S01.E13: Zoo Balloon

[JakeyJokes]

19 hours ago, BAForever said:

We used to go to the zoo as a grade level field trip. So much stress, but so much fun. Another covid casuality. Oh Barbara, don't you dare think about retiring. Every school needs a mix of new and experienced staff. You've still got so much to give to your kids. Love watching Janine grow. Super freshman season. Looking forward to more.

In my elementary school, you got to go in kindergarten and in 5th grade; 5th graders had “kindergarten partners”. This show doesn’t often make me reflect on privilege, but Ava’s line about not having chaperones made me think of how many volunteer moms (and a few dads!) my school had. And my kindergarten partner loved bugs and I got tricked into having to see the tarantula and it was absolutely terrible.

Ava, Melissa, Zach (and Jacob by proxy) being on the “party bus” made so much sense. I can’t believe how much it feels like we know these people after only 13 episodes. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by JakeyJokes

[Snapdragon]

22 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Yeah, I felt sorry for the bored kids who didn't have the permission slips, but it was up to Ava to have something else planned for them.  Or, why didn't she just call the parents to get verbal permission?  It's not like she would have had to make that many calls.   She was like, "too bad, so sad," and didn't give a shit that they couldn't go. 

I don't blame Mr. Johnson for just taking it easy with his bald head, lol.    

Oops, I forgot about Zach.  I hope we see more of him next year.

I'm not 100% about this but I think you have to get the permission in writing, that way they have a record of it (I'm guessing this is to prevent lawsuits in case something happens to the kid while on the field trip).  My brother forgot his permission slip for a field trip in elementary school once and my mom called the school from work to give him permission to go and they still wouldn't let him.  It had to be a signed slip or nothing, so he didn't get to go on the field trip.  

[DearEvette]

My favorite new show of the season hands down (which Ghosts coming in a hairsbreadth behind).  What a strong first season with so much character development packed into 13 episodes.  The cast chemistry, the writing, the little throwaway moments... it really is an masterclass in good situational comedy.

My highlights of the episode for me:

- Seeing both Tariq and Zach conscripted as chaperones

-Tariq's interaction with the kids -- he is a terrible boyfriend but he is comedy gold and really kinda sweet with the kids

- Zach's party bus

- “It is crazy to think that I, Tariq Temple, could single handedly stop drug use in all America"
** Gregory’s look into the camera ***.  <— this one is the best all season

- Gregory's attitude toward clam chowder

- Barbara going into field commander mode to find Kenny-- also her little "Willy Wonka" story took me out.

- "Sir, you are bald."  <-- the line delivery was fire!

- Janine using her REAL teacher voice

- Mr. Johnson's homage to The Breakfast club with the raised fist in  the end

 

[Crashcourse]

14 minutes ago, Snapdragon said:

I'm not 100% about this but I think you have to get the permission in writing, that way they have a record of it (I'm guessing this is to prevent lawsuits in case something happens to the kid while on the field trip).  My brother forgot his permission slip for a field trip in elementary school once and my mom called the school from work to give him permission to go and they still wouldn't let him.  It had to be a signed slip or nothing, so he didn't get to go on the field trip.  

Ok, thanks.  I don't have kids so I didn't know about that, but it makes sense. 

However, I still didn't like Ava's nonchalant, "oh well, stay with Mr. Johnson" reaction to the kids not being able to go to the zoo. 

[kwnyc]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:42 AM, Empress1 said:

(looking at renting a closet in NYC is real. I know people who have rented out and rented closets.)

Can confirm!

[Joimiaroxeu]

Does the permission slip to go to the zoo include going up in the hot air balloon? I could see that ending badly if a child has a previously unrealized fear of heights.

I wasn't ready for how touching this episode turned out to be. Good job, show.

[possibilities]

That was definitely an unsanctioned balloon ride. Once the kid gets loose and unsupervised, pretty much anything that happens is terrifying. I actually thought the kdis were way too loosely monitored all episode, but honestly every episode is like that, because the show is more about the teachers interacting with each other and the kids are just the extra flavor.

I loooove the kids on this show, but they are definitely not showing us teachers on duty most of the day.

[Hero]

I think my favorite line in this episode was when Tariq said that he and Jadakiss are going to have beef because Jadakiss stole his laugh 😂

[kwnyc]

It did occur to me that Tariq is moving to NYC, and Barbara's daughter already lives there...

[needschocolate]

On 4/13/2022 at 1:23 PM, kathyk24 said:

When Tariq said he was a feminist that's why he let Janine pay for everything I wanted him gone. The scene with Kenny was so good because you could see Janine becoming brave enough to dump him.

I think the writers were hoping some might also wonder if Janine was becoming brave enough to leave Philly and move to NYC. 

