The district manager has returned to Cloud 9 on Superstore Season 5 Episode 7, but it appears as if she isn’t the same as those before her.
Related: Superstore Season 5 Episode 6 Review: Trick or Treat
While Jonah may be convinced that she’s pushing an agenda for corporate, she quickly forms a bond with Amy making Amy consider her future at the company.
Jonah and Amy’s differing opinions on the subject could be what finally sets off the fight that’s been brewing ever since Superstore Season 4.
Maya has been a likable character from the start, and it’s refreshing to have a district manager that’s on the right side of things.
Maya doesn’t even appear to be again the union itself, but against Amy putting her career in jeopardy.
Maya: I like you, Amy. That’s why I stuck around another day. I just want to make sure you’re being careful.
Amy: What do you mean?
Maya: I know about your branch’s history with unionizing.
Amy: Mm-hmm.
Maya: And in my experience, these things never go away.
Amy: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Maya: I mean, I’m not saying that you’re caught up in all this, but if corporate even thinks that you’re helping the union you will be throwing away your future with them.
But to Jonah’s point, corporate will do anything to shut down a union before it begins.
He hasn’t gotten to know Maya like Amy has, so it makes perfect sense that he sees Maya’s belief in her as a way of scaring her out of unionizing.
Besides, district managers at Cloud 9 don’t have the best track record when it comes to morality.
We don’t want to believe it, given that Maya is such a great addition to the company, but could Jonah be right?
Related: Superstore Season 5 Episode 4 Review: Mall Closing
Superstore isn’t your average sitcom, and the show knows how to throw its viewers for a loop.
Maya could be a corporate minion sent in to shut down the union from the inside out. Corporate can’t actively do anything to stop the employees from proceeding, but they can plant seeds of doubt in their manager’s mind.
The only reason I’m even considering this as a possibility is that something about corporate isn’t adding up.
Attention, employees! Just a reminder that this couch here is not a mobile hotspot. No cellphones, per usual. Don’t know why I have to say it again.
Amy
Corporate has always been completely paranoid when it comes to unions.
When Jonah merely mentioned the word back on Superstore Season 1, the company immediately sent a representative out to try and shut things down.
Is corporate going to take the word of a new manager that all talk of a union has died down? Especially when the manager was seen actively trying to protect an employee that corporate sent ICE to detain?
None of it makes sense.
Could these just be moot plot points? Sure. But Superstore is always up to more than what meets the eye.
Regardless, Amy is going to have a decision to make and it could very well affect her relationship with Jonah.
Amy and I combined Spotify accounts last night. It just felt like time, you know?
Jonah
Jonah has always been the type of person to risk everything in the hopes of doing what’s right, but Jonah has also only had himself to consider.
Amy has two kids to support, and putting her career in jeopardy affects more than just her future.
The two come from very different backgrounds and it will undoubtedly play a role in how each of them view the situation.
Jonah: Anyway, it’s not like your truly considering going off to be an executive at Cloud 9.
Amy: Ha, yeah. I mean, could you imagine? Me going off to the dark side.
A fight has been brewing between the couple ever since Superstore Season 4, but it keeps getting put on pause.
It’s been paused so often, that there’s points when a fight wouldn’t even make sense anymore. It’s better to assume that they worked out their issues offscreen than that Superstore can’t finish what it started.
A fight between them needs to happen for their relationship to move forward, but the show has scattered their problems around in such a weird way that it’s hard to understand where they’re at.
Viewers have no idea if Amy and Jonah are in a bad place or a great place.
Over the past few seasons, any problem Amy and Jonah had would either be solved in the current episode or carried over into the next one.
Why has that changed now that they’re a couple?
If anything, it should be showcased even more than before.
To put it plainly, Superstore did a horrible job of building up what will need to be a productive argument.
If they end up having one at all.
Related: Superstore Season 5 Episode 5 Review: Self Care
Overall, “Shoplifter Rehab” was funny as usual and delievered some great moments. But Superstore Season 5 is still missing the spark that made it so great in the past.
We’re still patiently waiting for Superstore to return to its roots.
Stray Thoughts:
- Did viewers ever find out why Maya was crying in her car on Superstore Season 5 Episode 6? Because it’s a bit suspicious that we were never given an explanation.
- Amy and Jonah combined their Spotify playlists! It’s not the proposal we were hoping for, but hey, it’s a step in the right direction.
- Mateo and Dina need to co-run the shoplifter rehab course every year. After their stunning performance, they seem like the right duo for the job.
- I’ll admit it, I missed seeing Glenn as manager. Even if it was only for a few minutes, it was too funny seeing Glenn reprise his old role.
- Did anyone else notice that Garrett was barely in this episode? His sarcasm and negative attitude was dearly missed.
It’s your turn, Superstore fans! What did you think of “Shoplifter Rehab?”
Where is the union train going? When it comes down to her career and the employees, what will Amy choose?
Is Maya a spy for the higher-ups, or do you think she’s genuine?
Drop a comment down below, and let us know your thoughts and predictions!
And don’t forget that if you missed the episode, you can watch Superstore online right here at TV Fanatic!
Superstore Season 5 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.
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Rachel Foertsch is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.