S02.E03: Story Samurai

[DanaK]

Quote

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 9:00-9:31 p.m.

A traveling storytelling troupe Jacob used to be in visits Abbott Elementary for a day of education and entertainment. Jacob can't wait to share this part of his past with his colleagues; but when he realizes they think the performers are corny, Janine does her best to help him embrace his nerdy side. Meanwhile, Melissa struggles with the new normal of her combined second and third grade class.

[Annber03]

"Rosa Parks and Rec". And "The Color Urkel". I can't XD. Melissa absolutely cracking up laughing was great, too. 

Aw, Jacob. From one corny person to another, I support you :). I'm glad he got the chance to go up on stage and have fun, and I liked the others gently teasing him and also complimenting him afterward. I also liked Clarence's thoughts on him as a teacher, that was sweet (and hey, "Last Week Tonight" shoutout :D!). 

I'm really liking the friendship they're developing and exploring between Janine and Jacob, too. I like how they know how to get through to each other, and also support each other when needed. Gregory was ultimately right about letting Jacob get up there and do his thing, but I do appreciate that Janine wasn't afraid to be honest with him all the same. She did have some valid points. 

I also liked how the teachers liked these performance things because it meant more time for them to get some work done :p. 

As for everything with Melissa running ragged as she was...oh, Melissa, you have my sympathy, too. I think anyone who's worked a particularly stressful job can relate. I'm glad that she's getting some help at last. Let's just hope that Ashley will prove more helpful than her initial appearance implies. I like to think she'll actually prove beneficial in the end :). 

[dcalley]

Malcolm X Games, Rosa Parks and Rec - oh no! 😂

I was wondering why Jacob Hill was "Mr. C" to the students, and thankfully they explained it!

Gregory's face in the audience was amazing.

[Crashcourse]

Jainine might have been right, but I actually thought it was mean of her to discourage Jacob.  I was glad that Gregory and Jamiel (?) wanted him to do his thing. 

I loved the samurai group.  It actually takes a lot of talent to look that lame.

[shapeshifter]

I see this episode as an attempt to encourage new teachers to not be afraid to be labeled "corny" by the kids. 
Being corny isn't so bad.

[irisheyes]

“Is he using a cereal mascot as a symbol of racial discrimination?”

”Yes”

”Ok”

I love this show so, so much. 
I can’t wait to see how the aide works with Melissa. 😀

[twoods]

I had to pause the TV because I was laughing so hard at Rosa Parks and Rec, Color Urkel and Malcom X games. This show is comedy gold. 

[LisaM]

I love Melissa so the more focus on her, the better. Can't wait to see Barbara's face when she sees the new aide.

[hula-la]

The way I snorted when the aide shimmied her way out of Ava’s office. I’m really looking forward to see how she interacts with Melissa. 

[BAForever]

Going to need to rewatch. I seem to miss some of the best jokes. I love this show, but it moves too fast for me at times. 

Unpopular opinion, didn't love Mr. Johnson tonight. Maybe because he took Janine's shawl, not sure though.

[DanaK]

Loved how much Melissa laughed during one of her interviews with the doc crew, though I forget why. I’m glad she finally relented on the aide

[JakeyJokes]

“You are a white teacher in a Black school.”

”I am not Hilary Swank in Freedom Writers.”

”You ARE Hilary Swank in Freedom Writers. You are Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds. You are Sandra Bullock in…”

”…Bird Box?”

”…The Blind Side.”

*gasp*

*gasp*
 

“…Too far.”

”I know, I’m sorry I said it.”

[Empress1]

My school had “vertical” classes with two grades in each: 2nd & 3rd and 4th & 5th. I was in both - came to the 2/3 from straight 2nd, and was in the 4/5 both years. It was not chaotic at all (one teacher, one aide), but I went to a Philly school with MANY more resources than Abbott. 

Aide Ashley had me ROLLING. I cannot wait to see her and Melissa go head to head. When she came bopping in singing off-key (it took me a second to figure out what song she was parodying) … just excellent.

