Abbott Elementary Recap: Coleman Out

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With the grand finale approaching, “Abbott Elementary” resumes its main storyline of the season as the fallout from the secret deal with Girard Creek and their sly lawyer Miles climaxes. Though I’ve enjoyed the luxury of a longer season, filled with episodes that provide writers and performers ample space to create humor, it’s now time to shift gears and tackle some serious matters since this series values the fundamentals of storytelling in television. Following last week’s episode, it seems we are entering a more subdued phase, much like when a teacher quietens down a classroom after playtime, but alas, every season must come to an end eventually.

Following a long-standing dispute filled with extortion and negotiations on both ends, Miles and Abbott eventually formed an agreement that enabled them to coexist peacefully. This secret pact not only provided Abbott with state-of-the-art computers, an elegant scoreboard, comfortable bean bags for the library, and numerous other perks, but it also gave Ava the opportunity to secure better resources for other schools during the district budget discussion. However, even though this sounds ideal in a sitcom setting, the show Abbott remains grounded in reality. In the real world, a public school wouldn’t be able to pull off such a deal without raising eyebrows. The signs of impending doom started appearing towards the end of the district budget meeting when Ava’s rival, Crystal, began to suspect why Abbott was so generously turning down the allocated funds.

When Crystal decides to personally investigate the school, Ava unwittingly discloses her link to Girard Creek. Desiring a share in the deal, Ava is reluctant to divide her financial gains, particularly after her unexpected generosity in sharing her legitimate funds. The following day, O’Shon informs Ava that someone (likely Crystal) has reported their activities, and an audit is scheduled for the next 24 hours. They questioned O’Shon, but he remained silent, as his allegiance lies with his partner. Everyone accepts the end of their scheme, but Janine encourages her colleagues not to let the district’s intervention go unchallenged. Until recently, Janine, a naturally virtuous individual, had never exploited Girard Creek’s resources. However, she found the courage to stray from the path and ask for electric spellers for her students. She won’t let the district dampen their enthusiasm for the upcoming devices.

As a movie critic, I find myself reflecting on the tumultuous day of Barbara, a dedicated teacher struggling against the odds. Despite meticulously planning for the upcoming audit, her day begins on a disastrous note – oversleeping, grappling with chronic wrist pain, and having a student sneeze in her face upon arriving at school. To top it all off, Ava corners her to request additional work, unpaid labor as a substitute music teacher no less! Known for her devout spirit, Barbara has little interest in this proposition, but is faced with the grim reality that without an instructor, the music class may cease to exist. This would require her to stay late and take on more responsibilities, an impossibility given her current drained state. To make matters worse, Janine’s plan for the contraband to be hidden and the truck to arrive before the day ends, so they can “maintain our humble image,” falls apart, leaving us all hanging in suspense.

Gregory makes it clear to Janine that shifting a large quantity of items out of the school in just a few hours would be impossible, implying Barbara and Mr. Johnson would assist with moving heavy equipment like computers and a scoreboard humorously. Despite his subsequent scolding from Mr. Johnson who overheard the comment, Gregory was correct. The day worsened for everyone when representatives from the district, accompanied by Manny, unexpectedly arrived early at Abbott School. In response, the entire staff took drastic steps to conceal hidden resources and divert the attention of higher-ups away from any potential bribery. Daia and the other secretaries covered their high-tech desktop computers with coats, Ava alerted fellow teachers of the district’s presence through a coded message over the speakers, and Jacob, Melissa, Barbara, and Janine hurriedly hid all illegal materials while Ava guided the tour. To add to the chaos, Mr. Johnson suggested hiding “the white kid” and asked for bronzer.

As the district reps grow more and more suspicious of everyone’s unusual behavior, they become uneasy around Ava, who is obligated to chaperone them. With nowhere else to hide the bulky items, Ava proposes concealing the desktop computers in her secret basement bathroom. The district barely manages to catch them in the act as they head towards the underground floor, but lacking any proof, they can only search Ava’s office and the gym for the missing items. For a short while, the staff feels reassured that they are off the hook, until Jacob recalls the fancy scoreboard still hanging in the gymnasium. In a hurry, Janine grabs an oversized banner to conceal the unauthorized donation. Melissa offers to scale the ladder as swiftly as possible before the district reaches the gym, unintentionally stepping on Barbara’s hand along the way, adding to her streak of bad luck.

Despite concealing the scoreboard during the chaos of winding down the game, no one caught on that Janine’s chosen banner commemorated Christmas from 2009. Once more, Mr. Johnson, known for his quirks and skill in prolonging discussions, intervened to resolve the situation. Rather than listening to another one of the janitor’s outlandish stories about the year 2009 (which involved a fish causing the mortgage crisis), the representatives quickly ended the conversation and avoided being led astray.

As the staff bid their farewells, amid the district expressing regret over false accusations of bribery, Miles, with a spring in his step and carrying Janine’s spellers, barges through the doors, boisterously proclaiming himself as “the Fairy of Abbott Supplies.” He declares he’s “making an entrance with some new bribes for my favorite schemer at school.” When he reveals this to the district, he deepens their predicament by inquiring if they plan to extort him as well. With the entire plot exposed and the staff caught off guard, the district warns that any teacher accepting bribes may face suspension. Before anyone confesses, Ava voluntarily accepts the blame, shielding her employees by taking a suspension upon herself, viewing it as a chance for a vacation in Cabo. However, the district dismisses her immediately, stating that while they can’t terminate the teachers due to union rules, they can fire her on the spot.

Stunned by the decision, the rest of the team advocates for reconsideration, but Manny remains firm that the district has a strict no-tolerance policy for such conduct. Afterward, they notify them that they will confiscate all prohibited items and rescind the funds allocated from the budget meeting. With no other options, Ava gathers her belongings, which brings a solitary tear from Janine as she turns away. Barbara follows Ava’s boss for one last conversation. She expresses surprise at how long this situation has been allowed to continue given Ava’s self-centered actions, but acknowledges that Ava has managed to prove her wrong over time. Barbara’s honesty fosters an emotional bond between the two women, and Ava confesses that she extended the music teacher position to Barbara as a means of boosting her spirits during this tough period, further demonstrating Ava’s exceptional skills in her role.

Ava confidently exits Abbott with her head held high, expressing her belief that it’s always possible to become a sugar baby. As she sets off on a fresh adventure beyond the school grounds, Barbara, now a friend and former boss, observes. She muses to the cameras about the uncertainties in her profession, but emphasizes the importance of facing those difficulties head-on. Inspired by Ava’s bold move out of her comfort zone and into leadership, Barbara decides to take similar steps herself. The scene transitions to clips of Barbara teaching the after-school music class, bringing immense joy to one student who thought they would never have her as a teacher again. Ava’s influence permeates Abbott Elementary, and anticipation builds for how the team will help her regain her position of power.

Teacher’s Notes

• Finally, here are my favorite lines from the episode:

Mr. Johnson upon seeing Ava and Janine in matching dresses: “Dr. Evil, Mini Me. Good morning!”

As I beheld the district representatives, I couldn’t help but think, “Are more teachers truly necessary? These children already have so much knowledge to absorb. It seems almost divine.

Ava replied to Crystal, “But you were fine with it back in university, weren’t you?

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2025-03-20 04:54