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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the EP of the same name.

Bash is the fifteenth episode of Glee's fifth season and the hundred and third episode overall. The episode aired on April 8, 2014.

While the NYADA students prepare assignments for the mid-winter critique, Rachel struggles to cope with the combined pressure of her Funny Girl role and her dramatic studies, while Kurt deals with a gay bashing incident. Rachel makes a drastic decision about her future following a confrontation with Madame Tibideaux over her poor effort in classes, and an argument between her and Kurt has unforeseen consequences. Meanwhile, Mercedes begins to question whether her interracial relationship with Sam will harm her Music career.

The episode was written by Ian Brennan and directed by Bradley Buecker.

Plot[]

Rachel, Sam, Kurt and Blaine attend a candlelight vigil held for Russ, a gay man who has been the victim of a homophobic assault. Rachel, Kurt and Blaine sing No One Is Alone as they lay roses in front of his picture. Kurt looks particularly emotional.

Bash bts (27)

At the Funny Girl rehearsals, Sidney calls the cast and crew together. He explains that it is vital for the show to be a hit, and as such the next two weeks are very important, as the cast should be focusing totally on the production. Rachel watches him nervously, and chases after him when he concludes his speech. She asks permission to miss one rehearsal in order to perform at her mid-winter critique. Sidney grudgingly agrees to make one exception.

At Mercedes' apartment, Sam is noisily watching a late night run of The Facts of Life. Awakened, Mercedes joins him. Sam explains that at the old apartment, Blaine would read him Star Wars fanfiction to help him go to sleep. He asks why Mercedes broke up with him, and she explains that she wasn't ready for a relationship at the time also reminding him about all the other girls he's dated. Sam wants to discuss their relationship further, but Mercedes brings up all of his relationships he's had since they've been together; telling him that he's moved on, and so has she. They continue to awkwardly watch the TV, but after about ten seconds, Mercedes leaps on Sam, and they begin making out passionately.

Bash still

At the Bushwick Apartment, the group come together for their weekly pot-luck dinner. Mercedes finds a leaflet and asks what it's about, and Rachel explains that it's for their neighbor's friend, who was assaulted. The group reflect on the rising levels of hate-crime in New York with sadness, and Kurt suggests that they change the subject. He begins talking about the upcoming mid-winter critiques at NYADA, and reveals that Madame Tibideaux has given them "the ultimate musical theater challenge" - Sondheim. As they discuss whether to perform a duet, Mercedes and Sam unsubtly play footsie under the table. Artie notices, and Mercedes, flustered, tells the group that she has restless leg syndrome, and forgot to take her iron pills.

Mercedes and Sam go for a walk along the East River. Sam is annoyed that the two can't go public with their relationship, and begins throwing coins into the water to make a wish, despite chastisement from a member of the public. They joke together, enjoying each other's company, and Sam suggests they go and get a hot dog, but Mercedes tells him to go back to the apartment. Before he leaves, she tells him that if they are going to be in a relationship, they need to take it slow. Alone, Mercedes performs You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman on a carousel. That evening, Sam meets Mercedes' backup singers at a café. He inadvertently makes a poor impression of himself, embarrassing Mercedes. Followed up by an awkward conversation afterwards.

This performance is gonna kill me!

At NYADA, Blaine and Rachel perform Broadway Baby. At the end, they receive warm applause from the audience, but Madame Tibideaux is unimpressed. She tells them that they have ignored the aim of the assignment by performing a duet, and acted as if they are above the rest of the class. Despite Rachel's protests, she announces that she is flunking them both, leaving the two mortified. At the last minute, she gives them a final opportunity to perform as individuals, and tells them to reschedule. Rachel brings up her commitment to Funny Girl, and sees her later in her office, but Madame Tibideaux remains resolute: she performs the same week, or she fails. Angrily, Rachel announces that she is quitting the school.