Of COURSE one of the Samurais has a hedge fund daddy.

[BAForever]

I've been down the hall from multi-age classes for years.  Some real advantages.  Those students you are having a second year you really know them right when the school year starts and already have established relationships with them and their parents. Also, the older students can somewhat help out some of the younger ones at times. Disadvantages double the curriculum and making sure you're meeting the needs of both grades.  Biggest disadvantage that I have seen recently is having a horrible child and knowing you get them again the next year. Makes for a depressing summer.

[peachmangosteen]

I honestly thought this was the worst episode they've done. I hope it was just a fluke.

[Black Knight]

For me, this episode was the one that has made me laugh the hardest to date! If I could insert a gif of Melissa laughing right here, that was me. When Jacob and Janine did the "Too far" bit I was wheezing! They were right, that was absolutely too far! I also especially loved the bit where two students walked by and told the camera Jacob is corny.

I was impressed by Brunson sliding in that "Black Shaun King" jab. Good on her. He's scammed so many people and taken advantage of Black women, who of course were ignored for years when they tried to talk about it.

[gesundheit]

11 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I see this episode as an attempt to encourage new teachers to not be afraid to be labeled "corny" by the kids. 
Being corny isn't so bad.

Exactly -- corny kids can be affirmed by corny teachers, and have been since the beginnings of education! It's important.

16 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

I was impressed by Brunson sliding in that "Black Shaun King" jab. Good on her. He's scammed so many people and taken advantage of Black women, who of course were ignored for years when they tried to talk about it.

Yes! I was thrilled it was mentioned in a popular network show so the people who don't get it yet can hear it. Hopefully it didn't get too buried and that people look a little further into it beyond just a "oh this dude's basically white" comment.

[Black Knight]

The other thing about being corny is that it's also associated with sincerity and goodheartedness, which obviously help to build trust with kids. Jacob's students are shown feeling comfortable with him.

[tennisgurl]

I wish I could have seen the Story Samurai trust fall of their own appropriation. "I would have dropped me."

I was right there with Melissa laughing my ass off, that was hilarious and I'm glad that Jacob went up there and embraced the corniness. He's a goober but he really does care and it seems like the students get that. The interview where one of the kids explained why they called Jacob Mr. C was really nice, they think he's corny but that's one of the reasons why they like him. I really like the friendship between him and Jainine, I thought she was pretty harsh with him when she really spelled out how corny he was (and that everything thinks he is) but it was clearly out of a place of caring, and I am glad that she encouraged him to just be him at the end. If Jacob wasn't corny, then he wouldn't be Jacob.

I cannot WAIT to see Melissa working with Aid Ashley, who seems like Jainine taken up to eleven. 

[jah1986]

Another good episode! My love for Melissa went through the roof when she mentioned Capt. Chucky's in Ocean City, I love that place, their crab cakes are so good!

Ashley is already on my nerves, can't wait to see how she and Melissa get along, or Barbara's reaction to her.

I'm glad Jacob embraced his corniness, once he realized he is corny. I'm also glad he didn't let Janine's harsh, if well meaning, words damage their friendship.

[JeanJean]

The look on Gregory's face during Jacob's performance was priceless.

I kind of wish they would raise up teachers without putting others down. There were a number of disses at performers. I was a little surprised because QB started at Second City (I think). It's comedy, though. 

[Empress1]

“At the end of the day I’m corny. … And at the the beginning of the day too.”

[Crashcourse]

7 hours ago, BAForever said:

Going to need to rewatch. I seem to miss some of the best jokes. I love this show, but it moves too fast for me at times. 

I miss a lot of the jokes, too, because the show moves too fast at times.  This episode was especially hectic.  

[gesundheit]

1 hour ago, JeanJean said:

I kind of wish they would raise up teachers without putting others down. There were a number of disses at performers. I was a little surprised because QB started at Second City (I think). It's comedy, though. 

