S02.E01: Development Day

[peachmangosteen]

Quote

The teachers are back at Willard R. Abbott Public School for development week, a time to prepare for the upcoming year before the students’ first day of school. Post-breakup, Janine is determined to start the year off right and leave her problems at home. With this new outlook, she takes on organizing the faculty mixer and announces a special celebrity surprise she planned for the kids’ first day. Meanwhile, Ava runs a side hustle out of the school parking lot and Gregory, now a full-time teacher, is in over his head with the curriculum.

Airs September 21st.

[Annber03]

Welcome back, show!

Awwwwwww, that ending actually got me a little choked up. The janitor dressing up for the kids, Jacob signing to the new student, and Barbara getting that desk for her student.... So sweet :). 

I loved the whole thing with Gritty XD. Especially Jacob trying to translate his wordless gestures to Janine.

And speaking of which....aw, poor Janine. It's no surprise she'd be struggling a bit with the breakup, especially given how long she and Tariq were together. Her comment about not being a good healer ties into what little we've learned about her past in general, and her struggle to find a good mother figure, and whatnot. I loved Jacob's concern for her, and Barbara's advice to her as well.

In lighter topics, loved hearing about how everyone had spent their summers. I want to know more about "sea Barbara" :D. And I liked Jacob's offhand remark about being thrown out of a hostel, LOL. And Janine comparing her party to those of the Donner Party and the Boston Tea Party...oh, lord :p. 

Of course Gregory would notice the change in Janine's hair :). 

Good to have this show back. Look forward to seeing what all the teachers will be up to this year!

[tennisgurl]

“Poor Janine.”-Gritty

[msani19]

Welcome back show and welcome back my Abbott Elementary friends! I look forward to watching this season with all of you! Ok, that's the Janine part out of the way. 

Sea Barbara...please tell me more. How'd she lose those shoes? Of course Barbara would say inebriated and not drunk. lol.

I do love how the show celebrates how much teachers do with such limited resources. Yes, it's always been that way but it does such a wonderful job of showing how they always come through and how their students come first for them. Loved that Barbara got that desk for her student and he was SO excited! Loved that. Jacob signing to his student was great as well.

Janine was definitely going through it and it's a sign of how close the friendships have gotten that they rallied around her, even Ava. Nice to learn that Tariq paid some rent, I just figured she paid for 100%  of the bills. Jacob's line about President Joey B coming through any day now with the loan cancelation was a good line. Slick! Doesn't Jill Biden watch and like the show? Maybe she can pass along a word to Joey B for us. 

Ava - we see you! 

I'll watch it again tomorrow. I felt so good to be part of their world again. I missed the show !

PS - Living in Philly, I also don't get Gritty! Yes, I know...what’s not to get! I just don't! The ending with Gritty and Gregory was perfect though. That felt like real. 

Edited September 25, 2022 by msani19

[irisheyes]

Loved Barbara’s advice to Gregory about the curriculum because it’s so true. It’s an impossible job, but you just come every day and do your best. I love how well this show just GETS what teaching is. Loved Gregory going to the storage and finding the desk. He’s, honestly, my favorite character. Such a good heart hidden behind that reserved facade. 

[Mountainair]

So happy to have this show back! 
 

I come from a world of teaching preschool for half days for 10 years and finally made the jump to full time Kindergarten this year. The Development week and lesson plannings/expectations really resonated with me. I went from a world of 10 kids to 22 and public school is such a different environment than a private small preschool. I look forward to the new found humor I will inevitably find this season now that I am fully immersed in the culture. 
 

I too found myself tearing up at the end. My class has several different kids with learning differences and it can be hard to connect with them at times so it was nice to see the teachers here be able to get a good footing right from the start. 

[peridot]

I shouldn't have been surprised that Ava rented out the parking lot during the teachers' first day.  I laughed at Janine's questioning who would be eating barbecue at 8:30?  That's extremely heavy food for that time of day, but of course Mr. Johnson would be lining up.

