Ava being a "real" Principal was terrifyingly real and triggering as a former public school teacher. Thankfully, it was also hilarious, and I really laughed at how they got her out of it. Her acting was top top tier!
Also, whoever came up with "Jeremy Allen Black" deserves a raise because that was such a "Wait, what? OH" 😂 line. That whole scene was a hoot.
I have absolutely no hope that the folks from the District won't end up just as disillusioned and frustrated as every one else who has ever worked in an inner city school system.
These episodes threw me because I thought the district people seemed so off that I spent the whole time waiting for a heel turn that never came. (Maybe I just have Segarra's Arrow role stuck in my head?) If they really are totally on the level, it wasn't coming across in their performances to me. That whole exchange about the chargers was just weird if they're supposed to be earnest reformers, for instance.
Still! Glad to have this show and these reviews back. It's funny as ever, with the standout for me this week being Mr. Johnson's early aside about keeping a bit of mop water in the bucket for next time like it's sourdough starter. So disgusting! I couldn't stop laughing.
Interesting, I did not pick up on any romantic vibes between Janine and Manny. I found him a bit too earnest bordering on creepy. Like @Joe Kessler said above, it felt like there was going to be a heel turn that never came.
Also, I was just a touched confused about the timeline. It sounded like Janine's five month fellowship was up now that Career Day happened? But I guess that's not going to be the case and she'll continue to jump in and out of Abbott (though presumably most of her scenes will be set there). But yeah something about starting in "the present," flashing back five months to the beginning of the year, then jumping back to career day, then Ava playing the hidden camera footage from a week into the school year when Gregory turned down Janine, back to the February 2 and career day gave me a bit of whiplash.
Oh and this is so pedantic, but the only reason the Eagles would be practicing on February 2 is if they're in the Super Bowl... wonder if Brunson and others got a bit overly optimistic about the Eagles playoff chances haha. (Or the more likely scenario: they didn't care about actual NFL schedules haha.)
I assume the fellowship is a whole year (or a whole school year). It does seem it took all these months for her to FINALLY get a pitch to go through, which is probably realistic but also shows that it's still a headache to change anything in that realm.
Wow I just can't imagine there being a "heel turn" from a character played by Josh Segarra. I just love him so much and he radiates such goodness I can't imagine him playing a heel or bad guy of any kind
I just accidentally clicked out and deleted everything I originally wrote, so please bear with me... This is not what I originally wrote...
I can't tell is this reply is a bit or not, but if it's NOT... I will say that my first-ever exposure to Josh Segarra (who, I often realize I had the chance to see on Broadway but didn't take( as an actor was in Chicago P.D. (what a waste... he ended up being a male version of fridging) and Arrow (which is the main reason why no one trusts him, because if you know, you know).
(He was apparently in the pilot of Homeland and episode 5 of The Following, both of which I watched at the time... No memory. Don't count.)
I don't know if you ever watched Arrow, but I would highly recommend Segarra's season, because he is so unlike anything I've even seen him in and so despicable, you kind of have to see it to believe it. *evil dab* Of course, I assume, because you can't envision a heel Josh Segarra, you are a fan of The Other Two... and I am sure there's not a lot of overlap between Arrow and Other Two fans (though, when it comes to Segarra, I feel like watching both really adds to the latter). Having seen his 23 episodes of Arrow (he's in almost all of Season 5, with 2 bonus episodes later in the series), It's very funny to me how well Segarra comes across as a person too, especially when he's being the earnest friend supporting Stephen Amell in his pro wrestling endeavors.
In conclusion, if anything bad happens between Janine/Manny, Segarra being Segarra will probably have me on his side regardless.
I wasn't a fan of how they handled Ava here. Of course they couldn't leave her as a responsible (adjacent) principal, but the whole thing with her old personality being rebooted with a Juvenile song was too cartoony for me. They might as well have hit her over the head with a coconut.
I do wonder if responsible Ava's reforms and their subsequent repeal was meant as something of an answer to those of us who have questioned how much the Abbott teachers have in the way of free time and off campus privileges. It kind of seemed they were saying "Okay, fine, we'll be more realistic. Sike. We'll keep doing what we want so we can tell our stories."
The rest of it was fine. It's always nice to see Josh Segarra (unless you're watching Arrow).
Yes my friend who's a teacher loves the show but always says how unrealistic it is they have so much free time for lunch including going off campus. I almost wish "normal" Ava had kept that one.
