Last week, as we witnessed the staff spring into immediate action to shield their students from Girard Creek's antics, I couldn't help but marvel at how adeptly the show champions its young charges, both within its frames and beyond. Tonight's episode resonates deeply with Abbott's unwavering dedication to uplifting youth, presenting a solely child-centric narrative that brings to light the astounding talents of these miniature wonders who constitute the student body. Landing a role on Abbott stands as an extraordinary opportunity for young actors, particularly in the current TV landscape that leaves much to be desired, especially since budding Black talents seldom get to enrich their acting portfolios with such clips.
Their performances on Abbott shine a spotlight on their impeccable comic timing and physical acting prowess — these kids have mastered the art of delivering a stone-faced gaze to the camera, honed from their daily interactions with teachers. Now, four years into the journey, marking a significant developmental leap at such a crucial phase in life, we bear witness to their growth, as they consistently refresh their portfolios with age-appropriate content, an increasingly rare opportunity amidst the decline of child-centered television.
Who could remain unperturbed upon seeing Courtney transformed into a cool, composed tween, a matured avatar of the chaotic child we first encountered in season one? Her appearance on screen prompted an involuntary imitation of Tyrese's "My Shayla!" from me. Though still a chaos master, the refined Courtney now wields her antics with greater cunning, affording Lela Hoffmeister the chance to exhibit her prowess in portraying a character with staying power.
When the annual science fair rolls around, Courtney, instead of opting for a conventional project, harnesses her penchant for mischief to devise a social experiment that capitalizes on the teachers' competitive instincts. Throughout the episode, she maintains an enigmatic demeanor, evading Melissa's queries about her experiment, quipping, "It would compromise my findings if I told you any more at this juncture." Yet, it matters little, for the teachers require no prompting to transform a children's lesson into an all-out war.
As the school's resident science expert, Mr. Morton presides over the fair, reveling in the rare leadership role, a stark contrast to his personal life devoid of such opportunities. Tonight's episode delves deeper into Morton's lore, unearthing another juicy detail — this marks his second divorce, leaving him with half of what his previous ex-wife hadn't claimed, which Jacob sardonically remarks as "still twice as much as you deserve." The ongoing rift between the coworkers escalates to new heights when a coup orchestrated by the rest of the teachers strands Jacob and Barbara as co-judges alongside Morton.
None takes the science fair as seriously as Morton, evidenced by his resorting to spray-painting an old basketball trophy as a prize. His intolerable demeanor fails to sway the teachers' indifference. To evade collaboration with Morton, Melissa and Janine swiftly volunteer to assist the students, while the rest of the staff deviously jot down Jacob's name instead of their own on the slips of paper Morton draws from a hat. Jacob, astute enough to foresee his impending downfall, pens Barbara's name, ensuring at least one other soul perishes with him in this Educational Apocalypse.
Initially, Janine and Melissa granted the children unfettered freedom to delve into their scientific curiosities. However, the dynamics shifted when Ava stepped into the role of guardian for Tyree, a pupil sans parental consent to handle hazardous materials. With Ava's involvement, the competition intensified. She lived through Tyree, grappling with dormant feelings of desertion stemming from her absent father's shadow. Meanwhile, Frank, marvelously portrayed by Keith David, doubled as Gregory's barber and eagerly enrolled the barbershop as a sponsor upon hearing about Abbott's science fair. Ava remained unmoved by Frank's gesture, maintaining a steadfast distance, albeit accepting the financial aid. Observing their interaction, Janine extended her condolences, only to be met with Ava's sarcastic retort about having a "gaping void in her heart," followed by a mocking laugh, further solidifying her indifference towards forging a bond with her father.
When Tyree entered Ava's office, venting about his father's forgetfulness, she dove headfirst into the competition, partnering with Tyree to devise the optimal water filtration method, using Abbott's suspiciously turbid tap water as the benchmark. To Ava's chagrin, Tyree's inspiration stemmed from an upcoming camping trip rather than preparing for dystopian scenarios like "water scarcity and proxy wars escalating into a global catastrophe." Nonetheless, she vowed to secure him the top prize.
Ava propelled Tyree's experiment to new heights, taunting their rivals amidst the children supervised by Melissa and Janine. Despite the teachers' reminders that this was merely an elementary school science fair, Ava hinted that she outshone both in science and coolness, mocking, "Janine knows even less about what's cool than she does about science," igniting the rivalry. Melissa aligned with a student experimenting with potato-powered lightbulbs, while Janine collaborated with another to construct a model volcano. Mr. Johnson also joined in, claiming NASA's Hidden Figures heritage, assisting a student in creating a spill-mopping robot. Janine and Melissa overly influenced the experiments, sidelining the students' ideas in favor of what they perceived the judges would favor. Their rivalry escalated to sabotage after overhearing that more teachers had paired up with students to vie for the trophy.
As Melissa, Janine, Ava, and Mr. Johnson spared no effort to propel their respective students to victory, Morton drilled Barbara and Jacob on adhering strictly to the scientific method. Barbara yearned to emphasize presentation, while Jacob sought to evaluate based on social impact. Yet, Morton dismissed aesthetics and morals, arguing, "When you build the A-bomb, you don't ponder its usage," leaving Jacob and Barbara appalled by his condescending demeanor. They denounced their judging duties and banned him from further communication. However, on the eve of the science fair, Barbara had a change of heart, convincing Jacob to do the "noble" thing and aid Morton in delivering an exemplary judging experience for the children. She contended that they would balance his uncompromising scientific standards, leading them to apologize for their abrupt exit.
It requires a bit of a tug-of-war before Morton finally acknowledges Barbara and Jacob as worthy judges. With a defiant gleam in his eye, he proclaims, "Science is a meritocracy; you'll only earn equality if you deserve it." Yet, after some persistence, he eventually caves in. Amidst Jacob's comically overt antics (Chris Perfetti embodying the epitome of a clown prince), the trio manages to pull themselves together, deciding to evaluate the projects comprehensively while maintaining rigorous benchmarks to ensure the students' educational growth. They mercilessly dissect every submission, even going so far as to dissect Abbott's Tiniest Kid's (a moniker endearingly credited on IMDb) charming flower project and branding the model volcano as an instance of "cultural appropriation." Their stern criticism is so severe that they declare, despite the teachers' relentless efforts, no one has "met the wildly diverse criteria set by the judges."
Seizing the microphone with authority, Courtney galvanizes the students into revisiting their projects, urging them to reflect their original visions rather than the ones coerced by their teachers. She then boldly usurps the teachers' authority, proposing that the children themselves judge the science fair. The teachers, acknowledging defeat and confessing they had overstepped their bounds (except for Ava, who insists she's the true victim here), step back and watch as their students reclaim control, implementing their unique concepts. Relegated to the corner, Morton laments to his "new best friends" Barbara and Jacob that he ruins everything he lays his hands on. Softening towards him, Barbara speaks in Morton's language, employing an algebra formula as a metaphorical and scientific explanation that perhaps he himself is the issue. However, their intimacy doesn't extend beyond that piece of advice, as Morton's suggestion for a hangout is met with Barbara and Jacob's swift departure from the scene.
As the science fair draws to a close, the students crown Courtney the winner, extolling her social experiment that tested "the impact of power dynamics in competitive settings." Before shouting out to the teachers who inadvertently proved her hypothesis that adults struggle with competition, she reveals her findings. One day, Courtney will surely be at the helm, guiding us all!