It was nice to see follow up from last season about the grant money.  I was afraid that Ava would end up mismanaging those funds as well.

I laughed hard when Barbara walked away from Jacob when he started going off, and when she said she's not fooling with that boy this year. 

Ouch at Janine driving on a boot!

[Crashcourse]

It was nice to see all of the other teachers at the 8:30 barbeque (my stomach hurt just thinking about eating barbeque that early).  

Tariq cracked me up when he joyfully got in the car with his friend.  I guess he called Tyrone to come help him get his shit?

[BAForever]

Oh, staff development to start the year. All elementary teachers want is to be in their room working not going to meetings, workshops, playing games, etc.

Gregory, listen to Barbara. She will steer you right.

Melissa, sad I think we are going to see you overwhelmed this year. 

Janine, wish my sons had you as a teacher. Your teacher heart is amazing.

Ava, love you in small doses.

Jacob, am certain Abbott is a Title 1 school (percentage of students who qualify for free/reduced meals). You can get some college debt forgiveness teaching at a Title school.

Glad this show is back. Its a good take on the teacher I aspire to be.

[tennisgurl]

So glad to be back at Abbot Elementary! I am so glad to see this show back just in time for fall! 

I loved seeing everyone's summers, I desperately want to know more about "sea" Barbara. The episode was filled with hilarious moments and also a lot of really sweet moments, especially at the end where Jacob was signing with a deaf students and when Gregory helped Barbara find a desk for her student in a wheelchair. It all nicely fit into one of the themes of the show, that teachers have to do a lot with a little. I also thought it was sweet how concerned Jacob was about Janine and that he ended up helping her out with her rent, he's a lot but he really means well. 

Of course while everyone else is trying to stop Janine from driving her car with the boot on it, Ava is egging her on with her phone out. Oh Ava. 

Everyone loves Gritty, it was hilarious when Gregory admitted that he didn't get Gritty and the whole room went silent, like Ben not understanding the appeal of Little Sebastian in Parks and Rec. Gritty is so confusing, but he does have an undeniable charisma. 

Awwww Gregory noticed Janine's part! 

[emma675]

Aw, our sweet little show is back and didn't miss a beat.

I'm glad Janine has the support of her Abbott friends to help her get through her breakup. She cares so deeply in general that I'm not surprised she's having a hard time. I hope she's able to get her finances under control. I was actually surprised she was having trouble, I just assumed she paid for everything and Tariq didn't contribute anything. 

Barbara continues to be the best; Jacob is still so funny, sweet, and annoying; poor Melissa seems like she's going to be overwhelmed; Gregory is so awesome and cares so much; and Ava is still Ava.

I'm pretty sure I saw the actor who plays Gregory losing his composure and cracking up in his very last scene with Gritty dancing. 🤣

[Empress1]

43 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Awwwwwww, that ending actually got me a little choked up. The janitor dressing up for the kids, Jacob signing to the new student, and Barbara getting that desk for her student.... So sweet :). 

I got choked up too. The kids were so cute! When Imani smiled when Jacob was signing to her, I grinned.

When I had a bad breakup my mother told me “you just have to feel it.” Grief (and IMO breakups are a kind of grief, you grieve the relationship you lost) really can’t be ignored and you can’t take shortcuts. It’ll always catch up to you sooner or later. Janine is learning (but Tariq ain’t shit for those parking tickets).

1 minute ago, emma675 said:

I was actually surprised she was having trouble, I just assumed she paid for everything and Tariq didn't contribute anything. 

Me too. At one point she said her card was declined buying coffee or something, so we know she’s living close to the bone. I thought she’d be better off financially without Tariq because she’s only supporting herself.

Sheryl Lee Ralph spinning on her heel and saying “you know what, I’m out of here” is why she has an Emmy.