Mercedes' backup singers bring up their issues with Sam. They explain that there will be issues if she dates Sam, telling her that she will alienate black women who would buy her album. Mercedes angrily tells them that she doesn't care, but still seems struck by the conversation. When she arrives back at her apartment, she tells Sam that she's not sure she can go on with the relationship, revealing that she is worried what people will think. Angry, Sam remonstrates with her for her closed-minded attitude, but Mercedes is unchanged: she tells Sam to move out.

Kurt and Rachel sit in a cafe, talking about Rachel's resignation from NYADA. Kurt is confused as to her motives, urging her to think about her future. Rachel tells him that she can't let anything get in the way of her Broadway commitments, and accuses Kurt of being afraid of venturing out of his shell. She heatedly tells him that he is avoiding "growing up and being an adult," and Kurt flatly tells her to go screw herself. Angry, Rachel storms out, leaving Kurt emotionally charged.

While walking home, Kurt sees a man being beaten up in a side alley by two men. Running over to help, he pushes them away, but is hit over the head. Lying on the floor, he is punched again in the face, before the two men drive off in a pick-up truck. As they go about their lives, the flatmates are all informed about it over the phone, each shocked.

Klaine-Bash3

They congregate at the hospital, and anxiously wait for any news on his condition. A doctor explains that his injuries are nasty, but not life-threatening, and allow them to see him. They gather around Kurt's bed, very upset. Blaine performs an emotional rendition of Not While I'm Around to a sleeping Kurt, intercut with his performance of the same song at NYADA. At the end, the group files out, leaving Blaine alone with Kurt. He crawls onto the bed, and lies with him.

Mercedes invites Sam to her recording studio. She announces that she has an important song to sing to him, telling him that she has reconsidered since their last conversation. She sings Colorblind to him as he watches from the control room. At the end of the song, Sam enters the recording booth, and they hug.

Klaine-Bash6

Back at the hospital, Burt arrives to see Kurt. He is initially angry, telling Kurt off for running in and endangering himself. However, he soon becomes emotional, and expresses his disbelief that an incident of this nature would occur in New York. Kurt tells him that the incident has confirmed to him that he is Burt's son - the man he raised. In the street, Kurt and Blaine lay flowers for the assaulted man. Blaine tells Kurt that he has woken up from his coma.

BashKurt

At the apartment, Rachel and Kurt reconcile. They reconfirm their love for each other and share a hug, before they are joined by the rest of the group for their third pot-luck dinner. Sam and Mercedes announce that they are dating, and the rest of the group are happily surprised. They talk about Kurt's mid-winter critique performance the next day, and all assure him that they will be there to support him.

At the critique, Burt, Rachel, Blaine, Artie, Sam and Mercedes all watch happily as Kurt performs I'm Still Here. As he finishes to rapturous applause, they share a group hug.

Songs[]

Song Title Original Artist Performer(s)
No One Is Alone Cast of Into the Woods Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel,
and Rachel Berry
You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman Aretha Franklin

Mercedes Jones with Shaynice and Tesla

Broadway Baby Cast of Follies Blaine Anderson and Rachel Berry
Not While I'm Around Cast of Sweeney Todd Alumni
Colorblind Amber Riley Mercedes Jones
I'm Still Here Cast of Follies Kurt Hummel
  • Bash is an EP accompanying the music of this episode.

Guest Cast[]

Special Guest Star[]

Guest Stars[]

Co-Stars[]

  • Lloyd Bateman as Alex
  • Edwin Garcia II as Mark
  • Jeanette Brox as Assistant Stage Manager
  • Laura Jordan as Brooklynite

Absent Cast Members[]

Trivia[]

