Abbott Elementary Season 3 Episodes 13 and 14 Recap

[00:00:00] Abbot Elementary Season 3 is Over!

[00:00:22] But we're just getting started wrapping things up here on Recap Kickback.

[00:00:26] What's up fam, it's Chappelle and I am back again to recap another two episodes of Abbot

[00:00:31] Elementary Season 3, Episode 13, Smith Playground and Season 3, Episode 14, Party.

[00:00:39] And with me to talk about this momentous occasion, it's the Principal, Gia Worthy.

[00:00:45] Gia, welcome.

[00:00:46] Gia, we did it, man.

[00:00:47] We made it.

[00:00:48] We made it.

[00:00:49] We made it.

[00:00:50] I am Chappelle.

[00:00:51] Chappelle.

[00:00:52] He fixed her light.

[00:00:53] He fixed her light.

[00:00:54] Yeah, he fixed her light.

[00:00:55] He fixed her light, man.

[00:00:56] He fixed her light.

[00:00:57] He fixed her light.

[00:00:58] Boy, my boy Smooth, he fixed that light, man.

[00:00:59] He fixed that light?

[00:01:00] Oh my God.

[00:01:01] Just like, this has been three seasons and counting.

[00:01:08] They were really trying to play us in the playground episode, but came back stronger

[00:01:15] than ever with the finale of Season 3, which is Party.

[00:01:20] And even though it's a shortened season, I am very happy with the results and cannot

[00:01:25] get wait, I cannot wait to get into it.

[00:01:28] Yes.

[00:01:29] And so I will go ahead and jump right in.

[00:01:30] I would love to talk about what we're going to talk about eventually, but let's just build

[00:01:34] up some suspense.

[00:01:35] Let's talk about Season 3, Episode 13, Party.

[00:01:38] I mean, Playground first, Smith Playground first, because yeah, it was a fun one.

[00:01:42] I really enjoyed this episode.

[00:01:45] Thanks to the drag queens and Jacob, the Abbott Elementary School, they're able to

[00:01:50] get reservations at Smith Playground for their official educational field trip with no money

[00:01:56] at all.

[00:01:57] But we get to the playground and find out that there's another school there that has

[00:02:02] also booked this playground.

[00:02:05] And within seconds, I know that this is going to be a fun one because there's no way Melissa

[00:02:11] and the Abbott teachers are going to allow this other school to bully their kids or

[00:02:16] even, I won't even say bully.

[00:02:17] They're not going to be able to share the playground with anybody.

[00:02:18] It's just not going to happen.

[00:02:19] Oh no.

[00:02:20] Like already, like having that many kids on a playground can just be quite an experience,

[00:02:30] quite a lot.

[00:02:31] However, these kids were on one for the majority of this episode because if someone was pushing

[00:02:38] my kids, like my metaphorical children around, cutting line, I did not think Melissa Schimente

[00:02:46] would be like the face of restraint here.

[00:02:50] But when I tell you that like I was ready to fight, I was ready to fight through the

[00:02:56] screen for the betterment of these kids.

[00:03:00] I was getting protective.

[00:03:04] I was ready.

[00:03:05] I was ready to square up with the kids and the adults of our rival school here.

[00:03:10] Yes.

[00:03:11] Very quickly out the gate, we get some buildup to what will be our ultimate drama in the

[00:03:17] finale episode because we're seeing that Jacob is witnessing some good, wholesome, flirty

[00:03:24] ass moments between Janine and Gregory.

[00:03:27] He puts her jacket on her.

[00:03:29] He helps her down from the monkey bars.

[00:03:32] The tension was palpable throughout.

[00:03:34] And the whole time I'm thinking, just kiss, just do it, just do it.

[00:03:39] But Mr. Morton and his failed marriage just show up to ruin my life because when they

[00:03:46] hear Mr. Morton talking about this day and he asked for his ex-wife and how she was a

[00:03:51] co-worker and how those things led to HR issues potentially that they never bounced back

[00:03:59] from being the friendly co-workers that they were, he's now had to change jobs essentially,

[00:04:05] move schools.

[00:04:07] This is not what Gregory and Janine need to hear at this moment in order to make the love

[00:04:10] story that we're all waiting for happen.

[00:04:14] Now listen, I get the sentiment of don't hook up with co-workers, right?

[00:04:20] But not every co-worker is Janine and Gregory.

[00:04:23] Okay?

[00:04:24] They're a perfect little match here.

[00:04:26] And if we have had to endure their cute relationship for three seasons and counting, you know what?

[00:04:32] The staff of Abbott Elementary can deal with some inner office romance.

[00:04:36] Okay?

[00:04:37] I'm sorry.

[00:04:38] I'm tired of them all acting like they are the most inconvenienced by this match when

[00:04:42] we have been waiting.

[00:04:43] Okay?

[00:04:44] This has been three years in the making and a writer's strike.

[00:04:47] We went through a lot to get these two together.

[00:04:49] So I'm sorry if the workplace dynamics are a little different now, Morton.

[00:04:53] But you're just going to have to deal with that.

[00:04:55] Right.

[00:04:56] Because I've waited too damn long for this.

[00:04:58] Okay?

[00:04:59] And so through Smith Playground, they really will, they won't, to the point of no return,

[00:05:04] honestly.

[00:05:05] Because we get them on the slide being very cute.

[00:05:08] We get the relay being very cute and him being like, no, Janine's got it.

[00:05:12] I know she can do the monkey bars.

[00:05:14] All right.

[00:05:15] All right.

[00:05:16] All right.

[00:05:17] Come on, y'all.

[00:05:18] Stop playing in my face.

[00:05:19] I also love, you kind of already touched on this, but I love that Jacob has just been

[00:05:24] the sounding board of all of the Janine Gregory shippers for the season.

[00:05:29] Really before this season, because he was a big supporter in season two for them as well.

[00:05:36] But once we got to season three, he was in full Janine Gregory mode.

[00:05:41] He is, I feel like undeniably now, even Gregory has accepted that Jacob is his best friend

[00:05:47] and he just wants to see his two besties happy.