I’m going to say “I’m not a storage-ass ho” the next time somebody asks me to do something I don’t want to do (so at work tomorrow, probably).

[Annber03]

Just now, Empress1 said:

I’m going to say “I’m not a storage-ass ho” the next time somebody asks me to do something I don’t want to do (so at work tomorrow, probably).

Legit snort laughed at that line :D. 

[BAForever]

4 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Everyone loves Gritty, it was hilarious when Gregory admitted that he didn't get Gritty and the whole room went silent, like Ben not understanding the appeal of Little Sebastian in Parks and Rec. 

Yes! Thought the same thing. Ben Wyatt was the only one who didn't get Little Sebastian.

[emma675]

We need a topic for funny lines in each episode. There were several times I cracked up, Quinta and the writers are gold.

[Minneapple]

We went to Back to School night at my son’s school the other night and I don’t envy the teachers at all, all the bullshit they have to put up with. But despite all of it, every single one told us how much they love teaching and how much they love the kids. That was going through my mind during this episode, with Barbara’s effort to find the desk and Jacob signing to the student and Janine getting Gritty to come to the school for the kids. 

Gritty is the stuff of nightmares yet somehow is still the best.

[possibilities]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

When Imani smiled when Jacob was signing to her, I grinned.

I mean, good for him, but I wanted to know why there wasn't an interpreter present. Jacob took a beginner's course, but if she is Deaf, she needs a skilled interpreter if she's not going to be lost all year. 

I love the show, though. It's such a feel good show despite how hard the situation is at times. It makes caring cool. ANd I was relieved to see that even though she's having a hard time, Janine actually is doing well in some ways. I loved that Melissa and Barbara reacted well to her standing up to them at the assembly. And I loved that her colleagues supported her instead of mocking her when they found out she was actually having a hard time.

I loved when all the teachers raised their hands when asked who had a beat up sedan.

[sugarbaker design]

11 hours ago, msani19 said:

Nice to learn that Tariq paid some rent, I

20%!!!

11 hours ago, irisheyes said:

Loved Gregory going to the storage and finding the desk. He’s, honestly, my favorite character. Such a good heart hidden behind that reserved facade. 

And has the best reaction shots ever!

11 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Everyone loves Gritty, it was hilarious when Gregory admitted that he didn't get Gritty and the whole room went silent,

Like when Gregory admitted he didn't like pizza!

10 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Sheryl Lee Ralph spinning on her heel and saying “you know what, I’m out of here” is why she has an Emmy.

Word.

10 hours ago, emma675 said:

Quinta and the writers are gold.

Just the right balance of style and substance.  Every episode.

[Bookish Jen]

I had high hopes for the season two premiere of Abbott Elementary and I was not disappointed. I laughed out loud when all the teachers raised their hands when asked which one of them drives a beat up sedan. Though it did make me think of how our teachers are so criminally underpaid. And I got teary-eyed when Jacob used ASL to communicate with Imani, and when Barbara got the desk for her student in the wheelchair. All of this reminds me of the lengths many teachers go to to make sure their students are welcomed and thriving.

Edited September 22, 2022 by Bookish Jen

[Enigma X]

I woke up early, before logging on to work, to watch this.  Loved it. Glad it is back.

[MicheleinPhilly]

I can't wait to watch this again on my lunch break. I just sat there for 30 minutes grinning from ear to ear. 

So much of this episode just *felt* like Philly from the 8:30 a.m. tailgating (yes, that's a thing), to the boot on the car (Parking Wars, anyone), to of course, Gritty. Even the custodian (is his name Mr. Johnson?) brought to mind Four Seasons Total Landscaping. 

When Gritty was first introduced I was definitely in Gregory's camp. I thought it was the biggest mascot failure of all time but I have since come around to him. 

When Janine was trying to drive away with the boot on her car and Ava was just filming it on her phone, I howled. Oh Ava, never change. 

