Sep 24, 2022·edited Sep 24, 2022Liked by Donna Bowman
hooray, Latoya is here! this place just keeps getting better and better. :)
i think my favorite part about Gregory's reaction to Gritty was that it called back to his equally unenthused-yet-controversial opinion about pizza. he really is the Ben Wyatt of this show. ("i don't get it. at all. it's ~kind~ of a small horse, i mean what am i missing? am i crazy?" and let's not forget about his infamously divisive preference for calzones.)
everyone has a pretty close Parks & Rec counterpart here: Janine is clearly a Leslie Knope, Ava/Tom, Barbara/Donna, Melissa/Ron Swanson, Jacob/Ann Perkins. you can even make a case for Mr. Johnson/April, as they are both lurking in the shadows ready to cause a little chaos on the sidelines just for the fun of it.
It was everything I wanted for its return. And more, obviously, because Gritty!
As a retired teacher from an inner city school district, this is the only show in a school setting I've been willing to watch because it really gets how difficult it is while remaining funny and good hearted. This cast is just fantastic.
So happy to have you reviewing this show LaToya! The episode was a great return. I was one of the people who caught up on the show over the summer after hearing such great things so the wait wasn't as long for me, but I was still glad to see all our teachers back.
I did enjoy the subtle call back to Ava renting out the parking lot for Eagles tailgating as the reason why Janine was parked on the street when she got booted.
Also Variety did an absolutely great interview with Gritty on the episode which had me in stitches. And embedded in the interview was a video the NHL did on his visit to the set, also great
Adding my voice to the chorus of excitement that LaToya is here!
One shift I'm glad they made: making Gregory a teacher who is coming to grips with what's being asked of them. Last year, I was annoyed by the "I should be the principal because I studied for it" route despite having zero real world experience. The rest of his character was great but that aspect annoyed me whenever it was brought out. The show clearly didn't want to make him a Mediocre Entitled Man like they did with Tariq and that choice never clicked with me. So, I'm happy they pivoted away this episode and continue this new arc with him.
Gritty is obviously nightmare fuel, he looks like a 70's inspired muppet who is clearly having a bad trip on shrooms. I truly loved the internet horror when he was originally revealed.
That being said, all mascots are more or less pointless unless you're 10 or under or the parent of a someone that age. Then again a relatively high percentage of the sports teams I follow do not have mascots, so I may have inherited some anti-mascot stodginess.
Glad to have LaToya on the Abbott beat, I enjoyed her B99 coverage; as for Abbott, I watched the first season over a few day recently and have to agree with her that it had a really strong first season.
LaToya, thank you! I actually waited to watch the episode until I read your review. It helps me pick up on some nuances, points I may otherwise miss, like the delicious filling of the best cake, it completes the experience (groan, sorry).
A small matter, but I feel compelled to state for the record that teachers do not get "three months off." Although school schedules differ in different regions, different states, most at least get about ten weeks, i.e. work until mid-June or later, and return before the end of August for "development week" - administrative meetings, planning, training Ten weeks of "summer break" is perhaps more accurate.
Also (not news, I know), many teachers must spend the bulk of that time in any number of ways - summer classes towards a Masters degree; a second job! (as the show presents so well, we woefully underpay our public school teachers); and/or, planning lessons for the next school year. Unlike most jobs, teachers absolutely must bring their work home, both outside of school hours as well as over the summer break (perhaps one thing the show might have done more with, although learning ASL and Ava's efforts definitely fall into the "summer work for teachers" category).
I look forward to reading your observations and analysis each week going forward; it makes subscribing feel like a necessity as well as a pleasure, and I hope that it means that outstanding A.V. reviewers like you are more fairly compensated for their work. And yes, this cast, the writing, an absolute joy! (Leslie Odoms, Jr., too?! An abundance of riches.)
I am catching up on Abbott Elementary now, and what a treat to read this recap! Okay the Latoya/Myles beef over Gritty has me chuckling! Definitely a solid start to Season 2. I actually have been watching Parks & Rec with my daughter - the Tariq/ Andy comparison is apt.