[00:05:51] And he is us.

[00:05:53] He is the audience.

[00:05:55] Yeah.

[00:05:56] And he's got Gregory warmed up to the idea.

[00:05:58] He's got Janine warmed up to the idea.

[00:06:00] He's really playing both sides of me.

[00:06:01] It's clear that you have feelings for this person.

[00:06:03] It's clear that they like you.

[00:06:05] And for a second, it's working.

[00:06:07] But there's this dastardly moment where Gregory is asked to take a photo of Janine and with

[00:06:12] all her kids in the background.

[00:06:13] And we get a text message from Manny from the district asking Janine out to dinner.

[00:06:20] In the moment when you watch this, did you feel like this was the end of this?

[00:06:26] How did you think we're going to bounce back from Manny and his interloping in our ultimate

[00:06:32] relationship that we're all trying to get to?

[00:06:36] I would not have been mad if this season ended with Janine going on a date with Manny,

[00:06:45] right?

[00:06:46] I would not be upset about it because I know the end game is still Janine and Gregory.

[00:06:51] And if I have to wait one more season for it, I will wait.

[00:06:55] But I'm glad I didn't have to because really, what are we doing here?

[00:06:59] I feel like this was just, it was odd because they made this as like almost like a minor

[00:07:06] setback to them when the big setback of the episode and their relationship ends up being

[00:07:12] Morton of all people talking about how his relationship with a co-worker did not work

[00:07:18] out.

[00:07:19] It just felt, it felt a little disconnect there.

[00:07:24] Like, you know, pick a struggle.

[00:07:27] Yeah.

[00:07:28] It's like the Manny struggle was, it slowed them down.

[00:07:31] You know, it really made Jacob look kind of foolish because he's like, oh no, Gregory,

[00:07:36] I promise she has feelings for you.

[00:07:37] And then Gregory goes and he's like, does she?

[00:07:40] Because if so, why is she dating Manny?

[00:07:42] This is confirmation bias, of course, because we know that Gregory already thinks that she

[00:07:45] might be dating Manny because she saw them out on a double date with Tariq and Erica

[00:07:49] that we have been informed and we were very clear from the beginning that it was not a

[00:07:54] date.

[00:07:55] And there's one more piece of evidence that leads Gregory to know that he might be barking

[00:07:59] up the wrong tree, but he's so wrong.

[00:08:02] He's so wrong.

[00:08:03] And I hated this, but I thought, again, I thought you can bounce back from this.

[00:08:07] What I didn't think they were going to be able to bounce back from was Ava and Mr. Morton

[00:08:11] talking about the problem with workplace romances.

[00:08:15] Not only that, you know, it could ruin the friendship that they already have and have

[00:08:18] established, but I think that's how you appeal to Gregory, right?

[00:08:23] You say, okay, this could ruin the relationship you already have.

[00:08:27] If you want to appeal to Janine and make Janine not want to pursue Gregory, you talk

[00:08:31] about exactly what Ava talks about, which is this is an HR issue.

[00:08:36] Y'all start intermingling and then what if I have to get rid of one of you for the sake

[00:08:40] of work and then you have to change schools?

[00:08:42] And we know Janine is never going to be okay with leaving Abbott Elementary.

[00:08:46] She just got back.

[00:08:47] So for me, this was the thing that ultimately shut them down.

[00:08:51] And I was just like, damn, we're never going to get the relationship that we need.

[00:08:54] At least we know we're going to get it, but not when I want it.

[00:08:57] Yeah.

[00:08:58] But I just wish there was more buildup to all of it.

[00:09:00] I feel like the coworkers issue came up kind of out of nowhere.

[00:09:05] Out of nowhere, right.

[00:09:06] Out of random, like, by the way, this is also an issue.

[00:09:09] Like let us not forget, and you know I will defend Ava, right or wrong in every situation.

[00:09:17] But let us not forget Ava was showing them security footage in the premiere of this season

[00:09:23] of like all of the updates on the Janine Gregory plot line of this documentary that is filming.

[00:09:31] Yeah.

[00:09:32] Where was this conversation earlier in the season?

[00:09:34] They care about workplace relationships there and like far be it for me to point out someone

[00:09:41] else's inconsistencies in relationships.

[00:09:44] However, Ava, like let's get it together here.

[00:09:48] Like why?

[00:09:49] Why are we all worried about workplace relationships in episode 13?

[00:09:54] Hmm.

[00:09:55] Yeah.

[00:09:56] Gregory does end up agreeing with Jacob that Mr. Morton sucks.

[00:09:59] And honestly, yes, but Mr. Morton sucks.

[00:10:05] I can take that.

[00:10:06] But also Mr. Morton can go nowhere.

[00:10:09] I love Mr. Morton.

[00:10:10] I also love Mr. Morton.

[00:10:14] I was like, I was wavering on it.

[00:10:17] And then the finale episode solidified like this man is just a nerd.

[00:10:22] He's got his he's got his problems, but I am like really warming up to him being a like

[00:10:29] a what's the word begrudging part of like the core group here now I would have loved

[00:10:38] you know, you know, I love the cafeteria staff right?

[00:10:42] Like, yes, they are also members of the Abbott family that I want to be joining the inner

[00:10:47] circle but like more in going to like Janine's little party and it just warmed my heart.

[00:10:53] You know, like I do really enjoy Morton.

[00:10:57] And I'm glad that we are getting more of him towards the end of this season.

[00:11:01] So I want to I want to see more of him.

[00:11:02] I'm glad we are both like pro Morton people right now.

[00:11:06] Yeah, we've gone on record and said that we really like to expand the Abbott cast to include

[00:11:11] some of these tertiary characters that we've gotten the cafeteria staff.

[00:11:15] You know, Cree Summer, obviously Mr. Morton.

[00:11:19] We haven't seen Melissa's sister in a while but bring her back to you know, there are

[00:11:23] several characters I really think they're like as long as we keep them in the mix.

[00:11:27] Everything will be fine, including Zach who you know, for a second I thought we weren't

[00:11:35] gonna see Zach again but throughout these two episodes, Zach could potentially be something

[00:11:43] maybe in the future.

