Seasonal Help

## Episode navigation

**"Seasonal Help"** is the ninth episode of Season Two of *Superstore*, and the twentieth episode of the show overall.

## Summary

*Amy's husband Adam is hired, the store is flooded with seasonal "temp" workers resulting in Jonah and Garrett create a temp "quitting" pool, Glenn holds Santa interviews.*

## Plot

As Jonah is hanging Christmas decorations he meets Amy's husband Adam. His BBQ business has failed so Jonah suggests he apply as a seasonal temp at the store. Amy walks up and isn't thrilled with the suggestion. Dina overhears and asks Glenn if they are hiring but he's says they are full. Amy has to fake anger and Glenn changes his mind. The Break Room is jammed with temp workers who Glenn welcomes including Opal who is older than Myrtle, bringing an angry glare from her. Adam is introduced and tells some embarrassing details about Amy. A man reaches an item for a short woman and then takes it. (♫ Santa Claus Is Coming to Town ♫)

Temp Nick crashes a go backs cart into a display which starts a discussion among Dina, Jonah, Garrett and Mateo about which one will quit first. Jonah finds this offensive and then admits he has a gambling problem. Dina and Garrett tease him until he agrees to a small wager between the three of them. At the checkout, Cheyenne is frustrated with temp Sue who reads instead of bagging items. Amy criticizes the way Adam is stocking a shelf causing tension between them. In Glenn's Office, Tom, an excellent candidate for store Santa is being interviewed by Glenn. Cheyenne pushes products into Sue but she still won't bag them. (♫ We Wish You a Merry Christmas ♫) Garrett tells Jonah he won the bet and Jonah's addiction kicks in. He wants to start a large pool to see which temp will quit next.

Glenn starts a competition among other Santa applicants. Amy and Adam continue arguing until Garrett calls Amy over the P.A. system using personal details Adam told everyone. Jonah is surveying the temps to find the next quitter. He happens upon Isaac who is struggling with a mannequin and says he is close to quitting. Jonah sets up an odds board in the Warehouse and starts taking bets from the staff. (♫ Party Favor - Bap U ♫) Glenn is sitting on Santa candidate Cody's lap as Amy asks if Adam can work a different shift than her. Glenn says he's not surprised due to what he perceives is the bad state of their marriage which evokes disbelieve from Amy. Myrtle places a bet on Opal, Mateo and Cheyenne on Sue. Temp worker Courtney continually flushes a clogged toilet. (♫ Deck the Halls ♫)

After learning other staff think Amy's marriage is shaky, she overcompensates when around Adam and starts laughing and kissing him. Jonah starts to actively encourage Isaac to quit which Garrett sees. Garrett targets temp Nick and finds out he misses his son when he's at work which Mateo sees. Mateo sexually harasses his target, Sue. (♫ Run DMC - Christmas in Hollis ♫) Dina targets Eugene and makes him scrub the parking lot, Myrtle tries to knock over a ladder Opal is on and Cheyenne also harasses Sue.

Amy takes Adam into the Photo Lab to have sex but he gets annoyed that she didn't tell him the lab has a large format printer which would have helped one of his failed businesses. She entices him further and he forgets. Garrett tries to get Nick to quit by targeting him with a song. (♫ Harry Chapin - Cat's in the Cradle ♫) Jonah believes that if a tower of Christmas tins Isaac is stacking falls over, he'll win the pool which happens. Jonah is counting his winnings until he learns from Glenn that the temps are hired from Glenn's church's last chances program which turns his glee into guilt. He is commiserating with Garrett and Dina when Amy shows up and brags about her sex with Adam.

Glenn is done putting the Santa applicants through his testing and chooses Tom. When Tom learns the job has no pay, all the Santas leave except for Cody. He becomes the store Santa by default and swears before sitting in the Santa chair. Amy talks to Adam and tries to convince herself that her marriage is OK. Jonah catches up to Isaac in the parking lot and gives him the $200 pool winnings. (♫ Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ♫) Isaac seems genuinely moved. Jonah than overhears Isaac calling his uncle and asking how much crystal (meth) he can buy with the money. Jonah walks away while Eugene continues to scrub the parking lot.

## Cast

### Main cast

America Ferreraas Amy DubanowskiBen Feldmanas Jonah SimmsMark McKinneyas Glenn SturgisLauren Ashas Dina FoxColton Dunnas Garrett McNeillNichole Bloomas Cheyenne LeeNico Santosas Mateo Liwanag
### Featured cast

Linda Porteras MyrtleSteve Ageeas IsaacPeter Banifazas NickCarrie Gibsonas SueFelipe Esparzaas CodyDave Fergusonas EugeneJon Miyaharaas BrettDanny Guraas EliasJudd Lawrenceas HenryMariana Toscaas HeatherRyan Gaulas Adam DubanowskiJo Farkasas OpalJesse D. Goinsas Temp (Brian)Donovan Scottas Tom

## Running Gags

* Amy's name tag: Amy wears a different name tag in every episode. For this one it's "Joanne".
* **Crazy Customers and music**: For all customer interludes and music see Seasonal Help (music).
* Glenn's tie: Glenn wears a Christmas tree tie very briefly when hiring Adam. After this, he wears a snowflake tie.
* Bang room: Amy takes Adam into the photo lab for sex. She previously mentioned that she had sex there and when Adam enters the lab he says he remembers it. ("All-Nighter")
* **Rhyme time**: Garrett says to Jonah "*It's on like Kubla Khan*".
* **We're not in Kansas**: After Adam is introduced to the staff and calls Amy "bean", Glenn starts to talk about tornado safety but is cut off by Garrett.

## References

* Tom, the best applicant for Santa, says he was trained as a store Santa at the Chicago Macy's.
* Glenn congratulates the six Santa applicants who made it past the Megan's Law test but he gets a text and says one of the applicants (Richard) has to leave.
* Garrett challenges Jonah with a mention of Kubla Khan.
* Garrett plays the song Cat's in the Cradle to push temp worker Nick to quit.
* Jonah admits he had a gambling problem in college that resulted in him selling his brother's Camry.
* Garrett compares Jonah's tact on the temp quitting game to the Thunderdome.

## Trivia

* Eugene debuts in this episode as a temp worker. He'd later be seen as an associate and then as Glenn's assistant.
* Isaac also debuts as a temp worker. He returns as an associate in "Health Fund" and other episodes.
* Glenn's office, the Warehouse, Stratus and the Photo Lab make an appearance.
* Goof: As Adam tells Amy that he cut too deep into a box of shampoo bottles, his shirt and vest are covered in shampoo. A little later, as Amy brings him into the Photo Lab to have sex, he is wearing the same shirt and vest which are now clean and stain-free.

## Quotes

“*Give it to Daddy. Give Daddy what he wants! Give it to Daddy! Give Daddy that sugar.*”— **Jonah**

## Video

Superstore - Playing to Win (Episode Highlight)