The Gleek Critique: "Mash Off" Episode

Santana belts out some Adelle with Mercedes and Brittany.  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

With both New Directions and the Troubletones competing at the upcoming sectionals, Mr. Schuester and Ms. Cochran decide that it would be fun to have the first ever McKinley High School Mash-Off.  Perhaps it will spark some friendly competition... or not-so-friendly.  Insults fly and soon the kids are battling it out not only vocally but grade school style with a game of dodge ball.  But things quickly turn from bad to worse when Finn calls Santana out on her homosexuality and everyone finds out.  How do they find out?  It's leaked in a campaign ad.

Speaking of campaign ads, Sue Sylvester is playing dirty, spreading ridiculous lies about Burt Hummel.  But she's not the only one.  Even in the campaigning for school president the students are getting vicious.  Everyone but Kurt that is.  Just like his father, Kurt plays fair.  Rachel is impressed with his ethics, and wanting to restore their friendship, she drops out of the race and encourages everyone to vote for Kurt.  Very cute.

After the kiss they shared, Puck is convinced that he is in love with Shelby and that the two of them should be together.  Shelby insists that the kiss was a mistake, but still lets Puck come over to see baby Beth.  During one visit, Puck comes clean about Quinn's plot to gain custody of the baby.  Shelby is upset and tells Quinn that she isn't allowed to see Beth anymore and that even though she got rid of her piercings and crazy hair color, she's still a lost little girl.

The Pros:

• Sue's hateful campaign ads about Burt Hummel's "baboon heart" and "donkey bride" were hilarious!  For as Sue says, "Winning is really about poo flinging."
• "You and I/You and I" was a pretty fun song.  Mostly because I don't think we've seen Matthew Morison and Idina Menzel sing a duet before.
• While a dodge ball war was a bit silly, I really liked the mash up they sang.  "Hit Me With Your Best Shot/One Way Or Another" was totally rockin.'
• Santana's character is one of my favorites and I really enjoyed her scenes this episode.  The very ending where she slapped Finn was so intense and quite possibly my very favorite ending to a Glee episode yet!
• Speaking of the end, the final song mashing up two of Adelle's songs "Rumour Has It" and "Someone Like You" was phenomenal!  I loved loved loved it!  I might have listened to it all week long leading up to tonight... just maybe.  Yes.  Yes, I did.  I love it!

The Cons:

• "Hot For Teacher" wasn't my favorite Glee number...  although some of Blaine and Mike's sexy dance moves were fun to watch.
• The hockey mullets make me want to vomit.
• You all know I love Kurt, but I found him to be a bit too preachy this episode for my tastes.
• No Glee next week?  Sad.