[00:11:44] I'm not willing to close that door.

[00:11:46] Gia, we might get Zach back.

[00:11:49] I just want Zach back.

[00:11:52] I don't necessarily need but like I we were introduced to Zach as Jacob's boyfriend, right?

[00:11:59] Um, and so like that's just something we already knew about him as the character but like Zach

[00:12:06] as his own character was fantastic.

[00:12:10] So like we didn't need him to be Jacob's boyfriend for us to want to see him again.

[00:12:16] And like he could have just been introduced as like an Abbott staff member and and like

[00:12:22] we still would have loved him like if he was like the permanent music teacher or something.

[00:12:26] So I'm glad that the finale confirmed that like we you know, like that the door has not

[00:12:32] been closed on Zach as a character like he's still friends with Janine.

[00:12:38] He's at the party.

[00:12:40] Um, the breakup did feel kind of sudden but it led to some other fun plot lines in season

[00:12:46] three so I'm not super I wasn't as attached to the relationship itself.

[00:12:50] I'm attached to the two characters.

[00:12:52] Yes, Zach and Jacob separately or together so I'm happy you know like I'm happy we got

[00:12:59] Zach back and you know that we are going to get more of him in the future like it feels

[00:13:06] very Tyreek, Tyreek coded for me.

[00:13:09] Yeah, that like okay just because the relationship's over does not mean we're never going to be

[00:13:14] seeing these characters again.

[00:13:16] Yeah, I love it.

[00:13:17] I love that Zach is back potentially and I love that we are expanding the cast.

[00:13:21] You know again we will see Erica in the next episode as well another person that I'm just

[00:13:26] always thrilled to see on Abbott Elementary.

[00:13:28] So great, great guest stars great hopefully recurring guests as well.

[00:13:34] And we had another recurring guest in this episode so the big drama for this episode

[00:13:39] aside from Gregory and Janine of it all is the Abbott Elementary versus Liberty Rings

[00:13:45] relay race.

[00:13:46] The kids cannot get on the same page thus the teachers have stepped in and they can't

[00:13:49] get on the same page as you pointed out earlier Melissa is not going to let anybody bully

[00:13:54] her kids and the Liberty Rings teachers probably feel the same.

[00:13:59] They're looking at the Abbott kids like why are y'all's kids encroaching on our kids good

[00:14:03] time?

[00:14:04] It starts off a little petty but then the ball starts rolling and it starts rolling

[00:14:09] and it gets pettier and pettier and pettier until I think at one point we see one of the

[00:14:15] Liberty Rings teachers getting a bottle of water in front of Gregory and then just pouring

[00:14:20] the water I mean in front of Jacob and pouring the water out just to spite him and then getting

[00:14:24] more water.

[00:14:26] Oh man this is what I need.

[00:14:28] I like I like to see our teachers stepping outside of their professionalism to handle

[00:14:32] a little business here and we got to see that from all the teachers including Barbara, Melissa

[00:14:38] and Ava even.

[00:14:40] Oh yeah you they got Ava out of her blow-up chair okay like that's how you know it was

[00:14:45] serious like her chair started deflating because of how much stress this was causing her and

[00:14:50] that is not to be underestimated I hated this for her.

[00:14:54] Yeah what did you think about Ava though being the person telling them all to act their age?

[00:15:00] I was taken aback for a moment.

[00:15:02] I was just like where are we right like this is this is the right we don't do this normally

[00:15:09] like Errol in your lane like we don't do all this especially for this situation in particular

[00:15:15] like maturity on a playground stop it let's be let's be let's be real for a second those

[00:15:21] Liberty kids were the ones cutting in line right we saw it with our own eyes that was

[00:15:28] all that let us not this is the thing let us not act like both schools were acting the

[00:15:34] same level of ridiculous okay Liberty definitely started it.

[00:15:39] Yeah there was also some jabs from those teachers that I didn't really love you know hey can

[00:15:45] you send us your ball over here if you can manage you know that kind of whoa hold on

[00:15:49] baby you slow down because we got time today you know I was like Melissa if you gotta fight

[00:15:54] them I might look the other direction.

[00:15:56] I'm not listen I do not see nothing I do not say nothing.

[00:16:01] Yeah that's not me.

[00:16:03] Yeah Ava tries to shut this down she says y'all it's kids it's a playground grow up

[00:16:08] it's the end of the year trying to have a good time trying to relax I don't want none of this

[00:16:12] but one of our guest appearances is back too Tatiana Ali is back as Ava's sorority sister

[00:16:18] and uh the head of the Liberty Rings school and so once she sees her soror all bets are

[00:16:24] off this is now personal and the winner gets dibs on the big wooden slide uh and everything

[00:16:31] else you know winner takes all so not much but the winner but but it's very the stakes

[00:16:36] are high damn it they are and so um yeah so this is the big this is the big race we have

[00:16:42] the relay race we have um like the Barbara, Melissa, Ava, Gregory, and uh Jacob uh and

[00:16:51] Janine was six a six leg relay race um versus the Liberty school and um I mean between you

[00:17:00] and me there was no way Ava was gonna lose this race stop it oh no absolutely not not

[00:17:04] with Melissa on their team I'm sorry that that team was playing dirty no matter what yeah yeah

[00:17:08] Ava comes out the gate and immediately just sets the tone for what we're about to do you

[00:17:13] know it's crazy because I think most podcasts that you'll listen to will be very like against

[00:17:17] that level of interference maybe the cheating or not us no stop it no no absolutely not Ava

[00:17:25] pushes uh Tatiana Ali out of the way so that the race uh falls in Abbott's favor you know maybe

[00:17:30] you guys shouldn't have been cutting in the slide you know that part you should have left Ava alone

[00:17:35] how about if y'all let Ava alone this wouldn't even be a problem so you had y'all mind your own

[00:17:38] business we wouldn't be here but um Abbott wins and they're calling this the best field trip ever

[00:17:44] and I honestly think this is pretty cool you know you were able to take all the kids out

