Abbot Elementary Season 4 Episode 20 Recap: The fourth season of “Abbott Elementary” has been one of its most transformative yet, with Ava Coleman (Janelle James) ousted from her principal role and Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams) reluctantly stepping in as interim principal. While Gregory has always been the ideal candidate for the job on paper, real-life leadership at Abbott proves to be much more chaotic than he anticipated. In Episode 20, “Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift,” Gregory tries to keep the school’s annual open house on track while also running a disastrous fundraiser that can only be saved by Ava’s signature touch. The episode has funny mistakes, touching moments, and a memorable cameo by a famous person that leaves everyone in Abbott County speechless.
GREGORY’S PRINCIPAL PROBLEMS
Gregory has always been proud of how well he can organize and plan things but running an elementary school isn’t easy. He learns quickly that managing parents is just as hard as managing students when the open house is in full swing. Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), two experienced teachers, tell him that parents will worry about a lot of strange things, but Gregory says he’s ready for anything. That confidence is put to the test when he meets Darnell, played by guest star D.C. Young Fly, who is the loving father of Jabari, a brilliant student whose spelling grade dropped from an A+ to an A.
Gregory and Darnell got into a fight over dodgeball and now Darnell is acting like a protective parent again. He is adamant that Gregory’s promotion to principal has negatively affected his son’s schoolwork. Gregory tries to talk him down by telling him that a drop of one percentage point is not a disaster, but Darnell is still not convinced. In the end, Gregory calms things down by telling Darnell that he and Jabari will continue to do well because they are dedicated. Darnell finally gives in, which comes as a surprise but not before giving Gregory a strong handshake that almost breaks his fingers.
Gregory is worried about his parents at the same time that his ex-girlfriend Amber (Naté Jones) shows up at the open house out of the blue. She makes a few subtle (and not-so-subtle) jabs at him—implying that his new relationship with Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) could be a problem. She is still angry about how short their relationship was. Gregory is caught off guard and stumbles through the conversation before quickly leaving. The fact that Amber is there, though, reminds him that his personal and professional lives are now more connected than ever.
THE FUNDRAISER FLOP
At the same time, Janine is in charge of a car wash fundraiser to help the school’s supply budget, which is running low. Her plan? Make the car wash a donation event, and people will likely be kind. But her overly positive attitude backfires horribly when drivers take advantage of the free service, leaving Abbott Elementary with almost no money left over to pay their bills.
Ava steps in with a plan that changes everything when they realize they need a backup. She brings a fleet of expensive cars to the parking lot from her list of “high-net-worth potential Donors.” At first, it looks like a miracle has happened because drivers are just handing out $100 bills. But Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) sees a problem right away, these “donors” are probably up to no good. When Jacob (Chris Perfetti) accidentally sets off a siren on his megaphone, the mysterious donors run away, leaving the school once again short on money.
AVA’S INGENIOUS PIVOT
The fundraiser is a mess, so Ava comes up with a new idea: she will turn the open house into a block party. She even lets them use the “Ava Fest” logo, even though she told the school to stop using her name before. As usual for Ava, her return is both dramatic and undeniably useful.
The party is put together quickly, and the school turns into a lively festival. At a caricature station set up by Mr. Johnson, he draws portraits of janitors. Melissa plans a mini-casino night with card games, and for some reason, she wins every single one. The new superintendent of the school district, Inez (Yvette Nicole Brown), gives tarot readings to teachers and tells them about their strangely specific but also vaguely scary futures.
A SHOW-STOPPING GUEST: R&B SINGER JILL SCOTT
As the event gets going, Barbara is still busy trying to find a surprise guest. The rest of the staff was skeptical because she had promised a special performer but wouldn’t give any more information. Gregory makes fun of the idea that her “little church friend” might really be Jesus.
Then, the shocking reveal: the famous R&B singer Jill Scott shows up at Abbott Elementary. Since she was born and raised in Philadelphia, her presence is not only a big deal for her as a celebrity, but also a meaningful link to the community. When she takes the stage and sings her famous hit “Golden,” the crowd goes crazy. Everyone in the school sings and dances along, and Ava and Janine sing the chorus together without planning to.
Scott’s performance not only steals the show, but it also helps raise the money that Abbott still needs for supplies. Her presence makes the night one of the most successful (though not typical) fundraisers in Abbott’s history.
AVA’S MOMENT OF TRUTH
As the party is coming to an end, Janine sees Ava standing off to the side and looking at the fun with a thoughtful face. It’s clear she misses her job at Abbott, despite all the crazy things she does. When Janine asks Ava why she stepped in to help, she at first brushes it off, but then she says that her new life, which is full of speaking gigs for influencers and corporations, doesn’t feel as full as her time at Abbott.
Janine, who is always looking for ways to solve problems, starts planning right away how to get Ava back. Ava doesn’t say it out loud, but the look in her eyes makes it clear that she wants her job back. Now “Mission: Bring Back Ava” is officially under way, setting up an exciting storyline for the end of the season.
“Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift” is an episode that has everything that makes “Abbott Elementary” great: sharp humor, touching moments, and stories that are driven by the community. Gregory continues to grow into his role as a leader, Janine’s idealism causes her to make mistakes that aren’t her fault and Ava shows that, flaws and all, she is still irreplaceable. The season finale has more at stake than ever because Janine is set on getting Ava back.
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