But sketch comedy/improv troupes are corny, just like Janine and Jacob! I thought this was more a celebration of that than a put-down.

[peachmangosteen]

1 hour ago, JeanJean said:

i kind of wish they would raise up teachers without putting others down. There were a number of disses at performers. I was a little surprised because QB started at Second City (I think). It's comedy, though. 

This. It all came off mean spirited, which this show usually doesn’t. 

Janine’s ‘At the end of the day, I’m corny. And at the beginning of the day too,’ or whatever helped make it a little less like they were making fun of people though. But the cracks about how the group must be virgins at the end kinda ruined it. Especially since it just wasn’t even funny.

I also thought Mr. Johnson was really off in this episode. His acting wasn’t great.

[gesundheit]

4 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I also thought Mr. Johnson was really off in this episode. His acting wasn’t great.

I've yet to be convinced moving him from recurring to series regular was the correct move. Having to come up with material to justify his prominence just isn't landing the way it did when he popped up when necessary.

[Phebemarie]

This will go down with last season’s art teacher episode as one I won’t rewatch.  Last season, Janine would have been as excited about the Story Samurai as Jacob.  This year, she’s in on the joke.  
 

I know people love Ava, and they have made her a bit more competent this year, but I really don’t care for a principal who would set her staff to be embarrassed.  

[cinsays]

2 minutes ago, Phebemarie said:

This will go down with last season’s art teacher episode as one I won’t rewatch.  Last season, Janine would have been as excited about the Story Samurai as Jacob.  This year, she’s in on the joke.  
 

I know people love Ava, and they have made her a bit more competent this year, but I really don’t care for a principal who would set her staff to be embarrassed.  

yeah, i really dislike Ava, just a mean self-obsessed girl

[shapeshifter]

Ava represents every mean and/or incompetent boss every viewer has ever had to put up with.

Edited October 6, 2022 by shapeshifter

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, Phebemarie said:

This will go down with last season’s art teacher episode as one I won’t rewatch.  Last season, Janine would have been as excited about the Story Samurai as Jacob.  This year, she’s in on the joke.  
 

I know people love Ava, and they have made her a bit more competent this year, but I really don’t care for a principal who would set her staff to be embarrassed.  

Those kids and teachers definitely deserve a better principal than Ava.  Frankly, I don't understand why she hasn't been fired.

[DearEvette]

2 hours ago, Phebemarie said:

This will go down with last season’s art teacher episode as one I won’t rewatch.  Last season, Janine would have been as excited about the Story Samurai as Jacob.  This year, she’s in on the joke.  
 

I know people love Ava, and they have made her a bit more competent this year, but I really don’t care for a principal who would set her staff to be embarrassed.  

Agreed on the Assessment about this episode  There were some fast and funny one-liners. The wit of the writing can't be beat.  But the story for me this week wasn't as engaging.

I did like Melissa's sub-plot though.  And her laughing took me out.

I don;t mind Ava because I know her role and place in this particular comedy.  She is the role of the not-always-but-mostly-incompetent leader who did not get their job by merit but failed upward for many reasons.  this person 100% exists.  On another show she'd be venal and corrupt and often would cause some real harm, on this one she is comedic.  It is a necessary role because it is part of the overall message that the show low-key allows to leak out, that in a school like this they are more likely to have a leader like Ava only much worse.  But because this is a comedy they are keeping her hijinks largely harmless.  You can't take her seriously or read her too literally in real world terms.

4 hours ago, JeanJean said:

The look on Gregory's face during Jacob's performance was priceless.

I kind of wish they would raise up teachers without putting others down. There were a number of disses at performers. I was a little surprised because QB started at Second City (I think). It's comedy, though. 

I thought Janine's conversation with Jacob contextualized the issue quite well when they went down the list of white savior movies.  Jacob is one of the very few white teachers in a predominantly black school as she pointed out.  So how he interacts with kids, especially in his classroom where they are older, is a big deal.  We saw him last season jumping on his desk doing raps and trying to do the whole Dead Poet's society thing.  And then the episodes with the Dozens where they were really dissing on him hard. 