[00:17:48] you did not have to spend a lot of money I think at best you probably had to get buses

[00:17:52] um and then they all packed their own lunch some of them were left in the sun but again that's those

[00:17:56] bratty liberty kids' teachers um and they got their ass beat so it's fine that part and so because

[00:18:02] of that I thought this was a solid episode it was very fun um there are a lot of will they won't

[00:18:07] they but if we're gonna talk about these two episodes together this episode is a nothing

[00:18:10] burger in comparison to the the final episode of the season I know but you forgot the best part

[00:18:17] which is how the race was won was because Barbara uh kind of Usain bolted her way to the end after

[00:18:25] uh Ava says Satan is right behind you so let us give us a little shout out to our girl

[00:18:31] yes she was yeah oh no my my favorite part of the race is when Janine uh goes across the monkey bars

[00:18:42] and instead of finishing the race she just hits the dougie she's like Janine stop dancing I was

[00:18:47] like no I'm hurt both members are equally as bad at the monkey bars that's a monkey bar you know

[00:18:53] like Mr. Water Bottle over there you know needs to work on needs to work on his uh upper body strength

[00:18:59] if you catch my dress yeah yeah um good good on Avid but also back at the school Mr. Johnson has

[00:19:07] located Ava's secret toilet now I was not ready for this I forgot about Ava's little uh you know

[00:19:15] because we know Ava is a doomsday prepper we know she has fresh water hidden in that building but

[00:19:18] she also has a really nice bathroom and apparently even Mr. Johnson didn't know about it until now

[00:19:23] he's got it he said he has access to it now it is now that is his toilet now yeah it was this was

[00:19:31] very funny he ends up getting himself locked out of the school but it's fine Ava has a key everybody

[00:19:35] everybody lives we all move on great fun episode for the entire cast but also this just was to set

[00:19:40] the table for what we get in our next episode I do just want to say that I love the field trip

[00:19:47] episodes I'm glad that we get like one per season um so far so I hope that's a tradition that

[00:19:54] continues this was a great way to work around the idea of like putting a field trip in a shortened

[00:20:02] season yes but season two well season three episode 13 is over and uh we are up to our finale and it's

[00:20:11] the end of the school year now you would think Janine would be very sad about this but she

[00:20:15] actually really enjoys the end of the school year it means her little babies are growing up

[00:20:19] the kindergartners are graduating and moving into the you know first grade her little babies are

[00:20:25] getting excited about next year it's like this is her time where she wraps up the old stuff and then

[00:20:30] starts prepping for the new beginnings and this time for the last day of school she is winding down

[00:20:35] to in throwing a party initially Gia I heard Janine was throwing a party and I thought

[00:20:41] okay this might this might be a little tame you know we Janine doesn't seem like a party animal to

[00:20:48] me but from beginning to end mostly she has pretty much planned a perfect house party

[00:20:56] yes when we say that she planned the perfect house party we mean she planned everything

[00:21:03] to such a tee that there is something for every single person that has been picked to attend this

[00:21:10] party even in the beginning before they even get to the party Melissa and Barbara are talking about

[00:21:17] we need a bigger venue we can't use Janine's little entryway that she's turned into a home

[00:21:21] we you know we need to bring food I need to bring something and she's shutting it down

[00:21:25] because she is even planned for that she's like of course they're going to want to do stuff of

[00:21:29] course they're going to want to have it at a different venue but I need them to have it at

[00:21:32] my home why because they'll clean it up I love seeing Janine throwing laundry on the floor just

[00:21:38] for them to pick it up perfect it was incredible incredible she was they were all playing checkers

[00:21:45] and she was playing 3d chess like she oh my god like my mind my mind I need to start doing that

[00:21:53] I'm just telling you yes no that's a good point you tell people like oh I'm having a party and

[00:21:57] then when they get there when the people you know are going to get there early get there early

[00:22:01] you're like oh my god my house is not ready we should all help me uh meet and greet it's gonna

[00:22:08] be at my house yeah you're like oh yeah we just gotta tidy some things up are y'all good and then

[00:22:13] of course like me and Sam and 17 other people like no it's fine sit down we got you it's your home

[00:22:19] yeah perfect plan this was a victimless crime but I loved it I love seeing every second of this

[00:22:24] everyone everyone lived to their full potential here and it was it was great to see uh Barbara

[00:22:29] and Melissa tag-teaming something like this is why they're friends yeah so when uh the rest of

[00:22:35] the guests start to appear she Janine is walking everyone into their sections right uh she's making

[00:22:40] sure that everybody's in the place for the optimal party going experience because she put a lot of

[00:22:45] thought into this she was like I have a dance floor the music needs to be very specific she

[00:22:49] obviously hires Ava as the DJ because duh if you're having a party why wouldn't you um but

[00:22:55] she also has a movie on screen you know we're the millers she had you know something that you can

[00:23:00] watch but it's nothing that's going to take away from the party atmosphere she has a domino's table

[00:23:05] for Mr. Johnson it seems like she has everything situated uh every even even a prop base Gia where

[00:23:13] when the district shows up and their clumsiness ends up leading to the vase breaking

[00:23:19] it's not even a real vase it's going to something was bound to break she set up the thing that was

[00:23:23] around to break and then Barbara and Melissa are there to clean it up yep her mind you know so

[00:23:28] powerful she knew she had the perfect movie set up with where the millers she had the board games

[00:23:35] she had the introverts corner it was perfect excellent excellent planning um really made me

[00:23:40] think about my own event planning skills as someone that gets paid to uh do events for a living

[00:23:49] um i probably should be doing more i won't not to this degree but like i should be it really made

[00:23:54] me think yeah Janine has come such a long way now interesting enough Manny is there as well because

[00:24:00] we know the district was invited and we were under the impression that Manny had asked Janine

[00:24:05] out on a date via text message and that's what Gregory is so riled up about right he's not happy

[00:24:10] to see Manny uh but were you how did you feel did you think that that date was going to lead to

[00:24:15] anything at this point because Gregory is definitely giving Manny the side eye listen