I taught 12 years in middle school, and if you had your conference period before or after lunch, it was easy to walk to get Subway or other take away. I'm sure the same is true in Elementary depending on when their students have PE.
I taught MS for quite a long time as well. I suppose if I had ever worked someplace where there was quick takeout within walking distance it might have been different, but that was not my experience. In general, while it wasn't a huge deal if you occasionally had to run off campus for a quick errand during planning, it did require at least a heads up to your admin and wasn't something you could do routinely. And some of the places the Abbott teachers have talked about going sound more like sit down restaurants, not quick in and out take out.
I never had to let anyone know if I left campus during lunch or my conference period so that may be a big part of the difference. LAUSD is the 2nd largest school district in the country so, as in this show, very much dependent on who the principals are and how they enforce endless district mandates.
A group of us who had 5th period conference would walk and do sit down for lunch at a couple of nearby restaurants though. I can't speak for what was required in elementaries, of course.
So happy to have this show back and Latoya reviewing it!
I wasn't very invested in Melissa and vending machine guy's proposal, but I did enjoy it as a twist on how these types of stories worked out in older sitcoms. Melissa didn't suddenly change her mind on marriage just because she got a great proposal, she still wasn't interested and the couple had to make a tough decision to break up.
Also, I am definitely sensing a spark between Janine and Manny. I would not be shocked if we see them get together, provided we don't get some rug pull with this group being bad for Abbott.
Part 1 was much funnier than part 2 with the introduction of "competent Ava" and funny subpots all around. The second episode had a lot of issues with the Mrs. Schimenti story that didn't really and, the "will they or won't they" stuff that leaves me cold much like it does Latoya. The episode was saved by Mr. Johnson and Ava's dance to Juvenile though
Ava being a "real" Principal was terrifyingly real and triggering as a former public school teacher. Thankfully, it was also hilarious, and I really laughed at how they got her out of it. Her acting was top top tier!
Also, whoever came up with "Jeremy Allen Black" deserves a raise because that was such a "Wait, what? OH" 😂 line. That whole scene was a hoot.
I have absolutely no hope that the folks from the District won't end up just as disillusioned and frustrated as every one else who has ever worked in an inner city school system.
These episodes threw me because I thought the district people seemed so off that I spent the whole time waiting for a heel turn that never came. (Maybe I just have Segarra's Arrow role stuck in my head?) If they really are totally on the level, it wasn't coming across in their performances to me. That whole exchange about the chargers was just weird if they're supposed to be earnest reformers, for instance.
Still! Glad to have this show and these reviews back. It's funny as ever, with the standout for me this week being Mr. Johnson's early aside about keeping a bit of mop water in the bucket for next time like it's sourdough starter. So disgusting! I couldn't stop laughing.
Yes definitely felt like there'd be some twist to the district folks.
And how could LaToya go a whole review without mentioning Mr. Johnson! Per usual, his ratio of funny lines to screen time was off the charts.
Somebody please remind me to set my "humiliating tarp incident" Google alert.
Interesting, I did not pick up on any romantic vibes between Janine and Manny. I found him a bit too earnest bordering on creepy. Like @Joe Kessler said above, it felt like there was going to be a heel turn that never came.
Also, I was just a touched confused about the timeline. It sounded like Janine's five month fellowship was up now that Career Day happened? But I guess that's not going to be the case and she'll continue to jump in and out of Abbott (though presumably most of her scenes will be set there). But yeah something about starting in "the present," flashing back five months to the beginning of the year, then jumping back to career day, then Ava playing the hidden camera footage from a week into the school year when Gregory turned down Janine, back to the February 2 and career day gave me a bit of whiplash.
Oh and this is so pedantic, but the only reason the Eagles would be practicing on February 2 is if they're in the Super Bowl... wonder if Brunson and others got a bit overly optimistic about the Eagles playoff chances haha. (Or the more likely scenario: they didn't care about actual NFL schedules haha.)
I assume the fellowship is a whole year (or a whole school year). It does seem it took all these months for her to FINALLY get a pitch to go through, which is probably realistic but also shows that it's still a headache to change anything in that realm.
ah that makes. I must have made up that it was a five-month program.
Wow I just can't imagine there being a "heel turn" from a character played by Josh Segarra. I just love him so much and he radiates such goodness I can't imagine him playing a heel or bad guy of any kind
I just accidentally clicked out and deleted everything I originally wrote, so please bear with me... This is not what I originally wrote...
