirt's so short I wouldn't even need to hike it up to fuck her properly" / "You know, I'm gonna have to agree with you there."

“You know, I’m thinking her skirt’s so short I wouldn’t even need to hike it up to fuck her properly” / “You know, I’m gonna have to agree with you there.”


We then slowly drive my grandparents’ car in the far right lane all the way from New York back to Lima, Ohio, home to the Econo Lodge of Lima, for the Valedictorian Speech-Off. Artie and Tina have both worn red, because that’s the color of blood and tomato juice. They both give speeches about how the other person is the most amazing person in the world.

I wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school... I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy...

I wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school… I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy…


We then book ourselves a 9:40 flight to New York City and, after rushing through security, panicking on the train and finally reaching the gate just in time for boarding we see that our flight has been delayed until 12:10 and so then we have breakfast at a little airport cafe and write a Glee Recap and think about how nice it would’ve been to sleep more than three hours last night if only the flight delay had been announced circa three hours ago and at last we arrive in New York, New York, where Santana is doing her makeup in Rachel’s dressing room even though Santana has her own space, somewhere, I’m sure, and also, this is rehearsal.

You know sooner or later you're gonna have to learn how to apply your own liquid eyeliner

You know Rachel sooner or later you’re gonna have to learn how to apply your own liquid eyeliner

The girls immediately begin bickering and threatening one another with cat fights and other potentially erotic situations. At least this fight is kind of funny.

Santana: “I would love for things to get physical, I would love to slap you so hard that you wouldn’t wake up until you’re old enough to be Funny Lady.”

One finger in the front, one fingertip in the back. That's all I ever approved.

One finger in the front, one fingertip in the back. That’s all I ever approved.

Then Mike Dexter shows up to tell them to stop fighting because they’re gonna be best best friends and all the journalists want to do big stories about “the two girls from the same high school in the same show.” He assures them that “as a team, you’ll be twice as famous.”

Plus I was thinking that later we could have a threesome

Who’s got two thumbs and wants a threesome? THIS GUY.

Mike Dexter commands the winsome duo to become Puppies and Rainbows. DONE.

puppiessss

We then segue into a performance of “Every Breath You Take” which is hot and wonderful because Rachel has an off-the shoulder-thing and Santana is Santana and I love this song and I love them singing it.

Ladies. Junior Mints. Pronto.

Ladies. Junior Mints. Pronto.

LADIES PLEASE TOSS THE JUNIOR MINTS UP THIS-A-WAY PLEASE

LADIES PLEASE TOSS THE JUNIOR MINTS UP THIS-A-WAY PLEASE I WILL EAT YOU OUT LATER

I wish this was the P.Diddy version of Every Breath you Take and suddenly Angel Haze showed up and was like, “Seems like yesterday we used to rock the show, I laced the track, you locked the flow, So far from hangin’ on the block for dough, Notorious, they got to know that, words can’t express what you mean to me, even though you’re gone we’re still a team.” Alas.

http://youtu.be/ZLxsfAaN2hY

In other words:

If even one person reading this understands the necessity of All About Eve references w/r/t this episode, that person will be blessed by the sun goddess forever.


Meanwhile at the Bushwick Barbie Dreamhouse Loft, Adam Lambert is eating giant pastries with Kurt and keeping it real.

And then I was like, seriously Kris Allen, you have to stop booty-calling me every night, it's awkward

And then I was like, seriously Kris Allen, you have to stop booty-calling me every night, it’s awkward

Adam Lambert: “You’re the first gay friend I’ve made in the city who’s not crazy or just trying to hook up. But I do know what you’re doing… I’m not trying to take over your band, man. I mean, I know that’s what you’ve been thinking, and that’s why we’ve been spending so much time together.”
Kurt: “You are kinda magic. I’m sorry. I just wanted to figure out exactly what your deal was.”

Adam Lambert is the only smart person in this episode and he wants to go out and kick ass together like the movie KICK-ASS. Plus they’re the only ones who ever show up for rehearsal, so they might wanna think about going Peter and Paul style. Then they decide to take a cute selfie where Adam is pretending to air-cheek-kiss Kurt.