[00:24:20] this was going to end one of two ways um the way that we wanted which is what ended up happening or

[00:24:26] uh Janine and Manny maybe uh taking a step in the relationship direction or like her considering the

[00:24:34] idea of going on a date with Manny it's fine i mean you know like we support Janine's choices

[00:24:41] here but you know i think we got the ending that we wanted for this oh yeah for sure uh we talked

[00:24:49] about at the beginning of the season i really felt like they were giving us a you know a Manny Janine

[00:24:53] flirty relationship and then toward the middle we kind of lose it and so if looking through Janine's

[00:24:59] perspective she's not like oh yeah Manny's probably like mildly interested but he ain't

[00:25:03] interested interested we would have seen a lot more by now you know and so she shoots him down

[00:25:07] or at least we find that out later on uh from Erica that Janine uh she didn't she she wasn't a

[00:25:14] fan of going on a date with Manny because she has eyes for someone else and i wonder who that could

[00:25:19] be um speaking of eyes for someone else Ava is done with her DJ duty she's decided to take the

[00:25:25] time off she's about to leave but Janine has even planned something for Ava her cousin is there her

[00:25:32] cousin Kwame is there and uh he's caught Ava's attention and got her to stick around for a while

[00:25:37] so she has Kwame for Ava she introduces uh Erica to the emotionally unavailable fiscally

[00:25:44] irresponsible racially ambiguous Simon from the district um and i guess uh i guess that's a work

[00:25:53] that'll work out for her what's up can we just that is Trent from uh from Never Have I Ever

[00:25:59] yeah that's my boy yeah that is Trent that is like i know he has a different name on this show

[00:26:06] but also forever i'll be like Trent why Eleanor did not let you out of the house this late i know

[00:26:11] damn well all right you go get back go back yeah no i've been dying to say that all season that is

[00:26:17] definitely Trent from Never Have I Ever if you're listening to this and you haven't seen Never Have

[00:26:21] I Ever on Netflix please go check it out it's so it is so good now it's so good it's incredible

[00:26:26] yeah but here Simon is uh you know it seems like he's kind of a toxic f-boy uh and that seems to be

[00:26:36] Erica's type you know like emotionally unavailable fiscally irresponsible racially ambiguous well

[00:26:41] chained as well was another adjective to use to describe Simon and this is right up Erica's alley

[00:26:48] so you know she's got some eye candy Ava's got someone to keep her attention and even Gregory has

[00:26:54] somebody who could keep his attention because Olivia has shown up and i was like who who invited

[00:26:58] you Avi not Zach right why did why did this happen i don't i'm not quite sure because Zach's there

[00:27:07] Avi's there um it seems like maybe Olivia might be there for Gregory but they don't really interact

[00:27:19] i i it's like i was i was happy that Gregory doesn't give her the time of day like we saw

[00:27:24] that you fumbled that relationship Olivia love yourself you know but it seems like the moment

[00:27:29] she showed up there's like a shift right Mr. Johnson leaves the dominoes corner Olivia's there

[00:27:35] and everything starts to go to hell and i'm thinking there that this is where this is where

[00:27:42] our problem lies right because Olivia's phone dies she needs a phone charger Janine goes to charge

[00:27:49] said phone and there's a power outage you know so i'm really thinking that i'm not blaming Olivia

[00:27:55] for this but this is around the part of the party where i'm like all right we're starting to see

[00:28:00] some shenanigans yep because the the whole ecosystem is thrown off not necessarily because

[00:28:06] of Olivia but because Janine needed everybody to stick to their assigned roles in her head

[00:28:14] and go from there right like they needed to they needed to just stick to the plan that

[00:28:19] she made for them and you know life can't always go according to a very specific plan

[00:28:26] yeah um yeah i mean and again Mr. Johnson moves out of his dominoes corner and it just you know

[00:28:31] the and the plans are going to hell we even see that they're no longer watching We Are The Millers

[00:28:36] they're watching Wakanda Forever which i mean look at the material it was not supposed to be a

[00:28:41] thought compelling um movie that was on but like Angela Bassett right right what are you talking

[00:28:47] about the only thing though is there are better Angela Bassett movies where her character lives

[00:28:53] through the whole thing so let me just yeah i know yeah yeah yeah exactly precisely precisely

[00:29:00] oh marvel you're on notice you've been on notice because you know what you did and it was

[00:29:06] unnecessary right and we and we will remind you here on the Abbott Elementary Recap podcast because

[00:29:11] you how dare you yeah how dare you but yeah we go from uh We Are The Millers to Wakanda we go from

[00:29:18] uh the uh hip-hop sounds of the 90s and 2000s to uh the uh what was it the white bops um

[00:29:26] and so yeah just the whole the whole feel of the party is starting to change and Janine is losing

[00:29:33] grasp of it it also does not help that people are drinking heavily you know the alcohol is

[00:29:38] kicking in Barbara is not drinking wine coolers nope she is drinking dark liquor um rum like a

[00:29:44] pirate uh i assume that was a shout out to Survivor Pearl Islands my guess yeah correct

[00:29:51] we are we are Sandra Diaz Twines first and People second yes and um yeah DJ District is in charge

[00:29:59] Barbara's uh drunk everyone's dancing shoes are off things are in disarray uh and then that's

[00:30:05] when Janine goes and blows the fuse plugging up Olivia's phone thankfully of course Mr. Johnson

[00:30:11] is there to fix it but while the white the lights are off okay Mr. Morton correctly identifies it

[00:30:18] okay butterfly you know something's happening oh Mr. Johnson I'm sorry correctly identifies it

[00:30:22] you know something's out something's wrong we should be we should be paying attention to what's

[00:30:27] about to happen so we find Janine and Gregory in her bedroom the lights are off she's got the battery

[00:30:33] power like lights on it's awkward at first and then it starts to get tense they start talking

[00:30:41] about summer program and they start reminiscing on Gregory's journey from you know wannabe principal

[00:30:47] to full-blown teacher that actually cares about the students um and then they just start getting

