Glee Breaks Down Stereotypes: Episode Review: Season 2 Episode 6 - Never Been Kissed

Glee is a show that has never been “ordinary."  From day one it has shown that originality still has a home in Hollywood.  Episode 6 of Season 2, “Never Been Kissed,” was no different.

In this episode there were two major storylines.  The first has Kurt becoming more and more affected by the bullying he’s been experiencing at school, mostly from a burly football player named, Dave Karofsky, played by actor, Max Adler.  The second storyline involves certain Glee members, (namely Finn, Sam, Mike and Tina) using visions of the new Coach Beast in sexy situations to help them “cool off” while making out with their partners.

In the hands of most writers, the storyline about Coach Beast would remain simply some funny visuals of the powerfully built actress, Dot Jones ,in some funny getups like a ballerina costume or some ill-fitting lingerie.

Instead, the Coach learns what’s going on.  In a very moving and well-acted scene between Mr. Schuster (Matthew Morrison) and the coach, Will has to tell the Coach what the kids have been doing.  He then tells her she shouldn’t “take it personally,” which of course she does.  How could she not?

With this shift in tone, the writers end up finding a parallel between the Kurt story and the Coach Beast story.  They have both felt the pangs that come with being different.  Also, neither of them has ever been kissed.  The Coach reveals this news to Will as he attempts to repair her wounded pride and convince her to stay at the school.  In an incredibly sweet move, Will leans in and gives the Coach her first kiss; a chaste press of the lips.

Meanwhile Kurt continues to deal with abuse from classmate Dave Karosfky.  Fed up of dealing with the humiliation and abuse, Kurt goes to a private boys school,  under the pretence of snooping on their all boy accapella group; a group who is to be New Directions’ competition in sectionals this year.  In reality, Kurt is also snooping for an alternative to McKinley High.  What he finds at the school is a friendship (possibly more?) with another openly gay boy named Blaine.   Blaine left his old school after dealing with relentless bullying , to come to the boys school, which has a zero tolerance policy for abuse.  Blaine cautions Kurt; however, against “running away” from the problem.  Instead he encourages Kurt with text messages containing only the word, “Courage.”

Kurt shows incredible courage when, after being shoved into the lockers once again by Dave, he follows him and confronts him in the locker room.  After a heated argument in which Kurt tells Dave to just hit him if he’s going to, Dave grabs Kurt and kisses him.  Kurt pulls away and Dave tries to pull him back to kiss him again.  When Kurt shoves him away, Dave runs out of the locker room.

In spite of this encounter, Dave continues his abuse when Kurt and Blaine try to confront him and help him come to terms with who he is.  In complete denial, Dave hurls insults, and leaves.  When Kurt seems overly upset by this, Blaine asks him why.  It’s then that Kurt admits that before Dave he’d never been kissed.  This succeeds in pulling the two storylines together perfectly and showing that teachers and students may have more in common than they think.

When Glee came on the air last year it seemed like a fun, exciting, romp; great music and larger-than-life characters.  Now, with the recent rash of teen suicides which have resulted from bullying and homophobia, the show finds itself in a position to help some of their audience members deal with the enormous pressure and pain that comes with being different and with refusing to compromise who you are.  It’s a position that clearly suits the writers well, since their scripts continue to combine heart and messages of strength with a whole lot of fun and singing thrown in for good measure.

Photo Credit: Adam Rose / FOX