In tonight’s episode of ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, called “Dad Fight,” Gregory (Tyler James Williams) gets into an unexpected fight with a protective father. The fight causes tension and laughter as the faculty rallies around Gregory. Gregory’s friendship with a young student named Jabari makes Jabari’s mother admire him, but it makes Jabari’s father, Darnell, angry. What comes next is a funny but also thought-provoking look at parental pride, relationships between teachers and students, and rivalries in the playground taken to the extreme.
Important Events of ABBOTT ELEMENTARY S04xE05
| Gregory Talks to Jabari: Darnell’s Challenge Gregory Asks for Help: Melissa’s Injury: |
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY SEASON 4 EPISODE 5: “DAD FIGHT” RECAP
At the start of the episode, Gregory is happy with his job as a teacher, especially after Jabari’s mom, Lisa, tells him that her son really admires him. Gregory is happy to be such a good influence, especially on a young Black student who needs a stable friend. Things go badly when Darnell, Jabari’s dad, finds out about their relationship and starts to guard it. Darnell, played by a lively guest star, shows up at school and grills Gregory over a simple pencil exchange. He says Gregory is “chitchatting” too much with his son and crossing lines. Gregory tries to act professionally by playing down his role, but Darnell keeps pushing, which starts a back-and-forth that gets worse.
As the fight gets worse, Darnell decides to have a “parent-teacher fight night.” Gregory thinks it’s crazy to fight a student’s dad, but Darnell is so determined that it seems like it has to happen. To make things even more confusing, Darnell demands that the fight be put off until he can get a new haircut. This adds a funny element to the fight.
Quickly, word gets around that a fight is going to happen, and Gregory’s coworkers offer all sorts of “helpful” advice. Jacob (Chris Perfetti), who is horrified by the idea, compares it to the beginning of The Fresh Prince and warns Gregory of what could happen. Janine (Quinta Brunson) tells Gregory that he can avoid the fight by sneaking out early every day. Jacob goes even further and suggests that he be the “victim” in a fake fight to make Gregory look tough. Some people give tough love advice, like Gregory’s dad, who tells him, “Men don’t fight…but we do fight back.”
With all of this information coming at him, Gregory feels more and more torn. When he finally meets Darnell, he tries to be calm and say that fighting would not help anyone, especially Jabari. But Darnell won’t move until Gregory can talk to him and tell him that they both want what’s best for Jabari. Darnell is moved by Gregory’s sincere reasoning, and he gives up the fight, agreeing to put Jabari’s health first. But Darnell makes it clear that things will start over if Jabari’s grades drop, which keeps the tension high.
At the same time, Melissa is having her own problems because she hurt herself badly in a fall and can’t get better. Like always, she refuses to go to the doctor and instead takes some old painkillers from Jacob’s stash. The medicine temporarily eases her pain, but as she limps around with “enhanced” energy, it makes for some very funny scenes. Melissa finally gives in and sees a doctor when her condition gets worse. She goes back to school with crutches and a cast, stubbornly proving her point about doctors.
By the end of the episode, Gregory has calmly solved the problem with Darnell, which makes Lisa and the rest of the staff admire him. It is clear that Gregory has a real and respected bond with his students, even if it does sometimes lead to unplanned “dad fights.”
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