[00:30:53] closer and closer and I'm thinking this is the moment we knew it and then the lights come on

[00:30:59] Mr. Johnson fixes the lights um I don't know I so for so to me this was overkill but at this point

[00:31:06] I felt like all right do it or don't I'm done playing with y'all like at this point I'm all

[00:31:11] in on the relationship happening right now I don't want to see her date Manny I don't want

[00:31:14] to see anything else that was the one that was the moment where I gave up I was like all right if

[00:31:19] we don't get it at season three I will be coming into season four demanding the relationship now

[00:31:25] you know um I am done being nice exactly um but after this one of the better conversations that

[00:31:33] I've seen on the show happens between uh Mr. Johnson and Janine where they kind of talks about

[00:31:39] uh Janine struggles with what's going on with Gregory now I'm sure Mr. Johnson knows exactly

[00:31:44] what is going on because everybody does anybody with eyes can see the will they won't they

[00:31:49] happening between these two people the chemistry the fact that they're ignoring their feelings

[00:31:53] and he tells her jobs come and go and then you move on and he assures her that everything will

[00:32:00] be all right and to me I've never felt so sure about anything in my life the moment he said it

[00:32:06] you know I'm saying he said that he always found it harder to live with regrets than consequences

[00:32:14] my mind went like oh my this is what I needed to hear today yes yes because what because consequences

[00:32:23] will happen and then you move on you move on but those regrets linger you know they just do

[00:32:28] I immediately went and keyed all my exes cars after that that part the f consequences

[00:32:33] and I'd rather live with right because imagine your whole life thinking what if I hadn't what

[00:32:42] if I hadn't keyed that car right what if I hadn't what yeah what if I hadn't licked Jolly Ranchers

[00:32:47] and put it on top of their car in a hot on a hot day to rip the paint off you know what if

[00:32:52] sugar in their gas tank you know right right but who put baloney on the car's paint job see what

[00:32:58] happens what happens enjoy their day absolutely not right what if I didn't take all the batteries

[00:33:04] out of the remotes in their house you know just just to torture them you know I'm saying not not

[00:33:09] to suggest that anybody would do that or that I would ever do that but what if you didn't

[00:33:12] you know yeah what if I didn't go and take all of their right shoes just the right right and then

[00:33:18] take the laces out of the left ones you know I'm saying you know I'm saying like what are we really

[00:33:22] doing here if you don't do those things you hate to really live with those consequences

[00:33:26] and those regrets right you hate to live with those regrets consequence me please right now

[00:33:30] and I think that's what that's what Janine needed to hear because she was so concerned at this point

[00:33:35] about what happens right what happens if this doesn't work out and she has to leave her job

[00:33:42] at Abbott what if Gregory has to leave his job at Abbott and today I'm like Janine you were seconds

[00:33:47] away from leaving your job at Abbott that literally already happened you're all fine you spent the whole

[00:33:52] semester away from each other and you seem like you did okay I think we're up Janine seriously

[00:33:57] um so the party ends up getting back to its old dopeness it was a great time I was very proud

[00:34:04] of of Janine and being able to make this happen but as they're winding down she has to walk everyone

[00:34:10] out and Barbara's drunk Melissa's drunk you know the people from the district seemingly had a good

[00:34:17] time but they're lingering Janine is trying to get Gregory and Jacob and her friends to linger as well

[00:34:26] but they're not they they leave Gregory essentially just walks out and shuts the door in her face I

[00:34:31] don't he doesn't do it on purpose but yeah I didn't I didn't love that I flinched a little bit

[00:34:37] he is so damn lucky that he has Jacob I'm sorry like uh Chris Perfetti please someone get this

[00:34:43] man his Emmy he was the glue of this season like the glue the super gorilla glue that

[00:34:51] tells this like fragile fragile relationship on like via thread I just I cannot emphasize how

[00:35:00] important Jacob was this season yeah you know Simon and Erica have gotten into a relationship

[00:35:05] and broken up in this time as well so you know there are a lot of happened at this party but

[00:35:10] definitely Jacob is is is holding on to what little fabric of this relationship we have left

[00:35:16] because throughout this party Gregory has now confirmed it he's he's okay he's over it you know

[00:35:21] like okay I guess I'll never be with Janine it's not gonna happen Manny's here she's walking us

[00:35:26] out while Manny gets to stay they're obviously dating I'm so sad woe is me I'm just like you

[00:35:33] dummy open your eyes she's right there Jacob and Erica fizzly turn him and say go back go back yeah

[00:35:40] yeah because he sees Manny walking out they see Manny walking out Erica says Gregory she doesn't

[00:35:47] like Manny she told him that she didn't want to date him because she already had eyes for someone

[00:35:52] else and I wonder who that could be and so um yeah so this this is our Ross and Rachel moment

[00:35:59] you know where uh you don't you open the door and they didn't get on the plane you know like that

[00:36:05] that's kind of how this felt because Janine is telling the cameras I think I want to try to

[00:36:10] make this thing work with Gregory like I was really trying to like I like him I like him a lot I'm ready

[00:36:15] she says it out loud I was like okay we got action and when she turns around to go chase after him

[00:36:22] he's already at the door and he fixed her light bulb this was very important to me yeah well I

[00:36:31] mean obviously that's the same as sex you know like so they had sex when he fixed the light

[00:36:35] obviously yeah and then like you know I hope hopefully he's protection you know right right

[00:36:41] well now when he picks the light yeah that was like that was a lot that was like I think I might

[00:36:48] gotten pregnant from that like that right right like that that was something that was something

[00:36:53] but it's okay it's okay we moved past it it ended on a good note because Janina Gregory finally

[00:37:04] they're together we did it y'all we did it yeah the episode ends with them kissing Gregory giving

[00:37:11] the cameraman a look as he pushes us on out the door and then uh them making eye contact with the

[00:37:17] cameraman one more time as they're looking through the window trying to get the footage

[00:37:21] ah look we have not given the camera people enough credit this season but uh all right those those

[00:37:29] were professionals they are trained in the uh Maury Povich school of cinematography because they

