The weeks are counting down until Abbott Elementary returns in the 2025 TV schedule for its fifth season on ABC, by which time fans will know whether or not the sitcom scoops up any wins from its entries in the 2025 Emmy nominations. Of course, some may be more excited to see more of Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) after their “will they/won’t they” dynamic firmly switched over to “they will,” and the expletive-filled Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover wasn’t exactly centered on their romance. Quinta Brunson previewed what’s ahead, and why they don’t want to take it easy.
Abbott Elementary isn’t the first mockumentary to move the main “will they/won’t they” couple into a full romance, although it may be some time before we can really compare Janine and Gregory to Pam and Jim’s full timeline from The Office over nearly ten years or even Ben and Leslie from Parks & Rec. According to Quinta Brunson while speaking with Variety, Abbott is taking a fresh approach to its main couple:
It’s not easy work once you’re in a new relationship, especially as you get older. Your conversations start to look different. It’s one thing to have a crush or like each other, but once you’re trying to maintain a relationship, a job and a home life, those conversations look different.
The honeymoon period can’t last forever even on television, but Season 4 proved that Janine and Gregory were able to tackle the challenges that came their way in the early stages of their relationship. Plus, the mockumentary format means that the cameras can’t show every aspect of their personal lives, so there will likely always be moments fans would like to see but have to stay off camera. (Season 4 is available streaming now with a Hulu subscription.) Brunson went on:
We try to make Janine and Gregory have those conversations while still having fun. We don’t want them to be fighting, which seems to be the easy route to go. What does it look like when you’re not in a fight and you’re just discussing something? That’s been exciting this season.
Abbott Elementary fans, join me in cheering Quinta Brunson and Co. for not going the “easy route” of Janine and Gregory fighting! Couples can still be interesting even once their unresolved tension becomes resolved, after all. They actually had one of what I consider the funniest scenes from the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Abbott Elementary crossover that aired over the summer, when Janine dropped some choice curse words that definitely wouldn’t fly on NBC and Gregory had a great reaction. (That Always Sunny Season 17 episode is also streaming on Hulu.)
The hit sitcom has a full ensemble with stories of their own in the works for Season 5. Janelle James (Ava) and Sheryl Lee Ralph (Barbara) certainly aren’t going to fade into the background right after getting their latest Emmy nominations, nor will Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa or Chris Perfetti as Jacob. Even Mr. Johnson is going to get a meatier story this season, with Brunson saying that it “feels like now is the time to do that in Season 5 by giving his character a lot more weight and also without telling you anything at all.”
Throw in Quinta Brunson’s tease that the cast will be “filming at a live event” she believes “Philly sports fans will be very happy” about, and it sounds like there’s plenty to look forward to in the not-too-distant future. Abbott Elementary Season 5 premieres on Wednesday, October 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, following the Season 2 premiere of Tim Allen’s Shifting Gears.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