Like others, I am glad they didn't try to make this some sort of "Will she stay or will she go?" cliffhanger.  Quinta Brunson (Janine) is the show's creator, so there was no way Janine would be off the show.  

I am surprised that they didn't have Tariq and Janine try dating long distance for a few episodes (next season) and get a few more storylines out o the relationship before the break-up. They'd only be about 2 hours apart and they both have weekends off.  

[JapMo]

I love Tariq. I'm predicting next season we'll find out Tariq has become a huge hit in NYC and has his own children's show which gets monster ratings.  He's on Jimmy Kimmel and all the morning shows, and Ava will continuously tell Janine what a dope she was for dumping him.  

Not really interested in a Janine/Gregory pairing.  The actors just don't seem to have any chemistry together in that respect, and by now I think it should be evident.  But...at least the writers are taking it slow and not cramming it down our throats, like most shows.

I'm so impressed by the casting of the children on this show.  It absolutely looks like they are not actors but actually students.  I even see a few of them have that tired look like they stayed up too late the night before and just want to put their head on the desk and go to sleep.  Little Kenny scratched his head a few times...did anybody else see that?  It was subtle but he did it about 4 times.  And then Gregory did it once...near the end of the show.  I thought for sure they were going to go with the head lice thing and everybody got infected on the bus.

[peachmangosteen]

5 minutes ago, JapMo said:

Little Kenny scratched his head a few times...did anybody else see that?  It was subtle but he did it about 4 times.  And then Gregory did it once...near the end of the show.  I thought for sure they were going to go with the head lice thing and everybody got infected on the bus.

YES! I totally thought Kenny was gonna have lice. They should do a lice story next season. I mean, that's a classic elementary school thing!

[Black Knight]

I just finished binging this season (love it!) and wonder if they're going to eventually do a reveal that Barbara was Janine's kindergarten teacher way back when. The reveal in this episode that Barbara used to dress the way Janine does (there's been so much speculation that Janine is mirroring a former teacher in how she dresses), coupled with the earlier episode that established that Barbara understandably does not recognize every kid she's taught as adults, seems to point that way. It would explain a lot. There are holes in this - most notably, that it's hard to imagine Janine not just gushing this information at Barbara when she first started teaching at the school the way that other former student did - but it's a rare show that's airtight. We know Janine was educated in the Philadelphia public school system, she's always had a "mom" fixation on Barbara that would make even more sense if in fact Barbara was her teacher when she was a kid, and Barbara's been teaching for 30 years so the timeline fits.

[Annber03]

Oh. That scene with Jacob getting all emotional during his talk with Janine about Tariq. That got to me. I love the continuity there, with him continuing to be a shoulder to lean on as she sorts out her issues with her relationship with Tariq. 

I agree Tariq's "feminist" line was definitely a red flag. I do love him with the kids, he's genuinely great with them...but I think some of that is due to the fact he acts a lot like a kid himself. Which can be fine sometimes, but Janine's right to realize they're going in different directions with their lives. I like that she acknowledged that, and told him as much. Their breakup was very bittersweet, just because of how long they'd been together. I wanted to give her a hug. 

Loved Barbara being all take charge in the search for Kenny. She's exactly the sort of person I'd want around in a crisis. The talk between her and Melissa was great, too. 

The janitor with the kids was a fun side story. I agree, too, with a comment in here praising the kid actors on this show in general, they're so natural and believable. And adorable :D. A handful, for sure, but an adorable handful. 

LOL at Gregory and Melissa joking with each other about the "city voice" thing :D. 

On 7/30/2022 at 9:36 PM, Black Knight said:

I just finished binging this season (love it!) and wonder if they're going to eventually do a reveal that Barbara was Janine's kindergarten teacher way back when. The reveal in this episode that Barbara used to dress the way Janine does (there's been so much speculation that Janine is mirroring a former teacher in how she dresses), coupled with the earlier episode that established that Barbara understandably does not recognize every kid she's taught as adults, seems to point that way. It would explain a lot. There are holes in this - most notably, that it's hard to imagine Janine not just gushing this information at Barbara when she first started teaching at the school the way that other former student did - but it's a rare show that's airtight. We know Janine was educated in the Philadelphia public school system, she's always had a "mom" fixation on Barbara that would make even more sense if in fact Barbara was her teacher when she was a kid, and Barbara's been teaching for 30 years so the timeline fits.

I love this theory. I could totally see it. 

So happy this show got renewed and got some love at the Emmys besides. Very well deserved. Onward to tomorrow night and the start of season 2 :)!

[lucindabelle]

Pretty sure it was “silly voice,” not “city voice,” but it was awesome!

as a new teacher (hs, second year) I loved the “sit down” moment. Sometimes you have to break it out. Mine is a loud “I’m not playing!”