[00:37:35] were getting all the angles there uh bravo to them yes and um our episode ends with uh with that

[00:37:42] with just that Gregory and Janina together the other teachers are recovering from their night out

[00:37:47] by doing handstands in front of Abbott Elementary and all seemingly well in the world of Abbott um

[00:37:54] yeah what's next what do we what do we do now we got it I don't know I mean we have season four

[00:38:00] coming right like that has already been confirmed um and I'm assuming 10 more seasons after that

[00:38:06] obviously um but I think the good like I don't know if they're gonna start with the beginning of

[00:38:14] the new school year or if they're gonna do like some summer episodes trying to change things up a

[00:38:19] little bit but I'm really excited to start seeing like the beginning stages of Janine and Gregory's

[00:38:27] um relationship like them just navigating uh going from friends to like a little flirt mance to being

[00:38:33] in a full relationship now um and to see some of those like really cute moments and also navigating

[00:38:40] uh you know working and dating in the same place and you know how they navigate that especially

[00:38:48] in like a in a elementary school because you know kids are messy yeah oh kids are messy

[00:38:54] kids are messy they're gonna air that stuff out there's no way that Gregory and Janine keep this

[00:38:59] a secret though um so in the entire school is going to know that this happened yeah and I kind of like

[00:39:05] that I like that I don't want I don't want to do the whole like them sneaking around oh yeah the this

[00:39:12] oh are they together are they not together like no I want them to just they show up to the first day

[00:39:16] of school holding hands I yeah just lean into it I want it to be as cute as possible so that

[00:39:22] Melissa and Ava and uh and all the other teachers can just laugh in their faces and be like

[00:39:28] grow up we are we're adults here stop it I see I feel like that part's not gonna happen because

[00:39:33] you know they're going to be like super they're they're both such awkward individuals they're

[00:39:39] gonna be their super awkward selves especially around the kids and I cannot wait for the kids

[00:39:45] to take advantage of every single awkward moment that is uh coming their way because those kids

[00:39:50] are menaces but we love them yeah do you feel like there's any world where we get um some turmoil in

[00:39:56] this relationship in the in the early next season or is it gonna be smooth sailing for a while

[00:40:01] I think like the there's already going to be like a conflict conflict in quotations of it being like

[00:40:08] we are navigating a new relationship while we work together and also our we do have adults

[00:40:15] co-workers but our job involves children which I feel like is a whole other beast you know so I

[00:40:22] feel like there's enough going on in the world of Abbott Elementary that it doesn't need another

[00:40:27] conflict specifically but I'm hoping any um especially at this stages of the relationship

[00:40:34] and what we have already seen Janine and Gregory go through both as individuals and as a pair um

[00:40:42] I I wanted to be a little uh as drama free no intense drama you know like not for a while

[00:40:50] um because we want to believe and imagine that like any big drama that is coming their way they

[00:40:57] are going to be able to overcome no matter what even if it you know it gets a little messy we get

[00:41:02] it but I'm looking forward to them uh navigating Abbott Elementary as a couple yeah I think that's

[00:41:10] gonna be so much fun because of course they're both awkward and lovable in their own way but then you

[00:41:15] also have um you know some very intense hilarious teachers around who are going to be dying to make

[00:41:23] fun of them you know exactly like that is right there is their co-workers oh yeah because I mean

[00:41:31] the double dating situation probably between Jacob and Ivy along with Gregory and Janine would

[00:41:36] be interesting Ava's gonna have a lot to say about this relationship as well um potentially Mr.

[00:41:43] Morton might be around to be a negative Nancy about it all just keep reminding them that hey you know

[00:41:48] this isn't gonna work out you know there's ways to make this drama feel without them having to go

[00:41:52] through anything super tumultuous and we can still enjoy this cutesy relationship that we've all been

[00:41:57] wanting since season one yes exactly so I'm very excited to see this moving forward yes so that said

[00:42:05] what do you think season three ranks for you and over the span of the three seasons that we've had

[00:42:11] of Abbott Elementary this was a short one but we did get the biggest moment of the season so far

[00:42:18] so I don't necessarily think it's fair right so but I'm gonna say this is three for three

[00:42:25] with me okay because I think season two is just so strong compared to the other two seasons

[00:42:33] because season one we are figuring the show out itself like we're getting to know all the

[00:42:39] different characters all the different main characters the world itself of Abbott Elementary

[00:42:45] hasn't really been um hasn't really been uh what's it called um like fully fleshed out

[00:42:53] yeah like and and you know like we start with our main characters but one of the things I really

[00:42:58] liked about the second season is that we got to know all of these other characters like we

[00:43:03] you know which were missing for a lot of season three probably due to the writer's strike and

[00:43:09] because it was a shorter season and we also had the district storyline um but I I just you know

[00:43:16] season one is what made me made me fall in love with Abbott Elementary so that is like a firm

[00:43:22] second place for me but second season is so good it's the season with the most episodes it's the

[00:43:29] season um where we get a lot of great relationship development for uh Janine and Gregory but also

[00:43:37] just like a lot of just really iconic episodes in season two so I think season two has to be like

[00:43:45] number one for me and also just the uh um I think like the the field trip episode was so good there

[00:43:53] too when they went to the museum yes institute of science I think that's the one it was but

[00:43:58] oh it was so good yeah it's gonna be hard for me to choose too I I really hate to put season three

[00:44:06] last and only based on the fact that season three had some of my favorite episodes of all time

[00:44:12] right like the breakups uh episode where we get uh well not even the breakup for let's start

[00:44:19] with career day one and two right we get Ava doing the back that ass up dance to to to like you know

[00:44:26] to come back into life to fix herself you know I was like man that's such a crazy moment we of course

[00:44:31] have the largest um like biggest names in as far as celebrities for special guests this season you

[00:44:38] know Kree Summers there Bradley Cooper J. Lo Hurst uh Tatiana Ali there's so many big names

[00:44:44] I love the panel episode as well uh the breakup episode was really good uh there's just so many

[00:44:51] where I'm like man you know what was good my favorite episode this season the uh the drug

