Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 6 Review: No Phones
Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 6, “No Phones,” finds the students and teachers having very different reactions to the district-mandated “No Phones Day.” It’s action-lite fare compared to previous episodes, with the focus shifting to character development and letting that drive the narrative.
No Phones at Abbott Elementary
The outing is a little heavy-handed with its message. It’s an obvious meditation on the state of our rapidly flourishing digital world. That’s not to say it’s without merit, by any means. After all, I’m watching this episode on a small screen.
What “No Phones” does well is cleverly subvert expectations. Instead of the students struggling, who are growing up in the age of social media and advanced technology, it’s the teachers who cannot stay off their phones.
When you think about it, though, it makes sense. Kids still have a sense of childlike wonderment and a vivid imagination; they can entertain themselves.
However, we adults have grown accustomed to these little boxes that are practically glued to our hands. We can use them to do adult things. To top it all off, there’s an app for everything — you can pay rent, wait for a call from a mechanic, and keep tabs on your fantasy football picks. Jacob complaining about not being able to post his reaction to political news on social media cleverly pokes fun at the chronically online, too.
Watching the teachers buckle under the pressure, despite getting close to winning a pizza party for the school, is painfully relatable. This reviewer probably couldn’t go a day without her phone, even though she grew up sans smartphones.
The Negotiator
What shifts the tides in “No Phones” is young Courtney, played by Lela Hoffmeister, proving she’s a tough negotiator. Hoffmeister is always a delightful addition to the supporting cast. Courtney is there to stir the pot and test the staff’s mettle. Eventually, she reaches a deal with the teachers to get a pizza party day. Smart girl.
“No Phones” also boasts fun character dynamics, notably between Ava and Dia. Their banter is hilarious. Pam Trotter plays the “straight man” as Dia to Janelle James’ wild card Ava. Trotter’s facial expressions before she scribbles something in her notebook are a humorous running gag on Abbott Elementary.
This might not be the show’s strongest episode (neither was last week), but it’s still entertaining. Even this series’ lukewarm offerings are leagues better than most sitcoms on TV.
Stray Observations:
- I’m a Millennial around Janine’s age, and I remember paying rent with checks before everything went digital. Oof. I feel old.
- Mr. Johnson has the right idea—no phone, no to-do list. Perfect.
- Ava would have 76 unread DMs after half a day without her phone. Meanwhile, I’m Jacob. I’d have six unread texts from HelloFresh or something.
- I agree with Gregory. Who are these kids talking to, anyway?
- Oh, Ava was so close to giving Charlie the boot. I don’t blame her.
- I need a spin-off with Ava and Dia, stat.
What did you think of this episode of Abbott Elementary? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Audience Rating:
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.