"Franklin Institute" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the second season of Abbott Elementary.
The Abbott team head to the Franklin Institute Museum of Science for a sleepover. Though the fun may be undercut as Janine starts to doubt her self-progress after a visit from her ex which causes a strain in her budding relationship with Gregory.
Tropes in this episode include:
- Black Comedy: Even though it's clarified that Barbara was the "alien" that scared the kids, Ava assures Melissa that she'd never ask her to hurt Barbara. So she orders Jacob to take the bat instead.
- Bittersweet Ending: While the two lovers confess their true feelings, Janine ultimately refuses to get into a relationship with Greg out of fear of hurting him mixed with her still wanting to deal with being "selfish". And in spite of their sad hearts, they still have their friendship and continue on.
- Book Ends: In the Cold Open, Mr. Johnson considers working for Gregory's dad's landscaping business. In The Stinger, he tells Ava that he plans to take a leave of absence to work there.
- Brick Joke: One student shows Ava her drawing of an alien wearing a mask. Greg's student picks it up and accuses Barbara of being an alien after seeing her mask.
- But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Ava casually admits that lots of people have called her selfish. Even her own grandmother said it the morning of the field trip.
- Call-Back: Just like the first season finale, the Abbott staff end the season on a field trip.
- Change the Uncomfortable Subject: When Jacob instructs Greg to cradle his head in the event he suffers from sleep paralysis, Greg changes the conversation to focus on Janine's sudden mood change.
- Cold Open: After Gregory turns down his father's request for summer employment, Mr. Johnson accuses him of working for the F.B.I.
- Comically Missing the Point: Barbara explains that the kids were scared because they saw her wearing her CPAP machine, Ava proclaims her to be a hero for ripping out the alien's mask.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Ava scares some of the children by explaining how there is alien life that may have already inhabited Earth without their knowing.
- Continuity Cavalcade:
- The Abbott staff prepare to go to the Franklin Institute.
- Maurice returns and is still upset about Janine's selfish actions.
- Melissa is surprised that Barbara correctly remembered a celebrity's name.
- Jacob mentions that he's paired up with his archnemesis Mr. Morton.
- Ava brings up how Janine properly treated herself to a vacation while stealing money from her mom.
- Janine and Gregory bring up their past relationships when they admit that they like each other.
- Crowd Panic: Thanks to the kids being scared by Ava's alien stories along with one of Greg's kids crying alien in the middle of the night, all of the rugrats wake up screaming and running around like chickens on market day.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Melissa antagonizes a museum tour guide just because she hails from New York.
- Foreshadowing: A mother tries to warn Mr. Eddie that her son is not an easy sleeper and will wander around if no one is watching him.
- Friendship Moment:
- Jacob motivates Greg into talking things out with Janine by reminding them of their rich history. The two men then end their conversation with a "bro hug".
- Not only did Ava arrange it so Janine's class can be next to Gregory's, but she also assures the short teacher that there's nothing with being selfish from time to time.
- Ava also acknowledges that Melissa would never hurt her best friend Barbara, even if she's a creature from another world.
- Good-Times Montage: All the Abbott kids have a wonderful time exploring the exhibits at the museum.
- Hypocrisy Nod: After gently explaining how selfish Janine was during the end of their relationship, Maurice confesses that he too is selfish as he ghosted another girl into thinking that he died and is only now considering responding back to her.
- Internal Reveal: Greg spills the tea to his B.F.F. about his fairy tale kiss with Janine at the Teacher's Conference.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Even though she takes pride in being selfish, Ava insists that there's nothing wrong in treating yourself to nice things as long as no one is being hurt.
- Kick the Dog: Discussed. From Maurice's perspective, Janine was acting selfish by taking him to his favorite restaurant just to confess that he wanted to break up with him after kissing his best friend whom she wasn't dating.
- Mistaken for Aliens: Spooked by Ava's stories about aliens, the kids see Barbara in her oxygen mask and freak out.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Janine chastises herself for hurting Maurice with her kissing Greg and breaking up with him as a result.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Discussed. After talking about the kiss with Jacob and how much has changed between him and Janine, Gregory admits that there's no turning back after everything that's happened.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Greggo knows something is wrong with Janine due to her lack of a response to him teaching a child one of the cutest things imaginable (pretending to be a train which follows up with a hug).
- Pet the Dog: Ava admits to trying to nudge Gregory and Janine together. Especially notable due to her crush on Gregory.
- Rule of Symbolism: While looking for kids in the over-sized heart exhibit, the two lovers express their feelings for one another.
- Shipper on Deck:
- Jacob frequently encourages his bro Greg to talk with Janine to see if they'll end up together.
- Ava admits that she purposefully made Janine and Gregory buddies during the field trip. She expects to be thanked after they have their short, broad-shoulder babies.
- Shout-Out: Gregory asks Janine to cover him in the event that the exhibits at the museum come to life because of a magic spell.
- Stealth Insult: Upon learning that Greg never asked Janine what was wrong, Jacob points out that it's no wonder his father is a landscaper because he always beats around the bush.
- The Stinger: Mr. Johnson tells Ava that he's going to leave the school to work for Mr. Eddie Sr. This inspires panic in Ava who chases after him despite being in the middle of a pedicure.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Maurice points out how selfish Janine was in their breakup. He's not overly vitriolic about it and doesn't appear to hold a grudge, but Janine knows he has a point, and realizes she's not ready to be in a real relationship yet, especially since she loves Greg and doesn't want to hurt him like she hurt Maurice.
- Withholding Their Name: After Janine brings up how she never learned Mr. Johnson's first name, the janitor tells her to look up at the stars at night to find the answer. It's as helpful as you expect it to be.