[00:44:57] awareness episode yes most episode was so good I'm talking about that's like a top five episode of

[00:45:03] Abbott period and so I'm like man there's such high highs in season three that I hate to put it

[00:45:09] last but I have to agree with you um yeah season two is probably like the perfect blend of what you

[00:45:15] want in Abbott elementary now that we have like our characters and we had so much time with them

[00:45:20] uh because due to the writer's strike we were just robbed of so many episodes of season three

[00:45:25] um so you know um but I'm very happy I'm very happy I don't think season four is going to be

[00:45:30] uh any slouch like I'm pretty sure they're going to come out swinging with season four

[00:45:34] they have plenty of time they got the writers all back and then we have a more robust cast

[00:45:39] of people to play around with you know are we going to get more Kree Summer probably

[00:45:43] you know I would love to see it yeah bring back Melissa's sister bring back uh Tatiana Ali there's

[00:45:49] a few of these characters that we could really see coming back and being bigger names um and

[00:45:54] I would love that I'm sorry this is uh this has been so much fun to talk about these three seasons

[00:46:00] and obviously to watch season three unfold the way it did and we have so much hope for season

[00:46:05] four knowing that we finally got the relationship we've all been dying to get so that said Gia is

[00:46:10] there anything else we missed from these two episodes I gotta say just real quick uh Tatiana

[00:46:15] Ali I think really kind of uh climbed the ranks this episode for like my favorite of the guest

[00:46:23] stars who knew such a versatile actress that she could act as both Ashley and Hilary Banks

[00:46:30] at the same time like the girl has range range I love her um loved that loved all the Mr. Johnson

[00:46:40] moment this was just two amazing episodes to round out season three and I'm really it made me very

[00:46:47] excited for season four yes so excited for season four which we know it's already been renewed so

[00:46:53] we know it's coming it's just a matter of when and so we get to sit back and why and wait as

[00:46:57] they develop the next season of one of our favorite shows on television and probably the

[00:47:01] show that everybody should be talking about so if you're not talking about it start talking about

[00:47:05] it now so let everybody know how great Abbott Elementary is and then of course direct them

[00:47:10] right over here to Recap Kickback uh and for the Abbott Elementary post-show recap with uh me and

[00:47:15] my lovely co-host Gia. Gia it has been so fun thank you so much for joining me on this new podcast

[00:47:22] journey that I have Recap Kickback um I don't I could not do this without you so thank you so much

[00:47:29] thank you so much Chappelle it has been so much fun recapping uh Abbott Elementary season three but

[00:47:35] also being part of the Recap Kickback family I still struggle to say it sometimes but it's

[00:47:40] been so great and we love it we are excited I'm excited for the summer because that gives us more

[00:47:47] time to do like like the short one-off episodes that get like some fun projects in during those

[00:47:54] times so I'm excited for what's coming in store both for just like our respective content creator

[00:48:01] universes but also for Recap Kickback as a whole. Yes thank you so much Gia let everybody know where

[00:48:07] they can find you in the meantime. Yeah so you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok

[00:48:12] at ClassicallyGia for all of my reality TV shenanigans um on silent podcast uh we Chappelle

[00:48:18] and I just finished recording the Survivor 46 finale which was great um I actually uploaded it

[00:48:25] like not that long ago so like it is up there you know like take a take a look we have a lot

[00:48:30] of things to celebrate I will just say that on uh Survivor uh 46 and 47 um and I also am recapping

[00:48:39] uh Top Chef Wisconsin season 21 um I just experienced the worst elimination of my life

[00:48:45] so I know yeah so I'm just I I'm going through it but there is no better place for me to vent

[00:48:53] all of my hurt feelings than with the quick fire queens on silent podcast so definitely check that

[00:48:58] out and then on Inside Survivor I did our last uh round up me and Christine Pallon for um

[00:49:05] the which one was it oh my god for Survivor 46 and now in the off season we are starting 50 for

[00:49:14] 50 which is where we have uh 50 write-ups I'm writing to many of them about uh 50 contestants

[00:49:20] that we want to see for Survivor 50 which has been confirmed to be a returning season.

[00:49:25] Oh about that elimination better or worse than Trey Wilcox.

[00:49:32] Oh my god uh you know I I was equally I was equally devastated you know this was

[00:49:40] I don't Trey Wilcox was like Top Chef can't help you hurt you anymore they give you the same

[00:49:46] hurt over and over again you know that was that was the elimination that radicalized me like I

[00:49:53] and it was a Thanksgiving episode because I remember being my parents my grandparents

[00:49:59] basement all pissed off Gary Hageboom had just gotten kicked off of Survivor Guatemala and then

[00:50:05] Trey Wilcox was eliminated from Top Chef season three it was literally I think that was the worst

[00:50:12] day of my life worst day of my entire life and this one was just as bad you just like

[00:50:19] there's just so many bad feelings came up with that.

[00:50:23] I'm so sorry uh Gia thank you so much for not being dramatic about this at all uh

[00:50:31] yeah oh yeah thank you so much for giving your authentic feelings about uh about those

[00:50:36] eliminations and of course your authentic thoughts and coming here as your authentic

[00:50:39] self on Recap Kickback it's been a pleasure talking to you of course you can check me out

[00:50:43] on here as well I'll add uh Gia's recent podcast appearance to the show notes as well so that you

[00:50:49] can see uh our collaboration over there talking about Survivor on silent podcast uh and then if

[00:50:54] you want to keep up with more of what we have going on check out uh Recap Kickback on all

[00:50:58] social media platforms at Recap Kickback that's right go to recapkickback.com slash subscribe

[00:51:05] to subscribe to the podcast if you're listening to this on the Abbott Elementary a post-show recaps

[00:51:09] feed please come join us here on Recap Kickback because we will not be able to continue that

[00:51:13] podcast feed much longer so come on and check us out over here where we'll be hosting all of those

[00:51:18] recaps and more uh but in the meantime for Gia and for myself you ain't gotta go home but we

[00:51:25] hope to catch you next year when class is back in session until then bye peace