I too was surprised that Janine is strugging financially without Tariq. I mean, I never assumed he contributed anything and she now has one less big mouth to feed. It warmed my cold, cynical heart that Jacob offered to to help her out - I just wish she had thought to ask sooner. Although it definitely seems like outside of the school, Janine really doesn't have much of a support system. I know they've said they are going to explore the teachers' "out of school" lives more this season so I'd like to see what her situation is really like. 

Sea Barbara. 🤣

Welcome back, Abbott Elementary. I've missed you. 🥰

[Bookish Jen]

I also giggled when Janine stepped on that pot to reach the plate high up on the shelf. Being only 5'1" myself, I can relate. But she might want to invest in a step stool.

[Boofish]

13 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Of course Gregory would notice the change in Janine's hair :). 

All the feels

[Snapdragon]

54 minutes ago, Bookish Jen said:

I also giggled when Janine stepped on that pot to reach the plate high up on the shelf. Being only 5'1" myself, I can relate. But she might want to invest in a step stool.

I laughed so hard at this part just because she looked so proud and happy to have gotten the plate down by herself.  Glad this show is back and that it's starting out strong.

On a side note, does anyone else want Keith David to play Barbara's brother at some point?  Every time I hear Sheryl Lee Ralph speak, I just think that she sounds like a female Keith David.  

[joanne3482]

13 hours ago, BAForever said:

Jacob, am certain Abbott is a Title 1 school (percentage of students who qualify for free/reduced meals). You can get some college debt forgiveness teaching at a Title school.

Yes and no. In order to receive public sector forgiveness, you have to paid 120 qualified payments. The standard amortization schedule for student loans is 10 years (120 payments) so to actually get any benefit you had to have applied for income reduced payments which extends the period of the loan. 

I too thought Janine said she paid for everything AND I do remember she regularly paid for studio time for Tariq's rap career before he became the guy who wrote raps for the school so she honestly should be better off financially. 

I did love this episode and I love them rallying around Janine. 

[DearEvette]

"El Diablo Blanco' 

"Sea Barbara"

I love how Gregory's initial opinion of Gritty (and the subsequent reaction by everyone) is reminiscent of Pizza-gate. Especially the way Melissa said his name 'Gregory' there was an implied neck roll and eye roll in the way she said his name.

Barbara's reaction to Jacob "I am not playing with that boy this year." Also Land Barbara was giving some great advice.

Poor Janine!

Oh show, how I have missed you!

[Crashcourse]

While I think Ava is funny, I do wish she'd slow her speaking down because sometimes I find it hard to understand what she said. 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Put out or back out.

Sea Barbara is different from Land Barbara.

Nothing like the smell of cigarettes and vinegar.

Notes of malt liquor and marmalade. That's our Eva!

A glizzy is a hot dog. Learn something new everyday.

Not some little storage-ass ho.

I don't get Gritty either but I love him. Gregory fcuked around and found out.

Also glad this show is back. It's a rare treasure.

[MicheleinPhilly]

11 minutes ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Put out or back out.

Sea Barbara is different from Land Barbara.

Nothing like the smell of cigarettes and vinegar.

Notes of malt liquor and marmalade. That's our Eva!

A glizzy is a hot dog. Learn something new everyday.

Not some little storage-ass ho.

I don't get Gritty either but I love him. Gregory fcuked around and found out.

Also glad this show is back. It's a rare treasure.

2 scenes that Jacob had that also made me cackle. 

When he said that being called El Diablo Blanco made him start to feel like basura and Mr. Johnson popped up: "Did someone say trash?"

And then when Janine was talking about yelling at Tariq for taking 2 hour showers and Jacob said, "In this climate???" Something about his delivery of that line made me howl. 

[Empress1]

13 hours ago, possibilities said:

I mean, good for him, but I wanted to know why there wasn't an interpreter present.

There was an adult with Imani; maybe they were the interpreter? I don’t remember anything about the adult except that there was one present.