There are so many options for captioning this photograph that I am paralyzed

There are so many options for captioning this photograph that I am paralyzed and unable to type a single funny word


We then dig an irrigation canal, fill it with orange juice, and swim all the way back to Lima, Ohio, home to The Elm Street Church of the Brethren, where Sue Sylvester is informing Artie and Tina that the panel was split on their speeches and therefore she’s decided to award them both the title of co-Salutatorians, because WHY ANYTHING.

But I'M the prettiest princess!

But I’M the prettiest princess!

Consequentially, Blaine has been promoted to Valedictorian because, I think — but I’m not absolutely sure but I’m pretty sure — because WHY ANYTHING.

If I don't get some hand lotion within the next 45 seconds, I'm gonna be a very unhappy boy

If I don’t get some hand lotion within the next 45 seconds, I’m gonna be a very unhappy boy

Blaine: “I know this sounds like a humblebrag but honestly, I feel like sometimes things just get handed to me.”

Har. Before this thrilling conversation can continue, Becky loudly inquires to Blaine why he and Kurt have broken up because she just spotted a chaste photo of Adam Lambert air-kissing Kurt’s cheek on instagram!

This is how gay men have sex

This is how gay men have sex

Becky: “Just friends, my ass. Speaking of ass, Pancake Face is getting some… oh SNAP.”

Blaine looks genuinely concerned, but only a little bit, almost like Darren Criss was rebelling against this implausible turn of character wherein he draws illogical conclusions from innocuous acts.


We then put our right hand in, put our right hand out, put our right hand in and we shake it all about, we do the hokey pokey and we turn ourselves around, and now we’re back in the Glee Room!

Uhhh does Blaine know we can all tell that he's wearing a bowtie with a polo shirt

Don’t look now but I think the guy in the polo is gay YOU GUYS I SAID NOT TO LOOK

It’s pretty obvious Blaine isn’t the smartest kid in their graduating class because he is wearing a bowtie with a polo shirt.

ha

Nope

Blaine says that he’s been asked to be Valedictorian and would like to ruin it by turning it into a musical number.

Blaine: “Whatever song we pick, we should pick together. And you should both definitely have solos, and Tina we could film rehearsal and send it to Brown and you’re so artsy and progressive that I’m sure once they see it, they’re just gonna open up those Van Winkle gates for you.”

Yes, I’m sure the Brown Admissions staff spends their summer watching videos of waitlisted seniors singing terrible pop song covers. She should’ve applied to Yale like Quinn did or Harvard like Brit-Brit didn’t, that seems way easier.


We then hit up our local Famous Footwear for some Fantastic Footwear Deals, select a suitable and sensible pair of business shoes that match our business pants, and walk formally all the way back to New York, New York, home to so many park benches and bleeding hearts, where Santana and Rachel are continuing to scream at each other’s faces.

Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena / Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegria y cosa buena

Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena / Que tu cuerpo es pa’ darle alegria y cosa buena

Rachel: “This is betrayal Kurt, this is exactly how friends break up.”
Kurt: “She auditioned for your understudy, Rachel! How is that betrayal?”
Rachel: “Okay, let me break it down for you — the sole purpose of an understudy is to hope that the lead never goes on. She only wins if I lose! And I can’t be around this negative energy anymore. This is my big break and she is poisoning it!”

Rachel knows that she was gonna have an understudy regardless, right? It might as well be a hot lesbian.

Posing for imaginary selfies in her head

Can’t figure out if Rachel’s shirt is a real shirt or three shirts that got gay married and became one shirt

Kurt: “Even if she never went out on that stage, this would be a very important job for her. And I’m a little disappointed that you can’t find the generosity in your heart to see that.”
Rachel: “You know what? If you think that she is just some babe in the woods who is perfectly fine living off of the scraps off of my star sandwich, then you are naive and willfully ignorant! She would kill for this part!”

In other words:

And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.

And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive. Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive.

The way Kurt says, “Rachel, no,” is just the most perfect accurate honest line in this entire episode, because the face he makes is exactly and precisely the face you make when your friend says something disappointing because it contradicts who you think they should be, as a person, and because you know that it’s not really who they are either, that they’re just wound up tight and leaking mistakes and just… no. Just no.

Rachel: “I am on the cusp of something that most people never even touch, a dream come true, I am gonna be a star on Broadway, and I’m not gonna let one moment of this amazing, life-altering experience be ruined by two friends who aren’t even my friends. That’s it. I’m done, I’m leaving.”

