Review: Abbott Elementary, "Story Samurai" | Season 2, Episode 3
The series proves it can do cringe comedy with the best of them, as uncomfortable as that is
It’s not breaking news from Abbott Elementary that Jacob is “corny.” While Janine is definitely a fashion disaster and the butt of many jokes from her peers—as well as admittedly corny herself, albeit in a different way—Jacob is on a whole other level of corniness in comparison. In fact, it’s actually pretty interesting that Abbott Elementary is able to make both Janine and Jacob corny characters without either of them stepping on each other’s toes in that regard, both with awareness about what makes the other corny if not always themselves.
“Story Samurai’s” A-plot focusing on Jacob’s corniness—and why it isn’t a bad thing—isn’t the strongest A-plot of the series yet, though it certainly provides some of the cringiest comedy the series has seen to date. But despite the fact the plot revolves around Janine trying to spare Jacob from embarrassment, that cringiness I note isn’t even necessarily because of him. It takes a lot to out-corny Jacob, and the Story Samurai—Megan,…