[HelloooKitty]

3 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

There was an adult with Imani; maybe they were the interpreter? I don’t remember anything about the adult except that there was one present.

I assumed it was her parent but it could’ve been the interpreter. 

[Kate47]

Ava's gonna Ava, but I really loved her presentation for development day. She sounded like she knew what she was talking about, which is a far cry from the Ava of season one AND she apparently worked with Barbara over the summer to allocate the grant funds. Growth, we love to see it.

[chitowngirl]

5 hours ago, Bookish Jen said:

I also giggled when Janine stepped on that pot to reach the plate high up on the shelf. Being only 5'1" myself, I can relate. But she might want to invest in a step stool.

She should move the plates down to the bottom shelf! 😆 5’2” checking in!

[Empress1]

23 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

She should move the plates down to the bottom shelf! 😆 5’2” checking in!

I was like “why don’t you move the plates down?” (I’m 5’8”, I don’t have this problem but I sympathize!)

[Crashcourse]

46 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

She should move the plates down to the bottom shelf! 😆 5’2” checking in!

Yep, same here.  My plates are on the bottom shelf.

Triflin' ass notwithstanding, I hope this isn't the last we've seen of Tariq.  

[kwnyc]

I wonder if Janine is sending Tarik money? As part of being a full adult and all.

Also: Jersey Shore, smell of cigarettes and vinegar. My childhood!

[possibilities]

I'm telling myself that part of Janine's break up malaise is that she hasn't found the emotional energy to re-organize the kitchen. But yes-- get a step stool and move the breakables to a lower shelf. 

There is never enough shelf space for kitchen storage, so she needs the step stool either way. Something will always need to get put on the high shelves.

I was just glad they didn't show her falling and breaking the plate. I actually thought that was where that scene was going.

Maybe Ava realized that, due to the superintendent marrying his mistress, she couldn't keep her job via blackmail anymore so that's why she's making at least some effort.

[Empress1]

19 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

It was nice to see all of the other teachers at the 8:30 barbeque (my stomach hurt just thinking about eating barbeque that early).  

Tariq cracked me up when he joyfully got in the car with his friend.  I guess he called Tyrone to come help him get his shit?

If he did, you know he used Janine’s phone.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Melissa, Ava (uncharacteristically) offered you an aide.  Accept the offer!

[853fisher]

I was so glad to see this show back, not having missed a beat.  I had a perfect opportunity to tell a work friend I wasn't a storage-ass ho, but I decided I'd better not without being sure she'd seen the new episode. ;)

7 hours ago, Snapdragon said:

On a side note, does anyone else want Keith David to play Barbara's brother at some point?

Well, I do now!

[Crashcourse]

34 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

If he did, you know he used Janine’s phone.

No doubt! 🤣

[Lois Sandborne]

9 hours ago, MicheleinPhilly said:

the boot on the car (Parking Wars, anyone)

As soon as I put together that Janine was getting booted in Philly I got my hopes up for a Sherry or Garfield cameo.

I actively dislike sports, I don't like monsters, I don't really know what team he represents, but I love Gritty. I laughed at Gregory getting his Ben Wyatt on, though.

This episode was great. Not just because of welcoming everybody back, but the whole development day idea, looking into what everybody does  to prepare for their students was really great. I remember when I was in elementary school and we had "Staff Development" days I would wonder what they were doing; I doubt there were very many mixers. I love that we know a little bit about everybody's personal lives (Janine girl, let's get you some financial counseling), but that the show really is about school, and the characters as teachers. And custodians. And not storage-ass hoes.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Last year, I don't think Barbara's kindergartners had separate desks, but instead shared rectangular desks.  This year, Gregory's 1st grade students sit at round, shared tables.  I guess they changed Barbara's classroom to utilize separate desks for the sake of the story. I wasn't sure, though, what the difference was between the ADA-compliant desk and the other desks.  Is it supposed to be a different height?  It didn't look that way compared to the other desks in the same row, although the desks in the back row did look higher.