Black kids in that age group (especially young males), and especially if they live in all black neighborhoods are not gonna be pre-disposed to automatically respect a white teacher especially one like Jacob who is objectively corny and wears his desire to be down on his sleeve.  Janine knows that he can slip from being viewed by the students with some mild exasperation as being corny to downright disrespect and scorn very easily.  And I think she was trying to protect him from that.

I think she was coming from the right place.  I liked that they showed the more outspoken student and reassured us that they he had won them over and they liked him and thought he was cool in his own corny way (i suspect that started with how he incorporated the Dozens in their history lesson which they would find cool).  So overall it was a nice little story about it is ok to be a corny nerd.  But Janine's point is still there and still very valid, imo

All that said, I did think the Story Samurai were objectively bad. And I think they were supposed to be just that bad so that it wasn't a case of the teachers being snarky about something that didn't deserve it. 

[Alexlovestv]

I’m happy that we finally figured out that Mr. C stands for Mr. Corny as I didn't know that in the past. I thought the Story Samurai was cute although I agree with Janine, it was super corny. I'm happy Janine realized that Jacob was really happy to be in the group though, and I'm happy she made it up to him. Also, Melissa is very relatable in this episode, she obviously has a very stressful job and I would go bonkers as well if I had a job like that. Good episode overall, although I felt the last two were better.

[853fisher]

My initial response was that parts of the episode did feel a little mean-spirited.  Having sat with that for a minute, I think the discussion about the samurais' future prospects is key.  One was going to the family hedge fund, the other wanted to be on SNL ... they were another group dipping in and out of these kids' lives and patting themselves on the back for it.  I did think their presentation was pretty bad and I can understand why the people who have made long-term commitments to those kids didn't want to cut the dilettantes any slack.  Is it "nice" to say they must be virgins or whatever?  Not especially, but I get why they'd be fed up.

The key to Jacob being accepted by the students, and able to be "corny" without losing respect, was that he had earned their trust, doofus or not.  He will always be an outsider in a way, but I feel we are seeing him take more advice from the other teachers, who are sometimes "right" and sometimes "wrong," but he's listening to those who can give him a bit more insight.  And that's crucial to him being a positive presence at the school and in these kids' lives.  This is all a bit "stream of consciousness" on my part, but I appreciate that the show made me think about this.  Not to get too personal, but I'm a white guy from a privileged background myself - I think the show definitely provides an opportunity for people like me to reflect a little if we are willing to do that.

[shapeshifter]

I didn’t care for the episode primarily because too much screen time was (necessarily) spent demonstrating that the Story Samurai were not worth watching by showing what they do.

Maybe I would have liked it better if the improv group had been a little more terrible? 

Probably not.

And I don’t think their segments could have been shorter.

🤷🏻‍♀️

[JeanJean]

2 hours ago, 853fisher said:

My initial response was that parts of the episode did feel a little mean-spirited.  Having sat with that for a minute, I think the discussion about the samurais' future prospects is key.  One was going to the family hedge fund, the other wanted to be on SNL ... they were another group dipping in and out of these kids' lives and patting themselves on the back for it.  I did think their presentation was pretty bad and I can understand why the people who have made long-term commitments to those kids didn't want to cut the dilettantes any slack.  Is it "nice" to say they must be virgins or whatever?  Not especially, but I get why they'd be fed up.

The show stacked the deck against them though by making them suck, which makes sense since it's a comedy. But it might have been really interesting to see how it would go if they had been really good. And if Jacob had blown his colleagues away by being really good at it. Kids' lives can be changed by being intro'd to good artists, too. (Where I lived as a kid, we had a public school program that took us to see really good plays at a local Tony-Award-winning theater, and that really affected me.) It just struck me as a little weird because in that episode with Janine's friend who was a visual artist, she came off looking bad and flighty, too. So there's this seeming anti-artist undercurrent which is strange since everyone involved with the show is an artist.

