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Recap / Abbott Elementary S 2 E 02 Wrong Delivery

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"Wrong Delivery" is the fifteenth episode of Abbott Elementary along with being the second episode of Season 2.

The presence of a mis-mailed box leads to Janine feeling jealous over the better off charter school which inspires her to partake in Ava's challenge for what to do with Abbott's grant money. Meanwhile, Gregory is having trouble interacting with Barbara as he's hitting a few bumps in his relationship with her daughter Taylor.


  • Always Someone Better: The Abbott squad are astounded to see that Addington Elementary, the charter school down the street, is in much better condition compared to their school.
  • Ambiguous Situation: Taylor breaks up with Gregory because he's a "broke boy". Did she mean that in the sense of him being a sad little man with a lot of emotional issues? Or because he couldn't pay for her lucrative dates anymore?
  • Answer Cut: Melissa tells Jacob that she can't imagine anyone who would humiliate themself for Ava's "Shark Tank" challenge. It then shows Janine ready with posters for her computer room presentation.
  • Birds of a Feather: Jacob is pleased to learn that Greg was "petered" as it gives them something to bond over as B.F.F.s.
  • Bizarro Universe: Addington Elementary is regarded as what Abbott could be if it had better funding and maintenance. There's even a custodian who's described as a younger version of Mr. Johnson and Jacob is delighted to find a blonde woman who could pass for Melissa's doppelganger (it turns out she's her sister).
  • The Bus Came Back: Tina Schwartz, the teacher that Gregory replaced after the child kicking incident, returns as a teacher of Addington.
  • Chekhov's Gun: Devon's idea for a slushie van is used as a way to cheer up the Abbott kids near the end.
  • Cockroaches Will Rule the Earth: Melissa comments that when the end of days comes, the only things that will survive are cockroaches and Janine holding a sign that says "turn that frown upside down".
  • Comically Missing the Point:
    • During the rat attack in the cafeteria, Shanae proclaims that getting bigger tongs would help catch the rats.
    • After patting herself on the back for her recent successes, Ava believes that she could pass as the mayor of a school. She then wonders what that type of job is called.
  • Continuity Nod:
    • The bathroom stall that squirts you back is brought up by Tina and Janine.
    • Courtney returns as a co-judge in Ava's "Shark Tank" challenge.
  • Dude, Not Funny!: Tina isn't amused when her former coworkers laugh at her "kicking herself" comment.
  • "Eureka!" Moment: Gregory realizes the solution to his relationship problems after Janine compliments him for his honest personality.
  • Everyone Has Standards: While normally Ava would sexually harass Gregory like in the past season, she admits that she won't do so out of respect for Barbara and her daughter (who Gregory is currently dating).
  • Failed a Spot Check:
    • Apparently Ms. Howard has confused multiple white celebrities with black ones who share a similar name. Rather then correct her every time, Janine and the others decide to play along for her sake.
    • Devon, the cafeteria man, initially believed that Ava was giving away the grant money and came up with a dream presentation that wouldn't benefit the school.
  • Foreshadowing: During the Addington tour, Tina reveals that her school's mouse problem was taken care of as humanely as possible. During the third act, the cafeteria is infested with rodents and Mr. Johnson learns that the rats took shelter in Abbott instead of Addington.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Feeling a hint of pity for Janine not getting the grant money while lamenting how the Abbott kids won't feel special, Ava uses the remaining funds to sponsor Devon's slushie idea which all the kids enjoy.
  • Let Us Never Speak of This Again: After clarifying that the blonde woman who works at Addington Elementary is her sister, Melissa orders everyone never to bring it up ever again.
  • Minor Flaw, Major Breakup: Jacob insists that Greg break up with his girlfriend after hearing that they always go to restaurants that serve small plates.
  • No Name Given: Discussed. The lunch lady introduces herself as such while commenting that no one has had the decency to ask her what her true name is (it's Shanae). Ava then asks the lunch lady to continue.
  • Noodle Incident:
    • Jacob admits that he has a history of "petering" which is a softer version of "ghosting".
    • Mr. Johnson reveals that he used to date Martha from the Vandellas. He also believes that her friends "vandellized" his car after he broke her heart.
    • Ava regularly attends a strip club and often invites her coworkers to join her.
  • Proxy Break Up: To Greg and Barbara's surprise, the latter is the one who officiates the break up between Greg and her daughter.
  • Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Reconstructed with Janine and Gregory. After Janine gives her over-the-top presentation, Gregory provides constructive criticism on how she should tone it down for a better result. And for that, Janine is grateful for his honesty and level-headedness.
  • Shout-Out:
    • The episode starts with Jacob stating that the Spiderman film series is due for a reboot while his coworkers suggest different celebrities to replace Tom Holland.
    • During his lesson, Jacob describes Pocahontas as the original Avatar.
    • Ava was inspired by Shark Tank as a way for the Abbott staff to present their ideas on what to do with the grant money.
  • Take That!: While talking about celebrities and potential reboots, Jacob complains about having to see Chris Pratt everywhere.
  • That Came Out Wrong: After going into the hall to speak with Gregory, Jacob's first thought is to call him hot. He was referring to his sweatiness instead of his physical beauty.
  • This Is Gonna Suck: Melissa calls onto God after Ava declares that she has a "fair and responsible way" for how they should use their grant money.
  • What's In It For Me?: An obstacle that the "Shark Tank" participants have to overcome is presenting their projects that personally benefit Ava.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Janine is offended that Melissa unprovocatively insulted her Addington doppelganger. Though Melissa justifies herself saying that she's her sister.
  • Yank the Dog's Chain: To Janine's surprise and joy, the judges agree to spend the grant money on her computer lab. Unfortunately, the staff has to use that money to take care of the rodent infestation.

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