  • The episode had a 1.0 rating and was watched by 2.78 viewers. Source
  • This episode marks Rachel's hundredth appearance.
  • This episode is an unofficial Stephen Sondheim episode, featuring many of his songs.
  • Darren Criss and Stephen Sondheim were both featured together in a documentary called ‘Six By Sondheim’. They both performed ‘Opening Doors’ alongside Jeremy Jordan and America Fererra, which can be found here.
  • Darren Criss’s second professional role was when he was 11 playing Mauro in “Do I Hear A Waltz” written by Stephen Sondheim and Richard Rodgers. Source
  • This is the second time Mercedes sings two solos in a single episode, the first being Grilled Cheesus.
    • This is also the second time that Mercedes sings two solos to/about the same person in a single episode. The first being Grilled Cheesus when she sang to Kurt.
  • This is the second time an actor sings their own song in an episode, the first being Matthew Morrison who sang Still Got Tonight in New York.
    • However, Colorblind is the only song that was released.
  • The episode version of Not While I'm Around is a live solo by Blaine, whereas the studio version also includes Mercedes, Rachel, and Sam.
  • This episode marks the final appearance of Carmen Tibideaux.

Cultural references[]

  • During the dinner scene with Mercedes and her friends, Sam begins beating his chest as a reference to the film The Wolf of Wall Street.

Mistakes[]

  • During the flashback of Blaine reading Sam Star Wars fan-fiction, Sam should have had long hair as he was still living at the Bushwick Apartment, but his hair is cut short. However, that scene could be taken from the brief period between Sam leaving his first apartment and him and Blaine moving into Mercedes' apartment.
    • It could also be a production error.
  • While Mercedes and Sam are watching TV, after Mercedes tells Sam she just wants to watch the show, Sam pulls the blanket close to him, but in the next scene its spread out again.
  • Seeing as Rachel could not make any other night to redo her showcase, she technically shouldn't have been able to come to Kurt's performance as she should have had rehearsal.

Quotations[]

Carmen Tibideaux: Excellent performance. Or it would have been, had the assignment been a duet. Apparently, you both feel that you're above this class, and all that governs it.

Rachel: No, no, not at all Madame Tibideaux!

Carmen Tibideaux: I'm flunking you both. Next!

Carmen Tibideaux and Rachel Berry


Just... don't do it again unless I'm right next to you... we'll take 'em together.

Burt Hummel to Kurt Hummel

Gallery[]

Navigational[]

v - e - d

Glee Episodes

Season One
PilotShowmanceAcafellasPreggersThe Rhodes Not TakenVitamin DThrowdownMash-UpWheelsBalladHairographyMattressSectionalsHell-OThe Power of MadonnaHomeBad ReputationLaryngitisDream OnTheatricalityFunkJourney

Season Two
AuditionBritney/BrittanyGrilled CheesusDuetsThe Rocky Horror Glee ShowNever Been KissedThe SubstituteFurtSpecial EducationA Very Glee ChristmasThe Sue Sylvester ShuffleSilly Love SongsComebackBlame It on the AlcoholSexyOriginal SongA Night of NeglectBorn This WayRumoursProm QueenFuneralNew York

Season Three
The Purple Piano ProjectI Am UnicornAsian FPot o' GoldThe First TimeMash OffI Kissed a GirlHold on to SixteenExtraordinary Merry ChristmasYes/NoMichaelThe Spanish TeacherHeartOn My WayBig BrotherSaturday Night Glee-verDance with SomebodyChokeProm-asaurusPropsNationalsGoodbye

Season Four
The New RachelBritney 2.0MakeoverThe Break-UpThe Role You Were Born to PlayGleaseDynamic DuetsThanksgivingSwan SongGlee, ActuallySadie HawkinsNakedDivaI DoGirls (and Boys) on FilmFeudGuilty PleasuresShooting StarSweet DreamsLights OutWonder-fulAll or Nothing

Season Five
Love, Love, LoveTina in the Sky with DiamondsThe QuarterbackA Katy or A GagaThe End of TwerkMovin' OutPuppet MasterPreviously Unaired ChristmasFrenemiesTrioCity of Angels100New DirectionsNew New YorkBashTestedOpening NightThe Back-Up PlanOld Dog, New TricksThe Untitled Rachel Berry Project

Season Six
Loser Like MeHomecomingJagged Little TapestryThe Hurt Locker, Part OneThe Hurt Locker, Part TwoWhat the World Needs NowTransitioningA WeddingChild StarThe Rise and Fall of Sue SylvesterWe Built This Glee Club2009Dreams Come True

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