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Episode

"Story Samurai" is the third episode of the second season and 16th overall of Abbott Elementary. It aired on October 5, 2022.

Description[]

A traveling storytelling troupe Jacob used to be in visits Abbott Elementary for a day of education and entertainment. Jacob can't wait to share this part of his past with his colleagues; but when he realizes they think the performers are corny, Janine does her best to help him embrace his nerdy side. Meanwhile, Melissa struggles with the new normal of her combined second and third grade class.

Plot[]

The teachers are complaining at how they barely have enough time to catch up with their lesson plans. Melissa is having more trouble than usual because of her double class. Ava enters the teachers' lounge and hands out a flyer for the Story Samurai who have come to Abbott to perform.

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Jacob holding up a poster of the Story Samurai.

Jacob takes the flyer and excitedly shares that he was once a part of the Story Samurai. He says that they are a storytelling group that does improvisation plays based on the kids’ ideas. Melissa adds that she loves it when they come since it gives her time to prepare her lessons.

Later that day, Melissa is walking her class and confuses her third-grade student for a second-grader since she was in her second-grade class last year. Ava offers to give her a teaching aide. Barbara tells Ava that Melissa didn’t need one since she’s a veteran and veterans don’t need aides. Melissa plays it cool and tells the camera that while it’s been tough, she can handle it.

In the auditorium, the Story Samurai have started their performance. Janine and Gregory are there with their respective classes. As the Samurai ask for suggestions from students, Janine cringes at how corny it is. Knowing that Jacob used to be a Samurai, she’s just glad that it is in his past and that he isn’t up there performing with them.

After the performance, Gregory and Janine talk about how corny the Story Samurai were. Melissa walks past them, and they tell her that she should watch the performance. However, she wants to work on her two lesson plans, and she has only an hour to do it. Ava is amused at how corny the show was that she recorded it. Barbara says that she can’t wait to watch the afternoon show after Mr. Johnson shared that some white boy was doing the Malcolm X Games. Jacob happily asks how the show was and tells them that the Story Samurai asked him to join the afternoon show. After Jacob leaves, the other teachers say they can’t wait to see Jacob embarrass himself, which concerns Janine.

Later, Janine calls Jacob to her classroom. She dissuades him from joining the afternoon show, saying that he might upstage the other performers. Jacob rethinks this and agrees that he shouldn’t part outshine them.

Meanwhile, Melissa is having a hard time with her class. It has become rowdy; third-graders are participating in her second-grade lecture; and the students aren’t sitting where they are supposed to. Barbara walks in to her class and sees Melissa struggling to keep her class in order, however, Melissa denies having trouble keeping her kids in line.

Janine informs Gregory that she was able to convince Jacob not to perform later that afternoon, by telling a fib since she didn’t want to hurt his feelings if he found out that people perceived him as corny. Ava overhears and is miffed. They are interrupted by Melissa punching the Story Samurai pop-up display as a way of letting off steam because of how out of hand her class is getting.

Jacob notifies the Samurai that he will no longer be participating in their performance later. A little while later, Ava announces via PA system that she is calling an all-school assembly so that the whole school can watch their very own Jacob perform with the Story Samurai.

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Janine convincing Jacob a second time not to perform with the Story Samurai.

Due to the announcement and the students expecting that he will be there, Jacob decides to push through with the performance. He is excited to do it, especially after knowing that Ava will be live streaming the whole thing. Janine tries to dissuade him once again, this time by being honest about why he shouldn’t. She tells him that she doesn’t want everyone to laugh at him because of how corny the Story Samurai are. Jacob has trouble accepting that he is corny, but he eventually relents.

Barbara enters Melissa’s classroom, holding the detached head of the Story Samurai pop-up display that Melissa punched previously. Barbara manages to convince Melissa to have an aide for her double class by telling her that needing one doesn’t take away from her being a good teacher.

On the way to the assembly, Gregory and Janine are discussing how Jacob isn’t performing anymore. Janine tells Gregory that Jacob was really excited to do it, but she didn’t want him to make a fool of himself in front of the school and the internet. However, Gregory responds that Jacob has been doing that everyday anyway and that is just who he is. He adds that if they liked that about Jacob and if he really wanted to, they shouldn’t stop him from being him.

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Jacob performing with the Story Samurai.

Meanwhile, the Story Samurai start their performance, and they ask the audience for some suggestions for their improv. Seeing how Jacob is bummed by not being able to perform, Janine makes the suggestion to have Jacob up on the stage with them. The crowd cheers, and Jacob joins the Samurai. Their performance is corny, but everyone enjoys it just the same. After the show, Jacob accepts that being corny is part of who he is and that it isn’t bad at all.

The next day, Ava informs Melissa that her request for a teacher’s aide has been filled, and that they’re sending one over. Just then, Ashley, the new teacher’s aide, comes in singing and dancing to "Waiting for Tonight" by Jennifer Lopez. Seeing the theatrics, Melissa just looks at the camera with worry on her face.

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Ratings[]

"Story Samurai" was watched by 2.629 million viewers, earning a 0.48 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale.[1]

Media[]

Episode stills[]

Behind the scenes[]

References[]

  1. Metcalf, Mitch (October 6, 2022). SHOWBUZZDAILY'S Wednesday 10.5.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated. ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved on December 12, 2022.

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