"Teacher Appreciation" is the eighteenth episode of season two of Abbott Elementary.
In honor of Teacher's Appreciation Week, Ava won two courtside tickets to the Philadelphia '76ers game, causing the teachers to argue over who should get to go. Eventually, they agree to hold a vote, which Mr. Johnson wins because several people wrote him in out of spite. Meanwhile, Janine's sister comes for a visit. The two end up arguing about Ayesha's departure before making up in the end.
Tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: In keeping with her careless nature, Ava thinks Jacob's name is Jason, to his disgust.
- Apple of Discord: The golden tickets to the Philadelphia '79ers turns the Abbott faculty into bitter enemies as they nitpick and chew out each other over how is more worthy of going to the game.
- Book Ends: While enjoying their new teacher gifts, Barbara wishes that she got a gift card to Buffalo Wild Wings from the district. In the very end, Mr. Johnson reveals that he won a gift card to Buffalo Wild Wings after winning a trivia game.
- Brick Joke: Greggo's hat is taken by Mr. Johnson after he discards it. He then wears it after he's crowned the winner of the golden tickets.
- Cold Open: Gregory walks into the teacher's lounge with a new hat and is mercilessly dragged by his work friends. When he abandons it, Mr. Johnson picks it up and is showered with praise by his peers.
- Collective Groan: The Abbott staff does this after Mr. Johnson declares that he plans to take his pediatrist to the game thus snuffing any hope they could have had of going to the big game.
- Comedic Sociopathy: While the faculty members tear into each other, Ava is on the side recording everything for her own amusement. She even expresses eagerness in seeing violence between lifelong friends Melissa and Barbara.
- Continuity Nod: Erika brings up the Teacher's Conference when alone with Greg and Jacob.
- Double Meaning: After their fighting ends, Janine suggests that she and Ayesha go back to the game. As in Drought and their family matters.
- Enemy Mine: Mr. Morton, known for his hatred of Jacob, considers making an alliance with him to claim the tickets.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Janine calls her sister Ayesha out for abandoning their family to screw around in Colorado when things got hard. Ayesha says that everyone gave up on her because she wasn't as responsible and educated as Janine.
- Foreshadowing: While visiting her sister in her classroom, Ayesha openly wonders if their mother has ever come to see the class herself.
- Freudian Excuse: Ayesha is always known to runaway when things get too hard for her. She explains that she couldn't handle the pressure and drama that their mother put them through for so long mixed with everyone thinking highly of Janine for her education and stable career.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: Erika says this after learning that they only have Drought to play with.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: Janine argues that teaching 2nd graders is no picnic only for Mr. Morton to bring up how she and her class had a literal picnic the other day.
- It's All About Me: After Barbara thanks the Good Lord for granting her an opportunity to see the '76ers in action, Ava tells her that she was the one who made the miracle possible not Jesus.Barbara (while pointing up): Thank you! You [Jesus] came through again!
Ava: Who are you pointing at? I'm right here! Don't give Jesus my credit! - Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Ava's first option in who should get the tickets was Janine. Her reason being is that she's friendless so she'd have no choice but to take Ava with her.
- Just One Extra Ticket: Ava gets two courtside tickets to the big basketball game and all the teachers turn on each other in hopes of snagging them.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Janine and Gregory make arguments on how they should have the tickets that reference their respective roles in the show.Janine: With all due respect, I think the ticket should go to the MVP. You know, the young star who gives everyone faith in a franchise.
Gregory: Or the tickets can go to the most improved player. Someone who sacrificed other goals to support this one. - Locked Out of the Loop: Jacob didn't pick up on Janine and Ayesha's troubled childhood, unlike Greg and Erika.
- Loophole Abuse: Even though he isn't an official teacher, Mr. Johnson still counts as a substitute teacher.
- Mood Killer: While Janine makes the first step in reconciling with her sister, Jacob pops in to tell her that it's her turn to make a move on the game.
- Mood Whiplash: The penultimate scene has Barbara given a speech on the little joys of being a teacher and how being there everyday for her students and her co-teachers makes the job so beautiful and enriching. Then the last scene has Ava hearing about the new developments with the online petition.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After the whole ticket fiasco ends, the Abbott staff reflects on how ashamed they are for fighting each other for a miniscule reward given to them by their uncaring school district.
- Noodle Incident: The last time the Abbott staff decided something using the hat method, a male teacher named Darryl got free eyelash extensions.
- One Dialogue, Two Conversations: While playing Drought, Ayesha chooses to take the water for herself and not provide any for her tribe which strikes a nerve with Janine who now has to provide for all of Asia by herself. It soon devolves into an argument that references their troubled home life.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The normally jovial and carefree Ava gives an expression of fear after reading a memo about the recent petition reaching the school board.
- Passive Aggressive Combat:
- Barbara dips into this during the library meeting by asking if any non-Philadelphia natives (Gregory) would even be interested in going. Gregory retorts that his favorite team, the Patriots, are playing so yes he would very much like to go.
- Janine ends up doing this with Ayesha after hearing that she already made plans to go out with friends on the first night.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Hearing her sister say that all she does is abandon people when things get too hard convinces Ayesha to leave the apartment.
- Shout-Out: Janine, her friends, and sister are playing Drought. Jacob hypes it up as a popular indie board game, though the others seem to find it too complicated.
- The Stinger: During his trip to the game, Mr. Johnson was given the chance to compete in a trivia game for a thousand dollars. It cuts to the present to reveal that he won the money, including a gift card to Buffalo Wild Wings.
- The Un Favourite: Ayesha vents to her sister that no one had hope for her and only saw her as a disappointment. It made it easier for her to runaway to start her own life.
- Wham Line: Venus presents a memo to her boss about some upcoming news that can change everything for the worse.Ava: What's this from the district? "Principal Coleman, we are writing to inform you that the petition to change Abbott Elementary into a Legendary Charter will be coming in front of the school board...
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Ava walks on in and announces that the school district is funding tickets to see the Philadelphia '76ers play which inspires jubilation in all the Abbott staff. But then she bursts their bubbles by pointing out that only two lucky teachers will get to see them.
