Abbott Elementary – The Panel

By starrymag | March 26, 2024

By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

 

 

We open with a basketball game with the teams consisting of faculty and students alike. No one is safe, not even kindergardeners as a few kids get knocked down. We learn Gregory (Tyler James Williams) is very competitive and Tariq (Zack Fox) is the referee for some reason. The game is called when Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) scores for the other team.

 

An unspecified amount of time later we learn that while Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), Barbara and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) are getting CPR certified Gregory and Ava (Janelle James) are going to speak on an education panel. Ava is very dressed up because her college nemesis will be there. The key to not winning a rivalry is not acknowledging it. Ava explains that it’s imperative that they “win” the panel.

 

At the district offices Janine (Quinta Brunson) is feeling pretty anxious. Today’s the day the district decides on whether or not to greenlight her librarian program. It also is the last day she can renew her CPR certification to remain in good standing as a teacher. She is really stressed about having two big deadlines hanging over her head, but it’s now or never. However, on the bright side she can see her teacher friends.

 

The person teaching the course is Captain Robinson (Mike O’Malley) from the Fire Department. Barbara notices that he and Melissa are flirting a lot and suggests they date. Jacob informs her that Captain Robinson already slept over last night. Barbara doesn’t understand why Melissa didn’t tell her that they’re dating. The reason is because they’re casual and Melissa assumed that Barbara wouldn’t approve. Janine feels sad that she isn’t in the loop the way she used to be. Then, this realization gets interrupted by Manny (Josh Segarra). He pulls Janine from the class to tell her they’ve got a problem on the librarian front.

 

Ava is anxious to see her nemesis Crystal (Tatyana Ali). She believes Crystal became a principal just to spite her, even though she became a principal before Ava did. When they come face-to-face Crystal acknowledges Gregory’s presence and then introduces her to Richard (Brandon Kyle Goodman), who won “Educator of the Year” two years before he did. Plus, Tariq is moderating the panel because he is somehow the PTA’s president.

 

According to Manny the problem with the librarian program is that the university decided that the program didn’t meet its academic standards after all. This is bad because the university that pulled out was the only university willing to participate for free. Janine says they’re just going to have to ask the district for money. Manny says that it’s a long shot, but Janine thinks it’s their only option.

 

The panel discussion is off to a rough start for Ava and Gregory. Tariq is keeping score while answering questions and the crowd doesn’t take kindly to his insistence that tests are necessary. Ava and Crystal have conflicting answers about leadership and the crowd responds better to Crystal’s answers.

 

When there’s a break Ava is angry that they’re losing. Gregory says that you can’t lose a panel discussion. Ava explains panel discussions are all about grandstanding and what you say matters less than how it’s said. She wants him to dazzle the crowd, but razzle-dazzle isn’t Gregory’s thing. He encourages her to stop trying to answer every single question.

 

 

During CPR class Barbara is still upset that Melissa didn’t tell her about Captain Robinson. Melissa explains that it’s not serious, it’s just sex. When Janine comes back and asks what she missed Barbara is hurt that Melissa doesn’t trust her. Melissa responds that she trusts her a lot, but she didn’t think she’d understand. Then, it’s mentioned that Jacob and Avi (Karan Soni) the EMT have hooked up, too. Janine wants to know why she didn’t know about Jacob and Avi’s rooftop liaison, but he texted her and she wasn’t paying attention. Melissa didn’t know about Avi and Jacob either, but says she forgives Jacob for not sharing. Captain Robinson tries to redirect everyone’s attention back to the course, but then Janine has to leave again.

 

Manny and Janine go to Superintendent Reynolds (Keegan-Michael Key) and make their pitch for the librarian program. Superintendent Reynolds says it feels like a win, but since they need money now he can’t okay it. The district doesn’t have the money to pay for the program so he wants to approve it, but he can’t. Janine asks for another day to sort things out, but the deadline is 8:00 pm. When they leave Janine says they do have another option, but she figured a university with a bigger name would give the program a better chance. Janine suggests Tasker Community College and says she knows people don’t have a high opinion of community college, but it’s their only hope.

 

The class is still happening and Barbara just doesn’t know why Melissa doesn’t think she’d understand. Melissa points out that she hasn’t been single since the 1990s so she didn’t think she’d get the concept of a casual relationship. She asks Jacob why she didn’t tell her about Avi and he explains it wasn’t serious. This is news to Avi who thought he was playing hard to get. Janine comes in and wants to take her test for certification now. Captain Robinson points out she’s been missing for most of the course. Janine’s response is that human anatomy hasn’t changed in the past few hours and performs CPR on the dummy.

 

Later, she and Manny talk to the community college’s VP (Roy Jenkins) and he agrees to participate. They’re surprised it’s so easy, but he admits that no one asks Tasker Community College students to do anything. They take the update to the superintendent and he’s dubious about the community college at first, but then Janine explains that people overlook community colleges the same way they do public schools. Still, this is a chance for the community members to help kids. Since it’s free, Superintendent Reynolds gives the program the green light.

 

Jacob and Janine agree to go to what’s left of the panel discussion and there are a few developments. Firstly, Jacob might like Avi more than he’s letting on. Secondly, Janine looks at a picture of her with her students wistfully. Then, Gregory takes Mr. Johnson’s (William Stanford Davis) advice and decides to try to educate the audience. He tells them about the gardening program he has with the middle schoolers. An audience member (Garon Grigsby) from the Philadelphia Activities Fund is so impressed he tells Gregory they should talk more about potential grants. And Ava gets to feel like she one-upped Crystal because of the camera crew.

 

After the panel Janine, Gregory and Jacob agree to go out. Janine wants to get caught up on Jacob’s EMT romance and Gregory mentions a different name than Avi’s. Janine is confused and Jacob tells her to read her texts. Plus, the EMT negs Jacob, which totally makes Jacob into him.