As the clock ticks down to the season finale, "Abbott Elementary" reverts to its core narrative thread, where the ramifications of the covert deal struck with Girard Creek and their duplicitous lawyer, Miles, reach their zenith. While I've savored the extended season's episodes, which have granted writers and actors ample space to breathe and evoke laughter, it's now time to address the gravity of the plot. After all, this show holds the tenets of narrative television in high esteem. Following last week's installment, this episode might seem akin to the hushed calm that descends after a stern teacher silences a rowdy classroom, but alas, all good things must come to an end.
Throughout the season, Miles and Abbott engaged in a contentious tug-of-war marked by blackmail and negotiation. Eventually, they forged an alliance, ensuring mutual coexistence. This clandestine agreement not only bestowed upon Abbott sparkling new computers, a snazzy scoreboard, cozy bean bags for the library, and an array of other perks but also empowered Ava to negotiate better resources for other schools during the district budget meeting. In the whimsical realm of sitcoms, this seems idyllic. However, "Abbott" maintains a steadfast grip on reality. In the real world, a public school wouldn't skate by so effortlessly. The impending collapse was foreshadowed when Ava's adversary, Crystal, grew suspicious of Abbott's generosity during the budget meeting.
Crystal personally visited the school, coercing Ava into inadvertently spilling the beans about Girard Creek. Crystal craved a piece of the pie, but Ava was reluctant to divide her newly-found wealth, especially after her unprecedented benevolence in sharing above-board resources. The following day, O'Shon informed Ava that someone (presumably Crystal) had ratted them out to the district, prompting an audit within 24 hours. O'Shon remained tight-lipped, his loyalty unwavering towards Ava. While everyone accepted the end of their charade, Janine rallied her colleagues to resist the district's meddling. Until recently, Janine, a born rule-follower, had never taken advantage of Girard Creek's largesse. However, she mustered the courage to walk on the wild side and requested electric spellers for her students. She refused to let the district dampen their excitement about the impending gadgets.
Janine proposed concealing the contraband long enough to sail through the audit unnoticed. Despite having a plan, Barbara believed the entire day was jinxed, starting with her missed alarm, chronic wrist pain, and a student sneezing in her face upon arrival. Ava then cornered her, offering her more work—unpaid labor, no less—as a replacement music teacher. Barbara, whose mantra "I'm a woman of God. I do my work. I go home" had become a meme, had zero interest in the gig. Ava warned her that without an instructor, the class, now an after-school program, would cease to exist. This meant Barbara would have to stay late and do more, an impossible feat given her depleted energy reserves. Matters worsened when Janine's plan to have a truck cart away the contraband before the day ended—to "resume our broke school persona"—fell apart.
Gregory draws Janine's attention to the impracticality of relocating such a vast quantity of items from the school within mere hours, adding a sardonic remark about Barbara and Mr. Johnson miraculously assisting with the transportation of computers and a prominent scoreboard. Though Gregory faces the wrath of Mr. Johnson, who overhears his sarcastic remark, he is undeniably correct. Subsequently, Barbara's already dreary day takes a turn for the worse when two district officials, accompanied by Manny, arrive unexpectedly early, catching the school off guard. The entire Abbott staff springs into drastic action, concealing illicit resources and employing every distraction conceivable to keep the higher-ups oblivious to any underhand dealings.
Daia and the secretaries cloak their cutting-edge desktop computers beneath their coats, while Ava discreetly conveys a warning through the loudspeakers to alert the rest of the teachers. Jacob, Melissa, Barbara, and Janine scramble to stash all forbidden materials as Ava guides the unwelcome visitors on a tour. Amidst this chaos, Mr. Johnson facetiously offers to "conceal the pale pupil" before requesting bronzer, adding to the surreal atmosphere.
The district representatives grow increasingly suspicious of the staff's peculiar demeanor, eventually singling out Ava as their compulsory escort while the staff struggles to find hiding spots for larger items. Desperate, Ava proposes concealing the computers in her secret basement bathroom. The district narrowly catches them in the midst of their stealthy maneuver to the subterranean level, but lacking evidence, they limit their search to Ava's office and the gym. For a fleeting moment, the staff breathes a sigh of relief, until Jacob recalls the opulent scoreboard still displayed prominently in the gymnasium.
Acting swiftly, Janine snatches an old banner large enough to obscure the unauthorized donation. Melissa hastily volunteers to scale the ladder and conceal the scoreboard before the district arrives, accidentally treading on Barbara's hand in the rush, cementing her run of bad luck. Despite successfully concealing the scoreboard, amidst the frantic race against time, no one notices that the banner Janine chose featured a festive design celebrating Christmas 2009.
Mr. Johnson, utilizing his eccentricities and talent for diverting conversations to stall the district's progress, steps in once more to avert disaster. Rather than indulging in another one of his outrageous tales, this time about the year 2009, the representatives abruptly halt him, escaping the absurd direction his narrative was taking (which somehow involved a fish being blamed for the mortgage crisis).
Just as the staff begins to bid farewell, with the district apologizing for accusing them of bribery, Miles breezes in through the door with Janine's spelling team. He announces himself boldly as "the Abbott supply fairy," declaring his arrival with "fresh bribes for my top-tier scheming school." Upon realizing the district's presence, he digs the staff into a deeper hole by inquiring if they'll start blackmailing him too. With the entire scheme laid bare and the staff caught in the act, the district threatens to suspend any teacher accepting bribes. Before anyone can come forward, Ava takes the blame, shielding her employees by assuming full responsibility, believing her suspension to be a mere inconvenience akin to a vacation in Cabo. However, the district terminates her immediately, explaining that the only reason they aren't threatening termination for the teachers is due to the challenges of dismissing union members.
Stunned, the remainder of the staff launched a campaign for a second thought, yet Manny stood firm in his assertion that the district enforced a strict zero-tolerance policy against such conduct. Subsequently, the representatives communicated their decision to confiscate all contraband and rescind the funds approved during the budget meeting. With no further recourse, Ava began packing her office, sneaking a glimpse of Janine shedding a solitary tear when her back was turned. Barbara hurried after her supervisor for a closing remark, expressing her belief that Ava's selfishness would have led to this sooner, yet acknowledging that Ava had been proving her wrong "for quite some time now." Barbara's words opened a vulnerable dialogue between the two women, prompting Ava to confess that she had offered the music teacher position to Barbara as a means to rejuvenate her spirits amidst the trying times, further underscoring Ava's exceptional prowess in her role.
With her head held high, Ava departed Abbott, optimistically declaring, "It's never too late to embrace new beginnings." Barbara observed her boss-turned-confidante as she embarked on a fresh journey beyond the school's confines. Speaking to the cameras, Barbara pondered on the uncertainties inherent in her career, stressing, "The art lies in navigating those persistent obstacles." She continued, "I've witnessed Ava transcend her comfort zone into genuine leadership, inspiring me to follow suit and step beyond mine." The episode transitions to footage of Barbara as the new instructor of the after-school music class, delighting one student who excitedly exclaimed, "I never thought I'd have you as my teacher again!" Ava's influence resonated throughout the corridors of Abbott Elementary, leaving viewers eagerly anticipating her triumphant return to her rightful place.
