Vice Principals Recap: Run For The Money

Spirit week has erupted in North Jackson High this week on the fourth episode of Vice Principals and craziness ensues. Last week, I mentioned that the show was developing a high school drama where the teachers were beginning to take on the role of stereotypical students. With school spirit being the heart of the episode, “Run For The Money,” decides to double down.

Finally Vice Principals decides to address the racial issue head on by making a sure handed reference to white entitlement. Kimberly Hebert Gregory actually commented on the criticism Vice Principals has received, based on the premise of two white men attempting to take down an over-qualified African-American woman, in an interview with Vanity Fair. Gregory states that she never viewed the show as one which would even attempt to comment on social issues but instead that creators Jody Hill and Danny McBride set out to mold a perfect character who would be “strong enough to fight”. “Run For The Money,” definitely brings Belinda Brown back into the audience’s good graces by firmly placing her as a sympathetic and formidable opponent.

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From Brown’s first scene where she sadly searches through the ashes of her old life, her children are introduced as rowdy teenage boys. Despite the fact that they are acting as any rebellious teenagers would, the fireman is quick to peg them as potential arson suspects despite having no evidence that either was involved in the crime (they weren’t). Returning to their decrepit hotel room, Brown has trouble keeping her restless kids from running wild and is met by judgmental stares from the white family next door.

Dr. Brown is scrutinized and treated differently even though she has the same hectic struggles of any working, single mother. At least in this episode, she triumphs by not only winning the favor of her kids but also the hearts of the students.

Dr. Brown is scrutinized and treated differently even though she has the same hectic struggles of any working, single mother.

Suffering from an extreme lack of school spirit, the North Jackson students are ready to drag themselves through the traditional rival football game despite knowing that they’re most likely going to lose for a tenth time in a row. Gamby is desperate to retaliate against the prank war started by rival school, Percival, as well as inspire the kids to finally win the big game. Meanwhile Russell sees the pranks as an opportunity to inflict more cruelty on Brown by using Percival as the perfect smokescreen for their antics. As the two vice principals see potential in some of these gags, Brown immediately announces that any vengeance would be childish and unnecessary. Obviously.

The replacement for Ms. Libby is introduced this week in the form of shy bespectacled Janice Swift, played by Ashley Spiller. She’s immediately intimidated by Gamby who loves the small amount of power he holds while she’s under his command.

But Swift isn’t the only female that Gamby manages to make uncomfortable. This week he’s excited at the prospect that Mrs. Snodgrass would share his similar love of homecoming but is disappointed to learn she is actually dreading the event. After at first pretending to love her banners, he proceeds to release some extreme critiques upon the one poster saying that it isn’t enough to help boost school spirit.

Once again it becomes clear that Gamby is getting caught up in Russell’s craziness.

While Gamby is dealing with his romantic entanglements, including Edi Patterson as the eccentric Ms. Abbott, Russell is busy once again conspiring on how to bring Brown down. After planning to jump aboard Percival’s prank attack that night, the two partners proceed to deface school property. This is another destruction scene similar to the mayhem seen in their previous arson attack, and once again it becomes clear that Gamby is getting caught up in Russell’s craziness. to the show’s credit, this is when Vice Principals feels alive.

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Feeling personally attacked, Brown leads them to Percival in attempt to end this rivalry through logical discussion of equals. Of course, their principal agrees that the war between the school has gotten out of hand, she stands behind her students as well as their antics. It’s a shame that Russell, Brown, and Gamby need too feuding because the scene with the three of them busting into Percival makes you wish that they could all be fighting on the same team.

After this episode however, it seems more likely that Gamby may switch sides as, he too, is swept away by Dr. Brown’s uplifting speech. Russell is furious that she has managed to please the students, seeing this as a huge setback for their plan. He formulates his own plan to lace the football team’s water with LSD, forcing them to lose the game and once again go back to disliking Brown. Thankfully Gamby thwarts this attempt because he’s desperate for a win against his own rival, Ray (who ironically went to Percival). Russell’s attempt actually leads to the two of them to trip on the acid where they have a hilarious scene as they shoot the two vice principals from Percival, send students flying, and Gamby tells Snodgrass that he loves her. All of those things happen, yes.

While the two of them end up alone behind the bleachers, peering out as Dr. Brown is raised up by the students, they come across as more bitter than they ever have. Yet when Gamby asks how long they need to stay there, it seems that he’s finally having second thoughts about having to stay on “the dark side,” while Russell wholeheartedly accepts that it’s “their home now”.

Next: The Night Of Recap: Naz Chooses.

Last week’s episode suffered from separating the two of them and choosing to only focus on one but it’s exciting to see the potential of the two at odds once again. It’s good to have Vice Principals back on track, at least for now.

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