"Welcome to the rest of the announcements with Gene and Courtney!"
Courtney: We used to date.
Gene: Now we just collaborate.
Gene and Courtney Wheeler become the popular new announcement duo at school. But their success is threatened by burgeoning feelings and an angry Ms. LaBonz. Meanwhile, Tina and Bob both nearly mess up the school's "Donations for Carnations" drive, and struggle to set things right.
The Gene & Courtney Tropes:
- Amicable Exes: Unlike their last break up, Gene and Courtney remain on good terms this time.
- Bittersweet Ending: Gene and Courtney have to break up, but unlike last time they remain on good terms and get to keep their morning announcements.
- The Bore: Ms. LaBonz, to the point that Mr. Grant brings in Gene and Courtney to replace her.
- Brainless Beauty: Jocelyn was attractive enough to get four carnations.
- Brutal Honesty: At the end, Bob and Linda greet each other by admitting that they didn't get the other anything for Valentine's Day. They both shrug it off to go make out.
- Call-Back:
- Several references are made to "The Unbearable Like-Likeness of Gene" and how poorly Gene and Courtney's previous relationship ended. Doug still massively distrusts Gene as a result. After he sees that Gene is sincere in his like of his daughter, he DOES soften up.
- When Frond confronts her on how the carnation drive is going, Tina makes a variant of her "Everything is Okay" face.
- Everyone Has Standards: As boring as Ms. LaBonz's opening announcements were, the students didn't find her outright annoying like they find Gene and Courtney's nonstop on-air flirting.
- From Bad to Worse: Bob insisting on being the one to get the carnations instead of Linda and then forgetting about it entirely is bad enough, but when Tina brings the donation box back home after the first day, Louise offers to pick the lock on the box to let Tina find out whether anyone got her any carnations. Louise then goes to carefully steam open 4 of the envelopes, and by the time she returns, Tina has hastily torn open every other envelope in her desperation to find which girl got carnations from who, forcing the girls and Linda to match the card text and handwriting to the right envelopes as well.
- I Am the Noun: Ms. LaBonz refers to herself as the morning announcements.
- I Need to Go Iron My Dog: When Bob realizes he forgot to order the carnations for the school's fundraiser, he flimsily excuses himself from the breakfast table by saying he needs to stretch his legs.
- Jerkass Has a Point: As much of a pill as Doug can be, it's not like he's wrong to distrust Gene considering how his last relationship with Courtney went.
- Master of Unlocking: Tina exploits Louise's lockpicking skills to open the donation box and see who got carnations.
- Never My Fault: Oblivious case; Teddy genuinely doesn't seem to realize that he's why Bob had to pay so much for the carnations.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: While Bob managed to get the carnations he needed, thanks to Teddy blurting out how desperate Bob was he had to pay through the nose for them.
- Noodle Incident: Wagstaff had to get rid of chemistry.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- Gene is fully willing to sacrifice his chance at the morning announcements to continue his relationship with Courtney, only relenting when he sees how Courtney wants to continue.
- During the final announcement shown, Gene sings his light-hearted song but with a deeply personal and serious message, in contrast to his usual joking and crude compositions.
- Papa Wolf: Mr. Wheeler is suspicious of Gene (recalling how he literally broke his daughter's heart in "The Unbearable Like-Likeness of Gene"), until Gene assures him that his feelings for Courtney are sincere this time around.
- Rhymes on a Dime: Gene and Courtney become a comedic, rhyming duo doing the morning announcements.
- Sanity Ball: Louise holds this during Tina's subplot when she offers to steam open some of the envelopes to find out who was getting carnations. After coming back with three opened envelopes, Louise is startled when she sees that Tina lost it, opened all of them, and now can't remember which cards went with which envelope.
- Shout-Out: When talking about which of two causes the carnation money will go to, Tina says "It's Sophie's Choice. Sophie Martin. She's the Treasurer."
- Sickeningly Sweethearts: Gene and Courtney start getting distracted and driving people crazy with their on-air flirting.
- Snap Back: Even though they get to keep their morning announcements at the end of the episode, Gene and Courtney aren't seen doing them ever again, and in fact later episodes confirm LaBonz is back to doing them.
- Something about a Rose: Tina gets a rose from Jimmy Jr., who wanted to get her a carnation but also wanted his Valentine's gift to be a surprise (since Tina was running the carnation drive).
- Status Quo Is God: Gene and Courtney's relationship doesn't last, nor do they continue doing the morning announcements.
- Suckiness Is Painful: Ms. LaBonz's way of doing the morning announcements is so dull, it drives the students crazy.
- Sucky School: Wagstaff has such little funding it's had to cut the chemistry program, and it needs a carnation drive to get money to repair the parking lot.
- Throw the Dog a Bone:
- Tina did get a flower at the end—a special rose from Jimmy Jr., who only didn't buy a carnation because he wanted to keep his gift a surprise.
- Even though he has to end their relationship for the sake of their show, Gene does get a Valentine's kiss from Courtney.
- Title Drop: Gene's homeroom teacher Ms. Twitchell refers to Gene and Courtney's performance as the Gene and Courtney Show, and later Mr. Grant also refers to their morning announcement stints as such.
- Two Words: I Can't Count: After Gene and Courtney perform well at the announcements, Ms. LaBonz says, "Two words: bravo."
- The Unsmile: Tina's "Everything is Okay" face returns, and it's just as unconvincing as last time.
- Worthy Opponent: After Gene's heartfelt Valentine's song, Ms. LaBonz admits that he did a good job.
