Superior Donuts – Error of Admission

By: Jay Smith

In the shop, Franco (Jermaine Fowler) is ready to turn his college application, but needs Arthur’s (Judd Hirsch) recommendation letter. Of course, Arthur doesn’t understand the simple ways technology has helped and has written his letter via typewriter. This is a problem since the application is online, but Randy (Katey Sagal) snaps a picture of it and uploads it to the laptop. Fawz (Maz Jobrani) and Carl (David Koechner) are amazed at Arthur’s difficulty with technology and compare it to a monkey not being able to peel a cucumber like a banana.

Franco tells the group he’s applied to a lot of schools, but his dream choice is Dearborn because of the amazing art program. Arthur mentions him proofreading when he sees Franco didn’t check his ethnicity off. Randy believes he should showcase his background because of more opportunities. Franco admits he purposefully didn’t do it and explains he wants to get in on his merit and not for being poor and black. Fawz supports Franco’s decision because he had his oldest son put “American” on his college application despite his very Middle Eastern name. Franco isn’t going to change his mind on his decision and leaves to grab a picture of his painting, which is on the side of a train, for his portfolio and urges Arthur to proofread his recommendation for him before submitting. Carl calls Franco lucky for knowing his background while he has no clue since he’s adopted. Randy suggests he take a DNA test to get to the bottom of his curiosity. Randy is also curious and is certain she’s a hundred percent Italian. Arthur can’t get over Franco not disclosing his ethnicity and believes it would make his chances better. Randy keeps telling him not to. Arthur’s logic is if he gets in with his ethnicity shown it’ll be great and not matter if not then he’ll still be okay. He tries to submit, but has difficulty until Randy helps him again. Arthur makes a joke about laptops having their name when they’re never in your laps and Carl asks him to stop because his cluelessness with technology is alarming.

Carl comes into the shop and is excited to share his DNA results. He exclaims he’s mixed with everything and gets a little too excited to proclaim he’s five percent African. Sweatpants (Rell Battle) isn’t moved and jokes he can’t show him the handshake unless he’s ten percent. There’s a scream and Randy asks if the nail shop is doing bikini waxes now, but it’s Franco and he’s excited to tell everyone he got into Dearborn. To celebrate, Arthur gets a bottle of champagne from the back and Randy jokes its early for alcohol so they’ll have OJ with it, too. They’re both happy he got in even with his ethnicity known to the college. Sweatpants is happy for Franco because he believes dorm life will be awesome for them both, ignoring the fact he isn’t a student. Sofia (Diane Guerrero) comes into the shop and Franco is still excited and tells her the good news. They hug and he, still in disbelief, repeats the news and they hug again. Sweatpants tries to get a hug as well, but it doesn’t pan out. Carl asks about his start date and Franco reads about a reception for a program. He doesn’t understand the program and Sofia tells him she was in it at the University of Wisconsin, with the added “Go Badgers!” and explains it’s a diversity program. Franco is confused on the phrase “program to reintroduce nontraditional students to college life” and Sofia tells him it means “black” in his case. Arthur starts getting nervous because his secret will soon be found out. Franco is confused and doesn’t like the way he got in and decides to call the school to figure this out. A nervous Arthur drinks straight from the bottle, making Sweatpants giddy for college.

Arthur is still nervous and decides to leave to head to the school to make this right and asks Randy to cover for him. Carl takes this opportunity to speak Spanglish to get Sofia’s attention about his DNA results. It catches Sofia offguard, but she slowly slightly indulges and sarcastically tells him to enjoy having people ask him where the best Mexican food is. Carl rolls his eyes with a “white people” attached and then asks her the food question. To shake the conversation and to finally leave, Sofia mentions the African percentage and throws the conversation to Sweatpants. Franco tells them he left a message for admissions and Randy reveals her DNA results. She’s fully Italian and a distant relative contacted her to let her know about their royal blood. Carl wants to continue the Italian conversation with a dumb question, but Randy throws the conversation to Sweatpants and now Franco about his results. He semi jokes about them being related, but the two shut it down with a flat “no.” Arthur is in Mr. Mathers’ (Jim Rash) office doing a terrible job of explaining why he should rescind Franco’s admission. The conversation goes so badly that Mathers gets flustered and decides it’s a good idea to record. Before a solution is made, Franco knocks and enters the room. Franco is confused to see a terribly hiding Arthur and again the conversation is bad, but the truth is finally revealed on Arthur checking the ethnicity box for Franco. Franco is furious with Arthur who took it upon himself to believe he was doing good because of a positive outcome, but Franco takes it as him not believing in his work. Franco is so upset and suggests he’ll never know if he got in on his work or based off his ethnicity and abruptly decides he’s no longer going to his dream school and leaves.

Carl, still fascinated by his DNA, tells Fawz they might be related. Fawz debunks the suggestion with a story about his family leaving the weak to be eaten by wolves. Franco drops Arthur to go order at the counter and passive aggressively suggests that he check the box to make sure the order is right. Arthur wants to make amends with Franco and asks a concerned Sofia, after she’s caught up on the drama, to help him out. Randy tells him he can’t put it on Sofia, but she does it once Arthur asks her to do it instead. Franco comes out and starts cleaning the shop and Sofia talks to him to get him to change his mind and to understand him attending the school is bigger than him. Franco is told he should attend the program reception to make an informed decision and he agrees to go with Sofia, who only agrees if Arthur pays for dinner. Franco tries to sneak in the possibility of it being a date, but Sofia shuts it down. Before they leave, Carl asks Franco a question about “the man,” but is ignored. Fawz asks when will Carl stop talking about his results and this hurts his feelings, forcing him to leave. Randy and Fawz feel bad for hurting his feelings because they know he just wants to connect to everyone. Randy somewhat downplays Carl’s news about finding out his heritage compared to her finding out she’s royalty and threatens Fawz when he tells her she isn’t a queen. Sofia and Franco agree to stay at the reception for a few minutes, especially since Arthur gave them so little money for food.

The two scope the room and, of course make fun of everyone who fits the diversity profile. Franco even calls it diversity Dr. Seuss. An older woman, Donna (Renee Albert), catches them off guard, but they still believe she’s of a minority background. As soon as Donna professes her love and excitement for Rosé, Sofia and Franco both agree she’s white. Mathers makes an announcement about tonight’s festivities with clear information on the program. The program is for students who have been out of school for five years or more and getting back into it. Sofia and Franco are happy it’s because he’s old and not race related. Mathers sees Franco and is surprised he’s there but informs him his work was indeed great, but Arthur’s recommendation is what truly got him in. He jokes about him being black also helping, but quickly recants that statement. Because of so much diversity, with Sofia included, Mathers gathers Franco, Donna and another student for a photo op that will eventually turn into the brochure cover.

A reluctant Carl walks into the shop and is immediately greeted with gifts from everyone that represent the heritage they share with him.  They tell him that he’s apart of something, especially with them. Franco tells the group he has decided to attend Dearborn and he and Arthur share a moment. He’s proud of Franco and Franco can’t stop thanking him for the push. Franco and Sweatpants then gift Carl with the movie Roots and as an added bonus Carl does the handshake with Franco and it makes his day.

Sweatpants and Franco are going through the course brochure with Sofia when a class catches startles them. They joke that it sounds like an album title when Sofia gives a thought on what the class could be about. Sweatpants becomes less interested and Franco tries to switch the conversation into a proper date with Sofia. Sofia doesn’t give in and gives Arthur’s money back to Franco and leaves the shop. Franco half jokes that she’ll be back, but Sweatpants doubts it with a sarcastic question.