Just a thought. I still love the show.

And I was trying to remember if telling time was taught in school when I was a child or if that was something learned at home.

Edited October 7, 2022 by JeanJean

[kathyk24]

I thought Janine was trying to spare Jacob's feelings. I hated Barbara trying to sabotage Melissa and I'm glad she apologized. I think they should have given Melissa the aide from the start. This episode wasn't as good as last week but I thought the worst episode was Open House because Janine was out of character.

[Lila82]

I taught high school rather than elementary, and in NYC (pause for boos) but I could relate so much to Jacob in this episode. I was also a young, white woman teaching children of color, and it could feel impossible at times to relate to the kids. I also spent a lot of time questioning if I was the right person to be their teacher, because while I had the heart, what exactly were they learning from me? Anyone could teach history--shouldn't it be someone with a shared background, with a similar history, with experiences to which they could relate? Was I a white savior simply by being there? These were the questions I often asked myself and Jacob likely does too, and I appreciate the nuance with which the show discusses this dichotomy. So I loved watching Jacob unleash his authentic self and realizing that who he is rather than what he does is how he connects with his students. Jacob failed when he tried roasting the kids last season because it was't him; the improv was horrific but it was earnest and authentic and let his students see his real self. My first year, weighing in, and fully investing, in Edward v. Jacob was the moment my students realized I was a real person worth caring about. Who knew?

I too need a "Stay Calm and Tucci On" mug

re: Mr. Johnson

I gasped loud enough to wake the dog when he used Janine's shawl as a cleaning rag in the cold open. Just that 30 second scene makes me glad he's a series regular now. 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Lila82

[Annber03]

40 minutes ago, JeanJean said:

And I was trying to remember if telling time was taught in school when I was a child or if that was something learned at home.

 I remember doing a thing on that when I was in school. 

[Black Knight]

36 minutes ago, kathyk24 said:

I hated Barbara trying to sabotage Melissa and I'm glad she apologized.

"Sabotage" implies malicious intent to me. Barbara, like Melissa herself originally, didn't realize that the situation would require help. They both fell into the same trap, I think, of assuming that because Melissa is such an experienced and highly competent teacher, she can handle anything. Barbara was right to apologize, because she made it near-impossible for Melissa to admit she was in over her head, but it was from a well-meaning place of having complete faith in Melissa and wanting the aide to go to a less experienced teacher who would actually need the help.

[Phebemarie]

1 hour ago, JeanJean said:

Kids' lives can be changed by being intro'd to good artists, too. (Where I lived as a kid, we had a public school program that took us to see really good plays at a local Tony-Award-winning theater, and that really affected me.) It just struck me as a little weird because in that episode with Janine's friend who was a visual artist, she came off looking bad and flighty, too. So there's this seeming anti-artist undercurrent which is strange since everyone involved with the show is an artist.

Just a thought. I still love the show.

I have had this experience, too.  The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (which has won a Tony) used to send out teams of actors for the school visit program each year.   They were professional actors, of course, rather than over-earnest young adults.   

I thought Jacob was aware of his status with the students last year during the desking episode.  

[possibilities]

I don't think the show is anti-artist. They had Janine's boyfriend show up and do a great drug assembly. What made it funny was that we expected him to be awful, but he was surprisingly good.

I endured plenty of dorky or just awful school assemblies and "special events" and "guests" when I was growing up, so I think the show is fairly reasonably showcasing that mess in schools, where this kind of thing does actually happen.

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

I felt for Melissa in that scene with the clocks. I work in a special education classroom where ALL the kids are on different academic levels, and it’s incredibly hard to keep a level head when the kids who are more advanced try to chime in and give answers for the work their peers are doing.  Luckily, my class is in single digits and I am the aide. Can’t be done alone. 

[DearEvette]

12 hours ago, JeanJean said:

The show stacked the deck against them though by making them suck, which makes sense since it's a comedy. But it might have been really interesting to see how it would go if they had been really good.

