History Recap / GleeS5E5TheEndOfTwerk

* "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, performed by Will, Artie, Jake and Bree with New Directions

* NotImportantToThisEpisodeCamp: Santana.

We start today's twerk-in-progress with nondescript music; this is revealed to be coming from Blaine's headphones as he's cleaning up the choir room ShakingTheRump in the process. What he's unaware of is that he has an audience, specifically Tina secretly filming him. We then see ND chuckle at the video and Blaine's embarrassment, however Will, because again, ideas, assholes, obviously makes this week's lesson into "Twerk" and aw, hell no. At least Hairography was an interesting one. It's painful how much we miss original Glee. As reinforced by the spontaneous twerking, we hit the TitleCard.

After a heart-wrenching pause to mourn seasons 1 and 2, Dianna being a regular cast member, the beauty and innocence of those 10 kids we like and Sue and Emma's characterization, we're in the auditorium. Jake explains that twerking started in UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, and that attitude is the drive. He and Kitty go into Twerk 101, Artie distracted by the gyrations as he should be. Unfortunately for them, who is not distracted is the resident despot, Sue observing from above displeased. Cut to a random NY barber shop where we see Rachel get an ImportantHaircut ([[Recap/GleeS2E22NewYork New York is the only place this can happen]], FYI), then we cut to rehearsal space for "Funny Girl", where we find the director, whom we're just gonna call Carlisle, and Mr. Fantastic, who's name is Paolo San Pablo (This is basically Hispanic "Jesse St James", while we're mentioning it) even though Ioan Gruffudd is [[CulturalBlending Welsh]]. When she reveals the shorter 'do, Carlisle is displeased[[note]]which is fair, because even a recent high school graduate should know it’s kind of a rule to not change your appearance without your director’s approval in the middle of a show[[/note]], but Rachel retorts that she's gone through hell lately and needed a fresh start. Her and Mr. Fantastic do a number, and afterwards Carlisle relents about the haircut. Speaking of cuts, we then find ourselves in Will's history class, when suddenly Unique has to use the facilities. And we're gonna now say unintentional {{Foreshadowing}} for real life future events and leave it at that. So, Unique decides to use the female restroom -- duh. But, a sudden Bree doesn't like this. However, this lets everyone believe that the signs on bathrooms are pointless and they're a free-for-all, Bree using the boys' bathroom as her personal make-out spot (Faberry still have digs in the girls' bathroom for ''that'') and this causes Brett (aw, Stoner Brett) to frequent the girls', until a montage shows that all the restrooms have just become full on [[{{Series/AllyMcBeal}} Ally McBeal]]. It's ridiculous, and we want to weep as the sacred Faberry toilets are defiled for the use of a wasteful plot. They clearly didn't know what to do with all the time they were given. We have some suggestions, and most of them involve a certain mostly-blonde former cheerleader. Or, you know, anything else, really. Cut to Bushwick, where Kurt couch potatoes as Rachel enters, Kurt floored by the hair. Turns out, what a shock, she got a wig just in case Carlisle didn't take too fondly to the haircut. What a cop out, Rach. Quinnie would disapprove. And then grasp you by the hair whilst you "apologize" to her. Anyway, when called out, Rachel calls Kurt boring, saying she needs the rush of urgency, the ability to take risks. Kurt, suspecting something else, asks if this has to do with Finn, and she says it's part of her grieving, rushing into life. Kurt is motivated, and Rachel calls for a bottle of Limoncello as anesthesia for something. If this leads to piercings in fun places, I'm outta here.

After the break, we see Rod Remington alongside supposedly rehired coanchor Andrea, reminding us all that apparently, Sue's Corner is still a thing. Sue bans twerking at [=McKinley=], and denounces it as a record low in American culture. Very good Susan. Cut to an apopalyptic New Directions, as Will arrives. Now, to try and get people to watch, the Glee creators have resorted to whatever is big on the Internet approximately 9 months after the episode is supposed to take place. In this case, Robin Thicke (though, if you'll remember, the glee club has been endorsing this guy since [[Recap/GleeS1E2Showmance episode 2]]) and, as the title indicates, twerking. Therefore, in order to rebel against this ("rebellion" is this episode's theme, but sadly there is no reappearance of Quinn's skank phase, except when she and Rachel are behind closed doors) we get a performance of everybody's [[SarcasmMode favorite]] ode to chemically-induced non-consent, as encouraged/told to do it by Will. And oh yes the Pedo!Will does return. Out of the questionable character presentations we wanted to make a comeback, Quinn looking hot rocking pink hair (and having sex with Rachel) is far preferable to Will being inappropriate in a vest. As you'd expect, Will is hauled into Sue's office where RealityEnsues and he is fired for the second time. Great track record, Hairgel. However, Smug Will is an asshole, pledging to go to the school board. Cut to a tattoo parlor. Okay then. Seems Rachel's wants to echo her lady love and get some ink. Out comes the Limoncello as an employee arrives.