Now who's gonna do the dishes

On the other hand, I think this means I can make Prime Rib tonight

This is probably a good call because as I mentioned in a prior recap, Rachel’s likely pulling in at least $2,500 a week for this gig (Santana probably will make less than half of that, except for the nights she goes on) and really ought to get a place within walking distance of the theater rather than a 1.5 hour subway ride away, ’cause she can obviously afford it. Just saying.

How long do we keep walking in opposite directions until I run into the door and don't know my next defiant move

How long do we keep walking in opposite directions until I run into the door and don’t know my next defiant move

Santana looks almost sad and stunned, but mostly defiant, and Kurt just looks sad. We then segue into “Breakaway,” cutting between the McKinley cast and the New York crew. You can watch this fine situation for your very own self:

http://youtu.be/iAurH11pW1s

Okay kiddos, I have to go to sleep now so I can go to the White House tomorrow and slip a “You Do You” sticker under Barack Obama’s door. Next week we’re promised that “Adam Lambert will get stuck in between Santana and Rachel’s feud,” which sounds like a sex dream I had last week.

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Riese

Riese is the 43-year-old Co-Founder of Autostraddle.com as well as an award-winning writer, video-maker, LGBTQ+ Marketing consultant and aspiring cyber-performance artist who grew up in Michigan, lost her mind in New York and now lives in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in nine books, magazines including Marie Claire and Curve, and all over the web including Nylon, Queerty, Nerve, Bitch, Emily Books and Jezebel. She had a very popular personal blog once upon a time, and then she recapped The L Word, and then she had the idea to make this place, and now here we all are! In 2016, she was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Digital Journalism. She's Jewish and has a cute dog named Carol. Follow her on twitter and instagram.

Riese has written 3271 articles for us.

17 Comments

  1. Adam Lambert singing I Believe In A Thing Called Love is something I’ve wanted in my life since 2009. That’s all I have to contribute.

  2. Can the girl band in the guitar store become Pamela Lansbury’s new rivals because…damn.

  3. “McKinley apparently has the worst guidance counselor of all time” She’s too busy making pamphlets and sexing the worst teacher of all time.

  4. If I was Rachel I’d be insecure about having Santana as an understudy as well, Rachel totally got pwned in that Brave song. In performance and appearance.

  5. The show includes singing, square dancing, smizing, sploshing, boyfriend jeans, patriarchal spellcheck, Faygo, bacterial vaginosis, cosplay, snow days, crystal meth, showgirls, and $8 hot dogs.


    THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING:

  6. I was practically yelling at my computer the entire time I was watching the Rachel/Santana drama… Rachel had insisted she didn’t need an understudy the entire episode. Until, of course, Santana became her understudy. And then it became a big deal all of a sudden. If you’re not going to need an understudy why does it MATTER?! If you’re so sure that your understudy is never going to be needed, then why are you have a temper-tantrum that a troublesome-two-year-old would be jealous of?! Rachel is such a dramatic little wench.

    • I mean, if this was real life, there’s absolutely no possibility that Rachel won’t need an understudy. The show could run for years and with eight performances a week, and there’s no way that at no point during those years that she wouldn’t need a cover, ever. but seriously being the lead in a broadway musical is the hugest thing, and she’ll be getting paid WAY more than santana will — there’s nothing comparable about their situations at all. Rachel has the superior position by a longshot! somebody has to be her understudy, after all, why not have it be a friend? santana’s position is very definitively FAR below hers, in perhaps the most obvious way possible.

  7. My sister wisely pointed out that if this was real life Rachel would WANT a damn understudy. No one wants to do 8 shows a week with no break for a minimum of 8 months. Bitch please.

  8. Unpopular opinion but Rachel’s Rain On My Parade was significantly better than Santana’s. Sure, Naya has an amazing voice, but she had 0 emotion or character while singing in. Even years later, I still get chills watching Rachel sing the first time. I couldn’t finish Santana’s version because it’s boring.

    Although I appreciate the jab. Well-played, Lopez.

    • Agreed. I mean, Naya Rivera is amazing, but compared to Lea Michele’s version of that song… Meh.

  9. Although every time they mention Quinn now I want to stab myself in the face, I’m just waiting for Pezberry to happen. This is getting ridiculous.

Comments are closed.