Despite Ava’s abrupt dismissal seemingly ending the storyline about her involvement in Girard Creek bribery, it won’t stop such a determined character like Ava. Witnessing her hand over her ID badge was heartbreaking, but what truly reflects reality is seeing her rebound as soon as she steps out of the school. It’s clear that Ava isn’t going to disappear from the show; she’s too integral for this to be a straightforward storyline. Co-showrunner Patrick Shumacker also hinted at this in an interview with TheWrap, stating that “Ava’s story is not finished… but it requires more time to unfold. It won’t be resolved swiftly.
Although Ava’s job situation remains uncertain after the recent episode, it offers an intriguing new perspective on her character. For us viewers, Ava’s dismissal serves as a significant plot twist, shaking up the core of the show Abbott Elementary. However, within Ava’s world, the school is just one small thread in the intricate tapestry of her life. In fact, it’s not even her primary source of income. Ava is a multi-faceted woman who has dated NBA star Andre Iguodala, graced the cover of Inner City Doomsday Preppers Magazine, and even has a hookah flavor named after her. So, it’s more about how Abbott Elementary will cope without Ava, rather than what Ava might do without the school.
In simpler terms, Gregory realizes how difficult it is to step into Abbott’s role as interim principal when he faces numerous challenges. At first, his leadership is cautious and methodical, much like a monotonous announcement by Ira Glass. However, his ambition to become the principal rekindles, showing his growth and maturity. Yet, Gregory’s quirks don’t disappear – they surface again as he struggles with Ava’s complex filing system, leading to a display of organized problem-solving reminiscent of Ray Holt and Amy Santiago from Brooklyn 99.
Melissa asks for assistance from a colleague to modify a student’s file due to a garlic allergy (poor child, without garlic bread for life). However, when he tries to find the folder, he’s perplexed by Ava’s peculiar labeling system. Unlike her past use of the “hot dad scale”, now phrases like “Natalie Anderson Blood vs Water 1” are their only guide through Ava’s mind maze. I was just as puzzled as Gregory until he mentioned Boston Rob. Age is catching up, but like Ciara Miller from Bravo, I had no idea how charming Boston Rob was in the 2000s because I knew him only from The Traitors. Melissa, however, being a woman who was alive in 2003 and mostly straight, quickly recognizes the Survivor connection, and they both start binge-watching. But watching the entire series would take an excessive amount of time, so they must consult Ava herself.
The episode showcases the evolution of Barbara’s character, as she steps into her role as the music teacher. However, I find myself longing for scenes that reveal more facets of Barbara beyond her persistent nature, a trait we’ve seen frequently this season. Despite this, Sheryl Lee Ralph manages to make Barbara’s idiosyncrasies endearing. The challenge for Barbara comes when she attempts to connect with students from a different generation. Given her rigid teaching style, she must adapt her methods to resonate with the older students who are less enthused by traditional learning. These students, unlike the kindergartners, are not easily impressed and have little patience for the “fundamentals.” It takes only a brief moment for Barbara to understand that these students are more intrigued by creating viral videos than mastering musical fundamentals. A student’s video of Barbara saying “fundamentals,” with classmates dancing along, captures their attention, offering a glimpse into Barbara’s journey as she navigates this new terrain.
Barbara, not impressed by the music video, snobbishly comments, “Sweetheart, that’s not a song; it’s just a mix of sounds.” Jacob, known for his humorous demeanor and frequent classroom visits, picks up on Barbara’s disappointed feelings. He recalls her struggles with older students, suggesting she should meet them halfway instead. Despite Jacob’s words often slipping by unnoticed, the phrase “You’re a fantastic teacher” echoes in Barbara’s mind. She leaves the breakroom, determined to solve this on her own.
First, she attempts to teach the students about chord progressions by analyzing their favorite songs, but assigning additional homework for an after-school club doesn’t seem to appeal to them. The story eventually comes full circle, with Barbara finding a way to help the students improve their video – sometimes, it’s necessary to embrace Generation Z and jump on the TikTok bandwagon.
Instead of sticking to tradition, Janine remains grounded in her origins. Interestingly, Schumacher shared with TheWrap that it was Quinta’s decision to dismiss Ava, but for her character, this turn of events is the worst-case scenario. As Ava reappears at the school two days following the audit to collect the remaining items and is required to wear a visitor’s badge (gasp!), Janelle James’ best wig makes Ava look better than ever. Janine inquires about Ava’s emotional state, but the disgraced principal claims she’s thriving, with additional time to focus on her “extremely profitable side businesses,” such as public speaking, which suits someone with characteristics of a charismatic cult leader perfectly.
Janine is diametrically opposed to Ava, as her world revolves around Abbott. She struggles to comprehend how Ava’s term could end so disastrously and is resolved to find a resolution within the district. Although she doesn’t make much progress beyond leaving a message with Manny and learning about the possibility of an appeal, Janine persistently follows Ava’s trail, eventually discovering her P.O. box (naturally, she wouldn’t reveal her home address to any of them).
Ava doesn’t seem to mind Janine’s updates about her case, instead showing annoyance at the idea of asking for her job back and risking being fired twice. What really captures her attention is a sudden opportunity to deliver a talk at a TEB-Talk event, which she’ll be filling in for on short notice. Aware of the questionable authenticity of this event and its less-than-impressive location in an airport hotel’s Conference Room L, Janine urges her former boss to submit an appeal, but Ava doesn’t seem to care. In fact, Ava’s indifference worries Janine so much that she enlists Melissa and Gregory’s help to distract Ava from her speech and prepare for her case presentation to the district. However, contrary to what her coworkers might expect, Ava is quite focused on her current task, which happens to be a highly successful speaking engagement with a full audience.
In a new role as both a life coach and philanthropist, she boasts about helping Abbott rise from the bottom one percent and is regarded as a guiding influence by her devoted followers who hang onto her every word. Mr. Johnson occasionally launches a T-shirt into the crowd during her speeches. She motivates her audience with stories of “a pesky woman” (Janine) and a “slight man” with “edamame arms” (Gregory) finding love, followed by quotes from “Closing Time.” By the end of her talks, fans eagerly line up to meet her. Janine acknowledges that Ava has thrived without her position as principal, while Melissa and Gregory seek advice on a code. Ava explains how player names and season numbers connect with students’ names and bus routes, using this information frequently to notify parents about traffic delays. Impressed by Ava’s organization system, Gregory decides to rearrange his desktop. This small act of care underscores her dedication to the community, and I’m confident they will reciprocate in future episodes.
Teacher’s Notes
• Finally, the best one-liners of the episode:
Barbara: “Someone manipulated my voice recording, cut it up, distorted it heavily, and turned it into unrecognizable pieces, much like how Lucy Liu’s character transforms in a movie.
As a cinephile, I can’t help but share an intriguing question that recently came up: “Have you heard about the pioneer who first went ‘viral’?
Ava queuing her music: “Hey Lexus, play Ava-Flav’s ‘Ooo She’s Serious About That Paper’ playlist.”
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2025-03-27 06:03