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Episode

"Read-A-Thon" is the eleventh episode of the second season and 24th overall of Abbott Elementary. It aired on January 4, 2023.

Description[]

The competition heats up between Melissa and Janine as their classes go head-to-head in a read-a-thon sponsored by a local pizza shop; Jacob and Gregory join forces and attempt to get their student-podcasting club off the ground.

Plot[]

The holiday break is over, and the teachers are back in school. Janine and Gregory have an awkward interaction in the teachers’ lounge. Barbara observes this, noting that their social skills have atrophied due to not using them during the break. Ava, however, informs her that they’re just being weird because they danced at the club during break.

Ava goes to the two and tells them to grow up. She hands them both score sheets for the annual week-long Read-A-Thon, sponsored by Dough Nuts Pizza. Janine explains that every kid gets a pizza in the end, but they track the class in each grade that reads the most. While it’s mostly ceremonial, but some teachers take it more seriously than others. Melissa enters the lounge carrying her second-grade Read-A-Thon championship belt, which she has won twice now. She confidently announces that her class will be winning this year’s Read-A-Thon as well, but Janine declares that her class will be winning it this time.

Later that day, Jacob sees that two students have signed up for his after-school podcast club, and he shares his joy with Janine. He rattles off all his plans for his club just as Gregory passes them by. Jacob calls out to Gregory informing him that they had two sign-ups for the after-school club, revealing that Gregory is doing the podcast club as well. Gregory tells the camera that he is doing it for the little extra money teachers get when they do an extracurricular, further sharing that his financial status is a source of tension in his romantic life.

Melissa sees Janine bring a cartful of books into her classroom. Melissa teases her, saying that one cart of books isn’t enough to beat her class. However, Janine reveals that it was her third cart of books from the library and that she has changed the layout of her classroom to be more conducive to reading.

Melissa is somewhat worried by this and immediately goes to her class and drives her students to read more. She calls her three best readers and encourages them to read at all times, even in the shower. Mya, another student in her class, chimes in saying that she will be reading more books than everybody else. Levi scoffs at her declaration. Melissa reveals to the camera that Mya, while being a great student, has a bit of trouble reading.

It is now afterschool and Jacob and Gregory are meeting with Clarence and Raheem, the students who volunteered for the podcast club. They will be recording the first episode of their podcast, “This Abbott Life.” Jacob drones on about his vision for their podcast and hands the two boys a script for their first episode.

The following day, Melissa shares with Barbara her class’s progress in the Read-A-Thon. Janine overhears and tells Melissa that her class, while currently behind, will be winning it. Shortly, Nurse Makiah walks Melissa’s three best readers to the clinic. Melissa sees this and asks where they are going. The nurse answers that the three have developed pink eye from reading everywhere all the time, including the school’s bathroom. Janine pronounces her class as the victor, being that Melissa’s strongest readers are now out.

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Janine and Melissa agree on a wager on the winner of the Read-A-Thon.

Melissa is stocking her cart with books for her kids to read when Janine appears behind one of the shelves. They exchange some trash talk and ultimately, Janine tells Melissa that they should raise the stakes. The two agree to make a side bet, where the loser has to guest in Jacob’s podcast.

Melissa returns to her class and hands out the books to her students. She gives them a rousing speech about winning the Read-A-Thon for eternal glory. Mya stands up and declares that she will read the class to eternal glory and the other students volunteer to do what they can to help win the Read-A-Thon.

The podcast club is once again in session, and they are about to begin recording an episode entitled “Cafeteria Blues.” Jacob starts off with a winding introduction which bores Ava. Clarence and Raheem put their spin into it and are enjoying going off tangent from Jacob’s script. When the two students start bickering, Jacob stops to remind them that the podcast is about “journalistic storytelling.” Clarence disagrees saying that what they’re doing is what podcasting is about; that they are just being themselves. Raheem asks if he could at least tell the story about that one time he was spitting game to Emily. However, Jacob refuses to indulge him.

The following day, Janine is looking at the Read-A-Thon chart and Melissa points out that her class is way ahead of Janine’s. Janine, however, is skeptical at the numbers being shown. She observes that even though Melissa’s three strongest readers were out, her class still managed to read even more books than everyone. Melissa chalks it up to her inspiring speech and is offended at Janine’s accusation that she cheated. She tells Janine that she was going to check her readers’ reports just to make sure that they’re on the level.

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Melissa confronts Mya about her reading score sheet.

In her classroom, Melissa notices Mya breezing through a book that she’s reading. She calls her to her table, requesting that the girl bring along her book. When Melissa asks Mya some details about the book, she is unable to answer correctly, which proves Melissa’s suspicion of Mya logging in inaccurate numbers. Melissa tries to confirm if the “25 books” in her reading sheet was correct. Mya answers in the affirmative stating that she just wants to help the class kick Ms. Teague’s butt.