After the break, we see Rachel try to cook something. Oh dear. Kurt stumbles in, having gotten the worse of the hangover. He then presents his tattoo, the first time we see Kurt shirtless. The tattoo? "it's get better". Because drunk. Young Hummel is not pleased as we cut to Unique trying to use the men's room. Guess how that ends? Yep. TBH we're not sure what the intention of this is. Oh, yes, it's rounding up the heavy transphobia storyline that was glazed over in favor of showing the restrooms as parties. It's quite a heavy storyline after all the twerking nonsense, complete with Alex Newell killing it. This is one of two killer performances this episode, we'll see the other one later. Cut to the auditorium for Will's appeal. Amongst the schoolboard is Superintendent Robert Harris (Christopher Cousins), whom we saw three episodes ago and we'll see later this season and more of next season. The appeal consists of Will explaining about dances that were once scandalous but are now excepted, with New Directions offering examples. Harris considers what we know to be a ForegoneConclusion as we go to break.

We return to find Will, newly rehired of course, back in Sue's office where she's revealed that she's given Unique her own toilet. This being both Glee and Sue, it is of course a portajohn bolted onto the choir room floor. Which Tina uses. Because Murphy. Cut to Kurt returning to the tattoo parlor, where he goes for a refund, but instead gets a peptalk on not playing it safe. He takes Kurt to redo the tattoo as we cut to Marley. Now, as we established last time, Bree seduced Jake. Now we need the payoff, and part one of that is Bree lowering the boom on Marley. She tries to say he'd aim higher, but Bree, in classic Sue fashion, spins it by saying Marley is committing SlutShaming. As Bree exits and Marley cracks we go to break.

We return to Marley at Jake's locker and her begging him to deny. The silence speaks the volumes, and she storms off. What follows here is something amazing. As said earlier, there were two killer performances in this episode. This is another instance where Glee arguably outdoes the original song, and Melissa Benoist pours ''everything'' into it, pain, anger, heartbreak. This, her final solo, is considered ''her'' SignatureSong as much as it is [[Music/MileyCyrus Miley's]]. Afterwards, slight MoodWhiplash as Unique asks to use the hideous toilet. Will though has a different idea, and tells her that as this episode showed, you can't change the world overnight. As such, he takes Unique to the staff bathroom, so whenever she needs to go she has to go find him and he'll escort and unlock it for her. That's all well and good, but sometimes this passiveness is just ridiculous. Sometimes we wish the glee boys beat the jocks into acceptance. You know, rare time we say this, but in this instance, we miss you Finnegan. Of course, even benign rebellion is still rebellion as we see Sue observe and stew. Cut to Will back in Sue's office, where Sue offers an olive branch; Unique gets to use the staff bathroom if twerking stops. He of course refuses, citing it as an example of civil disobedience. Right. And then, in a moment both shocking and sorta not, "Carmina Burana" cues up and it's ''Will'' who throws the bitch fit. So, you tell Unique you can't change the world overnight, then you call your actions civil disobedience, then you pitch a bitch fit. Will, you're an idiot, and so are the writers.

We return to Bushwick for the home stretch, Kurt telling Rachel he got his tattoo fixed to "It's got Bette Midler", as well as a tongue piercing, him explaining that much like Rachel, he was in a trance since Finn, and needed to shock himself back to life. He asks to see Rachel's, and she says she couldn't go through with it. She's lying, she obviously got Quinn's face on her lower back. No, of course she got Finn's name on her hip and we won't begrudge her that.

We do have to say it's sorta funny how everyone is [[DoubleStandard applauded]] for rebelling in the same way that poor pink-haired Lucy was verbally abused by teachers for... oh, wait. Yeh, why is it a good thing when Kurt goes all tattoo and piercings but when Quinn does it everyone has every damn right to insult, belittle, and tear her down? The answer, as always, is that Ryan Murphy hates Dianna Agron for rising above his dubious material. Pain is temporary, bitch fits are forever.

Anyway, back at [=McKinley=], Will declares twerking to be done, doing the right thing and deciding when to pick battles. Unique then decides that they need a lighthearted song to make them happy again (remembering this episode joined a select few with content warnings). "On Our Way" is apparently the answer, but one word off [[Recap/GleeS3E14OnMyWay an episode that really wasn't lighthearted]]. With a sudden merry-go-round on stage, all and sundry dance our way out, some more sadly than others.

* IndianBurialGround : Referenced, when the school supervisor passes a move to "dig up the school parking lot and move the Indian bones."

* ShirtlessScene : We get one from Kurt, for the first time.

Anyway, back at [=McKinley=], Will declares twerking assignment has been cancelled, doing the right thing and deciding when to pick battles. When the students question this decision, Unique stands up and takes the blame, saying that Will ended up accepting Sue's offer for her well-being. Unique says that it wouldn't have been necessary, but Will shrugs it off, saying that everyone in the choir room would have done that for Unique. The group then discusses that they won't really miss rebelling, since they were hiding their true selves that way. They then agree that they need a lighthearted song that is more in accordance with them and will make them motivated again (remembering this episode joined a select few with content warnings), namely an old school song. "On Our Way" is apparently the answer, but one word off [[Recap/GleeS3E14OnMyWay an episode that really wasn't lighthearted]]. With a sudden merry-go-round on stage, they all sing and dance, looking much happier than they were before, but Marley and Jake do not look very happy.