I can't tell is this reply is a bit or not, but if it's NOT... I will say that my first-ever exposure to Josh Segarra (who, I often realize I had the chance to see on Broadway but didn't take( as an actor was in Chicago P.D. (what a waste... he ended up being a male version of fridging) and Arrow (which is the main reason why no one trusts him, because if you know, you know).
(He was apparently in the pilot of Homeland and episode 5 of The Following, both of which I watched at the time... No memory. Don't count.)
I don't know if you ever watched Arrow, but I would highly recommend Segarra's season, because he is so unlike anything I've even seen him in and so despicable, you kind of have to see it to believe it. *evil dab* Of course, I assume, because you can't envision a heel Josh Segarra, you are a fan of The Other Two... and I am sure there's not a lot of overlap between Arrow and Other Two fans (though, when it comes to Segarra, I feel like watching both really adds to the latter). Having seen his 23 episodes of Arrow (he's in almost all of Season 5, with 2 bonus episodes later in the series), It's very funny to me how well Segarra comes across as a person too, especially when he's being the earnest friend supporting Stephen Amell in his pro wrestling endeavors.
In conclusion, if anything bad happens between Janine/Manny, Segarra being Segarra will probably have me on his side regardless.
I assure this wasn't a bit. I've never seen any of Arrow. I think of him entirely as his character from "The Other Two"
I liked the callback to episode one, when Barbara told Janine "'Baby Shark' is like 'Back That Azz Up' for kids."
Is Career Day all Janine spent doing for the past five months? That's... underwhelming.
I wasn't a fan of how they handled Ava here. Of course they couldn't leave her as a responsible (adjacent) principal, but the whole thing with her old personality being rebooted with a Juvenile song was too cartoony for me. They might as well have hit her over the head with a coconut.
I do wonder if responsible Ava's reforms and their subsequent repeal was meant as something of an answer to those of us who have questioned how much the Abbott teachers have in the way of free time and off campus privileges. It kind of seemed they were saying "Okay, fine, we'll be more realistic. Sike. We'll keep doing what we want so we can tell our stories."
The rest of it was fine. It's always nice to see Josh Segarra (unless you're watching Arrow).
Yes my friend who's a teacher loves the show but always says how unrealistic it is they have so much free time for lunch including going off campus. I almost wish "normal" Ava had kept that one.
I taught 12 years in middle school, and if you had your conference period before or after lunch, it was easy to walk to get Subway or other take away. I'm sure the same is true in Elementary depending on when their students have PE.
I taught MS for quite a long time as well. I suppose if I had ever worked someplace where there was quick takeout within walking distance it might have been different, but that was not my experience. In general, while it wasn't a huge deal if you occasionally had to run off campus for a quick errand during planning, it did require at least a heads up to your admin and wasn't something you could do routinely. And some of the places the Abbott teachers have talked about going sound more like sit down restaurants, not quick in and out take out.
I never had to let anyone know if I left campus during lunch or my conference period so that may be a big part of the difference. LAUSD is the 2nd largest school district in the country so, as in this show, very much dependent on who the principals are and how they enforce endless district mandates.
A group of us who had 5th period conference would walk and do sit down for lunch at a couple of nearby restaurants though. I can't speak for what was required in elementaries, of course.
Must be nice. Things are very different different in right to work land.
Yeah, having a super strong union is such a big deal!
The Ava reboot method just barely worked for me. You're right that it was super cartoony/old school sitcommy but Janelle James just made it funny
So happy to have this show back and Latoya reviewing it!
I wasn't very invested in Melissa and vending machine guy's proposal, but I did enjoy it as a twist on how these types of stories worked out in older sitcoms. Melissa didn't suddenly change her mind on marriage just because she got a great proposal, she still wasn't interested and the couple had to make a tough decision to break up.
Also, I am definitely sensing a spark between Janine and Manny. I would not be shocked if we see them get together, provided we don't get some rug pull with this group being bad for Abbott.
Part 1 was much funnier than part 2 with the introduction of "competent Ava" and funny subpots all around. The second episode had a lot of issues with the Mrs. Schimenti story that didn't really and, the "will they or won't they" stuff that leaves me cold much like it does Latoya. The episode was saved by Mr. Johnson and Ava's dance to Juvenile though