While Jacob is preparing for their after-school podcast session, Clarence and Raheem arrive at his classroom. Jacob asks them how they’re finding the first episode that just dropped. The two express their disappointment in the episode; Raheem says that the episode blows, and Clarence says that Jacob ruined their episode. The released episode is far from what they initially recorded and more in line with Jacob’s initial script. Jacob defends his edit saying that he thought a more school-appropriate version would be more appropriate for school. Clarence doesn’t buy his explanation and tells Jacob outright that he censored them. The students quit the club and leave Jacob rattled by Clarence’s remark.

Meanwhile, Melissa had arranged to meet Mya’s parents after class and the two arrive with their daughter. Melissa states that she just wanted to check in with them regarding the Read-A-Thon list that they signed which detailed Mya reading 25 books last night. Mya’s parents refuse to acknowledge any issue with the list, so Melissa brings up that their daughter was starting to show some initial signs of struggling with reading and suggests having Mya tested. However, the parents double down on their stand and reject any suggestion about their child needing any tests. As they are leaving, Mya tells Melissa that she had just finished reading an additional four books.

The next day, Melissa announces to her class that after rerunning the numbers, it appears that Janine’s class read more books than theirs. As the kids are eating their pizza, Mya tells Melissa that she really tried to help their class read the most books, but that she is now done with reading. Melissa looks at Mya with concern. She asks Mya to help her with something outside so they could speak privately in the hall.

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Melissa talks to Mya about her struggles with reading.

Melissa sits Mya down and asks her student if she’s having a tough time with reading. Mya confesses that she does. Melissa tells Mya that it was the same with her, too, when she was younger, and she shares some tricks that helped her go through it. She shows her a book which was given to her by a teacher when she was the about same age as Mya. The is about a girl who had trouble reading and was made fun of by the other kids. At the end, she figures out that it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you read because reading is about having fun. She gives the book to Mya, hoping that it will foster in her a love for reading. Mya takes the book and tells Melissa that she still wishes they won. Melissa says that there was nothing they could do since the rules are the rules. Suddenly, something dawns on her as Mya walks back to their classroom.

Jacob returns Ava’s podcast equipment, so Ava asks what happened. Jacob nonchalantly answers that the kids just didn’t want to do it anymore. Jacob expresses his disappointment saying that he just wanted to give the kids something new and exciting to do. Ava asks if he meant new and exciting for them or for himself because it sounded like he was forcing them to do something he wanted to do. Jacob reflects on Ava words and expresses his disappointment in himself.

In the teachers’ lounge, Barbara tells Melissa that she’s sorry she lost. A gloating Janine cartwheels in the lounge and claims the Read-A-Thon championship belt. Melissa reads to her the rules of the Read-A-Thon printed by Dough Nuts which says that “the winning teacher is determined by whichever classroom reads the most books.” And since her second and third-grade class are in one classroom, she gets to add their totals together, which unfortunately for Janine, means Melissa won. She snatches the Read-A-Thon championship belt back and does a happy dance.

The after-school podcast has now resumed session after Jacob promises the students that they can make it their own. They welcome their guest, Janine (who lost the Read-A-Thon bet). Clarence gets straight to it and says that his mom saw Janine at the club grinding all up on Gregory. Janine and Gregory are caught off guard and Janine stammers as she asks Jacob what kind of podcast this was. Raheem takes this as confirmation to the statement. Janine clarifies that she was just dancing like normal people do and was not grinding. Raheem now states that Clarence’s mom saw the two of them leave together. Janine indignantly denies this saying that she was actually outside talking to Gregory’s friend, Maurice. This time, Gregory is shocked by Janine’s answer and, in an effort to evade the topic, points out to Jacob that this was the type of podcast he wanted to steer away from. Jacob, however, says that he would like to know if there was anything they would like to add for journalistic purposes. Gregory once again tries to evade the question, but Clarence says that they’re still waiting for an answer.

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

  • Blaiz Bahsi Baker as Mya

Co-Starring[]

  • Zakai Biagas-Bey as Clarence
  • Kingston Covington as Raheem
  • Azaria Williams as Melissa's Student #1
  • Eric LaVette Jr. as Melissa's Student #2
  • Amai Troutman as Deja
  • Mariah Tavares as Bryana
  • August Dantus as Levi
  • Adargiza de los Santos as Nurse Makiah
  • Stephen Agyei as Mya's Dad
  • Kuoth Wiel as Mya's Mom

Ratings[]

"Read-A-Thon" was watched by 3.120 million viewers, earning a 0.58 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale.[1]

Media[]

Episode Stills[]

References[]

  1. Metcalf, Mitch (January 5, 2023). SHOWBUZZDAILY'S Wednesday 1.4.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated. ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved on January 7, 2023.

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