Edited September 23, 2022 by ItCouldBeWorse

[EyewatchTV211]

7 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

Yes and no. In order to receive public sector forgiveness, you have to paid 120 qualified payments. The standard amortization schedule for student loans is 10 years (120 payments) so to actually get any benefit you had to have applied for income reduced payments which extends the period of the loan. 

I too thought Janine said she paid for everything AND I do remember she regularly paid for studio time for Tariq's rap career before he became the guy who wrote raps for the school so she honestly should be better off financially. 

I did love this episode and I love them rallying around Janine. 

The DOE under Biden has actually temporarily made the requirements more flexible in terms of what kind of payments you had to be making over the 120 payments. For now, it does not have to be income reduced payments. I'm a school psychologist, and when I started out, we were routinely told that we were not eligible for this particular loan forgiveness, so I didn't go with that type of payment plan. More recently, I found out that we could qualify. I was initially still turned down because my payments were not that type, but then a month later I got a letter that I was approved after all. 

ETA: To answer the person above who thought that Jill Biden watched the show but wasn't sure, she does. I saw her tweet about the show yesterday.

Edited September 22, 2022 by EyewatchTV211

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, Lois Sandborne said:

This episode was great. Not just because of welcoming everybody back, but the whole development day idea, looking into what everybody does  to prepare for their students was really great. I remember when I was in elementary school and we had "Staff Development" days I would wonder what they were doing;

Ha, yeah, I too would wonder about all of that as a kid :D, It is nice, as an adult, to get to see things from this side and to learn more about all the work and time and effort they put in to get things ready and prepare. It makes me appreciate the teachers I had even more as a result. 

[buckboard]

4 hours ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

ETA: To answer the person above who thought that Jill Biden watched the show but wasn't sure, she does. I saw her tweet about the show yesterday.

I saw a photo of her watching the show on a TV on Air Force One.

[azprimadonna]

From experience, I know that the first day of school is something all teachers love.  I could feel that same enthusiasm from the Abbott teachers.  Seeing "your" new kids come into the classroom is the highest high.  

[Vanderboom]

16 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Melissa, Ava (uncharacteristically) offered you an aide.  Accept the offer!

I know, right?! Especially with 10 extra kids!

It was good to see the faculty back again. Temperament-wise I was more of a Gregory, but I could relate to Janine's "It's A New School Year and I'm Finally Going to Have My Shit Together" vibe. I did that for 11 years; September is such a hopeful month.

16 hours ago, possibilities said:

Maybe Ava realized that, due to the superintendent marrying his mistress, she couldn't keep her job via blackmail anymore so that's why she's making at least some effor

Ava is hilarious, but her incompetence grated on me. Why go through the trouble of blackmail the superintendent if you're not even going to keep the appearance of doing the job well? I'm glad she's striking more of a balance between actual leadership and pure comedy. I imagine that Sea Barbara is a little more Ava-ish than Land Barbara.

Edited September 23, 2022 by Vanderboom

[DearEvette]

10 hours ago, buckboard said:

I saw a photo of her watching the show on a TV on Air Force One.

She actually tweeted that photo to Quinta saying how happy she was to catch up with the show before her own teaching resumes.

One thing I noticed on rewatch -- I think Tariq left with a blown up air mattress on top of the car.  An Air mattress.  Still blown up. 😅

[roseslg]

21 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

She actually tweeted that photo to Quinta saying how happy she was to catch up with the show before her own teaching resumes.

One thing I noticed on rewatch -- I think Tariq left with a blown up air mattress on top of the car.  An Air mattress.  Still blown up. 😅

I saw that the first time and was like WTF? Dude has a blow up mattress on the top of the car? I am sure he is in for a hard time in Bushwick. Who's going to pay 80% of his bills?