Naw.  The Charter school got the good group.

12 hours ago, Black Knight said:

Barbara was right to apologize, because she made it near-impossible for Melissa to admit she was in over her head, but it was from a well-meaning place of having complete faith in Melissa and wanting the aide to go to a less experienced teacher who would actually need the help.

I think this is a nice parallel to Janine/Jacob.  Your BFF means well and is trying to support you but ultimately that support may not be the right type of support you need at that time.

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

When Jacob said “Holy Shakespeare!” so that he wouldn’t swear in front of the kids, I saw myself in that moment. It was humbling. 

[MicheleinPhilly]

AW, poor earnest, corny Jacob. While he would likely drive me nuts IRL, I appreciate what he brings to Abbott. 

When Ava told Melissa that she would have 2nd and 3rd grade combined, I had NO idea she meant combined literally. At the same time. I can't even imagine the utter chaos that even an experienced teacher like Melissa would be hard-pressed to handle.

I'm skeptical of how useful the aide will be. Her first order of business should be changing her clothes because as soon as she walks into the classroom wearing a Celtics jersey...Well, that was not a wise choice. 

Story Samurai: "Do you have a suggestion?"

Ava: "Yeah, beat it."

Story Samurai starts doing Beat It choreography. 

I startled myself with how loudly that made me laugh. 

I also appreciated seeing some cracks in Gregory's normally stoic facade this week. I hope we continue to see him coming out of his shell a bit more. 

[tennisgurl]

Now if Abbot wants cheese, bring in an anti drug comedy troupe. I still remember that time a comedy group came to my school and did a full rap number about what to say when our friends inevitably offer us drugs. We thought it was silly fun but were also confused as to which of us had the drugs that at least one kid in every friend group apparently had. 

[JakeyJokes]

15 hours ago, JeanJean said:

And I was trying to remember if telling time was taught in school when I was a child or if that was something learned at home.

I am going to age myself, but we had “filmstrips” where the hour hand talked like a grandpa, Miss Minute had makeup on like the Green M & M and a Southern accent, and then the second hand was a lightning bolt.

[Abra]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Now if Abbot wants cheese, bring in an anti drug comedy troupe. I still remember that time a comedy group came to my school and did a full rap number about what to say when our friends inevitably offer us drugs. We thought it was silly fun but were also confused as to which of us had the drugs that at least one kid in every friend group apparently had. 

No one can top Tariq and F.A.D.E., though. "If someone tries to sell you drugs, punch 'em in the face!"

[ItCouldBeWorse]

22 hours ago, gesundheit said:

I've yet to be convinced moving him from recurring to series regular was the correct move. Having to come up with material to justify his prominence just isn't landing the way it did when he popped up when necessary.

16 hours ago, Lila82 said:

I gasped loud enough to wake the dog when he used Janine's shawl as a cleaning rag in the cold open. Just that 30 second scene makes me glad he's a series regular now. 

That shawl was in no way a particularly warm one. It was more like a scarf, which was why Mr. Johnson could wear it the way he did.  So, that took me out of the joke, plus, what he did was mean once Janine claimed it. He knows she doesn't have extra money.

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Now if Abbot wants cheese, bring in an anti drug comedy troupe. I still remember that time a comedy group came to my school and did a full rap number about what to say when our friends inevitably offer us drugs. We thought it was silly fun but were also confused as to which of us had the drugs that at least one kid in every friend group apparently had. 

Isn't that exactly what Tariq did last season? 

[Black Knight]

1 hour ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

That shawl was in no way a particularly warm one. It was more like a scarf, which was why Mr. Johnson could wear it the way he did.  So, that took me out of the joke,

I thought she wanted it to wear inside her classroom. So she probably doesn't need a big thick shawl. Sometimes just a thin extra layer is enough, especially indoors. Now if she wanted to wear it outside in the midst of a Philly winter, that'd be a different story.