Abbott Elementary Season 2 Episode 18 Review: Teacher Appreciation
The writers of Abbott Elementary consistently hit it out of the park! This episode delved into some much-needed backstories for Janine and gave all of the cast a place to shine.
The beautiful thing about them fleshing out the Abbott Elementary world is that these characters feel real -- hilariously, real. We feel like they go home at night and come back to work the next day as we do.
And it's so refreshing. Abbott Elementary Season 2 Episode 18 was multi-dimensional. We saw competition, friendships outside of work, fights, and reconciliation. Watching these characters at each other's throats to get courtside tickets was riotous.
This episode was remarkable because we finally saw some of the staff. Even in assembly scenes, the show typically only shows the main cast, so this change was refreshing.
Again, it makes it much more realistic, making it even more watchable. Abbott has the distinction of having both relatable characters and relationships. We see the work-mom and work-wife dynamics in full effect.
Today, those relationships were tested -- by 76ers tickets! Two, to be precise. Ava led the crew to believe they would all be sitting courtside, only to snatch that dream like a Kardashian's waist. It was surprising, however, that Ava didn't just keep the tickets for herself, as she is known to be selfish.
The staff, including some never before seen teachers, met with Ava to vote on who should get the tickets, and mayhem ensued. Everyone projected and argued why they should get the tickets -- equating their self-perceived importance as grounds for deserving the tickets.
And to elevate yourself at Abbott Elementary, you have to down others! They began to put each other down, and insults were abundant. When Barbara started her rant on the importance of Kindergarten as the foundation of a child's education, Melissa tried to put out her fire -- only to be insulted in return.
Melissa: I mean, teaching kindergarten the most important, Barb? All you'se do is teach kindergarteners how to use safety scissors.
Barbara: And maybe if your kindergarten teacher had done a better job, you would know "you'se" is not plural for you.
These two never argue, and it was a sight to behold. Barbara was viciously catty, but Melissa was a worthy adversary. These work wives had a work spat, and Ava was there live streaming it all -- cheering for a fight. It was intense, but they had apologized by the episode's end.
Again, realistic. Sometimes there is unnecessary tension at work that progresses to this point. It's great that the teachers could put all the nasty words behind themselves and reconcile before the thirty-minute episode was up.
As they build the Abbott Universe, episodes like these are great fillers for the fans. It keeps the story moving but detracts and distracts from the story arcs currently being built. These episodic story treatments could be placed anywhere in the season and still entertain and delight fans.
But what about the storylines we are following? At least two are building slowly but surely -- the Legendary Charter school petition and the Janine-Gregory love story. The episode touched on these plots just enough to keep you watching for the culmination.
Janine: It's gonna be fun! And it's BYOBG!
Gregory: Bring your own Beer goggles?
Jacob: Bubble gum?
Gregory: Baby giraffe?
Jacob: Big Gulp?
Gregory: Britney Griner?
Jacob: Black Gregory?
Janine: What? No! Bring your own board game. Real simple.
- Permalink: What? No! Bring your own board game. Real simple.
- Added:
We find out that the school board is voting on the Charter School petition. What happened to the fight? The show led us to believe that Melissa, Ava, and Barbara would fight this petition, and somehow that snuck up on us.
Indeed, there is more coming to it. Will Abbott Elementary School be converted to a charter school, and we see the disadvantages, or will they show the ladies fighting the system and winning? It was barely featured in this episode, but it is a plot point worth pursuing.
The episode also barely mentioned Janine and Gregory's brewing romance. The only allusion to it was by Janine's friend, Erica. Erica's shade received a trademark Gregory Eddie symphony of microexpressions.
Their romance aside, the chemistry between these two characters is so authentic that if they maintained their platonic friendship but allowed us to see them build like this, I feel it could be as fulfilling as a romantic relationship.
The beauty of the writers creating their relationship organically is that they are complete characters without the romantic element. But even as the fans wait impatiently for their romantic tension's culmination, we root for them as individuals first and foremost.
Ava: Damn, she looks like a grown-up version of you. Like if your proportions were stretched out to a normal length.
Janine: Haha. We get it, Ava. I'm short.
Ava: It's just science, girl. Don't be mad about facts.
- Permalink: It's just science, girl. Don't be mad about facts.
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Janine, an avid oversharer, has casually mentioned the dysfunctional relationship with her sister throughout the series. The fans finally get to meet Ayesha, and it is as awkward and passive-aggressive as you may imagine.
Their relationship is full of snide comments, shade, and overt sarcasm. There is so much pain and resentment on both sides, and it finally gets hashed out on the street outside Janine's apartment.
Whereas Janine was the overachiever, Ayesha was the underdog. Together, they braved a toxic, impassive mother, but when Ayesha left to save herself, Janine felt abandoned.
Their perspectives differed on the events and how they affected the other sibling. They both felt trapped, but only Ayesha managed to break free. The cost of that was her relationship with her sister.
Ayesha: People had hope for you and they gave up on me. Yeah, you had it together. And I couldn't get it together when Mom -- the one who needed me the most was the most disappointed in me. So fine then, I couldn't take it, I couldn't handle it, so I ran. I left. Janine, I'm sorry.
Janine: I get why you left mom, I do, just kinda felt like you left me too.
- Permalink: I get why you left mom, I do, just kinda felt like you left me too.
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However, their relationship seems to survive this encounter, with the sisters finally getting their feelings out. The episode shed a lot of light on Janine's Mommy issues, her issues with abandonment and commitments, and her need to be the fixer of all problems.
Overall, the episode was fantastic. Shedding light on Janine's past was somewhat therapeutic for her character, and the other characters were able to find a deep appreciation for each other through Teacher Appreciation week.
What did you think of Abbott Elementary? Do you think Janine and her sister have made up?
Did you like seeing the other teachers? Will they ever give Barbara that $50 Buffalo Wild Wing gift card?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.