Easily my favorite joke was when Jacob burst in like "I have an emergency!" and then proceeded to sit in a chair backwards, and Barbara just turned around and walked out. "I'm not playing with that boy this year." I missed the next full minute of the show because I was laughing so hard.
hooray, Latoya is here! this place just keeps getting better and better. :)
i think my favorite part about Gregory's reaction to Gritty was that it called back to his equally unenthused-yet-controversial opinion about pizza. he really is the Ben Wyatt of this show. ("i don't get it. at all. it's ~kind~ of a small horse, i mean what am i missing? am i crazy?" and let's not forget about his infamously divisive preference for calzones.)
everyone has a pretty close Parks & Rec counterpart here: Janine is clearly a Leslie Knope, Ava/Tom, Barbara/Donna, Melissa/Ron Swanson, Jacob/Ann Perkins. you can even make a case for Mr. Johnson/April, as they are both lurking in the shadows ready to cause a little chaos on the sidelines just for the fun of it.
I’m so stoked to see Latoya covering this for EM Myles! I hope we see more folks in the comments soon.
If Gritty is not on the Emmy nominations ballot, I say we all riot.
It was everything I wanted for its return. And more, obviously, because Gritty!
As a retired teacher from an inner city school district, this is the only show in a school setting I've been willing to watch because it really gets how difficult it is while remaining funny and good hearted. This cast is just fantastic.
So happy to have you reviewing this show LaToya! The episode was a great return. I was one of the people who caught up on the show over the summer after hearing such great things so the wait wasn't as long for me, but I was still glad to see all our teachers back.
I did enjoy the subtle call back to Ava renting out the parking lot for Eagles tailgating as the reason why Janine was parked on the street when she got booted.
Also Variety did an absolutely great interview with Gritty on the episode which had me in stitches. And embedded in the interview was a video the NHL did on his visit to the set, also great
Adding my voice to the chorus of excitement that LaToya is here!
One shift I'm glad they made: making Gregory a teacher who is coming to grips with what's being asked of them. Last year, I was annoyed by the "I should be the principal because I studied for it" route despite having zero real world experience. The rest of his character was great but that aspect annoyed me whenever it was brought out. The show clearly didn't want to make him a Mediocre Entitled Man like they did with Tariq and that choice never clicked with me. So, I'm happy they pivoted away this episode and continue this new arc with him.
Gritty is obviously nightmare fuel, he looks like a 70's inspired muppet who is clearly having a bad trip on shrooms. I truly loved the internet horror when he was originally revealed.
That being said, all mascots are more or less pointless unless you're 10 or under or the parent of a someone that age. Then again a relatively high percentage of the sports teams I follow do not have mascots, so I may have inherited some anti-mascot stodginess.
Glad to have LaToya on the Abbott beat, I enjoyed her B99 coverage; as for Abbott, I watched the first season over a few day recently and have to agree with her that it had a really strong first season.
LaToya, thank you! I actually waited to watch the episode until I read your review. It helps me pick up on some nuances, points I may otherwise miss, like the delicious filling of the best cake, it completes the experience (groan, sorry).
A small matter, but I feel compelled to state for the record that teachers do not get "three months off." Although school schedules differ in different regions, different states, most at least get about ten weeks, i.e. work until mid-June or later, and return before the end of August for "development week" - administrative meetings, planning, training Ten weeks of "summer break" is perhaps more accurate.
Also (not news, I know), many teachers must spend the bulk of that time in any number of ways - summer classes towards a Masters degree; a second job! (as the show presents so well, we woefully underpay our public school teachers); and/or, planning lessons for the next school year. Unlike most jobs, teachers absolutely must bring their work home, both outside of school hours as well as over the summer break (perhaps one thing the show might have done more with, although learning ASL and Ava's efforts definitely fall into the "summer work for teachers" category).
I look forward to reading your observations and analysis each week going forward; it makes subscribing feel like a necessity as well as a pleasure, and I hope that it means that outstanding A.V. reviewers like you are more fairly compensated for their work. And yes, this cast, the writing, an absolute joy! (Leslie Odoms, Jr., too?! An abundance of riches.)
I am catching up on Abbott Elementary now, and what a treat to read this recap! Okay the Latoya/Myles beef over Gritty has me chuckling! Definitely a solid start to Season 2. I actually have been watching Parks & Rec with my daughter - the Tariq/ Andy comparison is apt.
Easily my favorite joke was when Jacob burst in like "I have an emergency!" and then proceeded to sit in a chair backwards, and Barbara just turned around and walked out. "I'm not playing with that boy this year." I missed the next full minute of the show because I was laughing so hard.
I laughed out loud at the "Scrubs" description of Tariq. Beautiful!
Loved your review - so excited to experience Season 2 with you~
Last year I was on a break from teaching, and when I watched this show I was like, okay, cool, cute little feel-good sitcom about teachers.
This year I'm teaching again and watching this premiere I was all verklempt about the teachers and their sincere dedication to the students.
Great to see LaToya doing recaps for this!