Warning! SPOILERS about Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 22 ahead.
Abbott Elementaryseason 4 finally got to show Gregory and Janine happily together, but I fear one briefly touched-upon story can create problems by changing Gregory in season 5.Janine and Gregory’s slow-burn romance inAbbott Elementaryfaced the biggest hurdles in the sitcom’s earlier seasons, with their timing being off most of the time despite their progressively evident feelings, to the point that Ava got involved to influence the relationship in season 3, propping up Morton to tell them about his divorce.Abbott Elementaryseason 4 dispelled any doubts by starting with Gregory and Janine officially as a couple.
The peculiarities that characterized Janine and Gregory’s bond while they got to know each otherwithout making their romantic intentions explicitpersisted as they dated officially, albeit without the drama of the sitcom’s earlier seasons.Abbott Elementarycreator Quinta Brunson explainedhow intentional the writers’ room was to show a healthy relationship between Gregory and Janine, choosing not to “mine for problems in their relationship.” While there were various misunderstandings inAbbott Elementaryseason 4, they weren’t over-inflated, and Janine and Gregory overcame them through communication. However, onerevived Gregory plot risks endangering their relationship inAbbott Elementaryseason 5.
Greg Has Been A Model Boyfriend In Abbott Elementary Thus Far
Abbott Elementary Season 4 Was Relatively Conflict Free In Relation To Janine & Gregory
Abbott Elementaryseason 4 showed a natural period of adjustment between Gregory and Janine living their relationship in their bubble and out in the school. While that warranted an amount of growing pains, it still gave them a chance to talk it out or display their adorable weirdness together, like with their misunderstood Halloween couple costume storyline inAbbott Elementaryseason 4, episode 4, which let them stray from their original idea to go for a more common one that everyone understood only to realize it was the first one that represented their quirkiness, even if only they understood it.
Gregory and Janine’s minor squabbles never threatened their relationship. When Janine began overthinking whether Gregory had said he loved her and began acting oddly inAbbott Elementaryseason 4, episode 14, or when it became increasingly more likely Gregory wouldn’t manage to get to the karaoke night due to his rideshare job in season 4, episode 17,Gregory effectively behaved like a model boyfriend. Gregory even managed to put his own feelings aside about his father’s easygoing side and approval of Janine inAbbott Elementaryseason 4’s finale, thinking about how that positively affected her, further establishing their relationship security.
How Greg’s Renewed Drive To Be A Principal Could Change Him In Abbott Elementary Season 5
When Ava was fired by the district, Gregory rose to the occasion and became Abbott Elementary’s interim principal, doing the job brilliantly. While this shouldn’t necessarily be a problem for Janine and Gregory’s relationship, Ava returning to her rightful place also coincided with Gregory losing the position he had come to like.The bittersweet moment of Gregory leaving the office with his things hinted at how painful that was,as Gregory not only liked and was good at being interim principal, but the change also reminded him how that’s what he wanted to do when he first got to Abbott.
Gregory’sAbbott Elementaryseason 4 story reminding him of his career plans can thus bring back his drive to become principal, which can lead him far from Abbott.
Gregory’s principal plans were quickly abandoned inAbbott Elementaryseason 1 as he fell for Janine and, most importantly at the time, started appreciating how the young minds he taught were being influenced for the better by him.Abbott Elementaryseason 4 proved how Ava’s place was at Abbottas a principal at last, with that meaning thatGregory could never progress to that role at Abbott. Gregory’sAbbott Elementaryseason 4 story reminding him of his career plans can thus bring back his drive to become principal, which can lead him far from Abbott.
Another reason why Gregory’s drive to become principal might change him for the worse is the financial strain he felt when he decided to also work as a delivery and rideshare driver, something he didn’t do once he became interim principal, as that job came with a pay rise that solved his problems.The turn hisAbbott Elementaryseason 4 story took points to Gregory possibly exploring this option in his career in season 5, which could affect his and Janine’s relationshipbecause of the latter’s loyalty to Abbott and because focusing on progressing might pull his attention from Janine.
Talking About His Frustrations With Janine Wouldn’t Stifle The Relationship
Abbott Elementaryseason 4 proved how Gregory and Janine were good at talking directly about their problems without letting them stew and become bigger as a result. Even if Gregory were frustrated by being only a teacher at Abbott and looking for a job as a principal inAbbott Elementaryseason 5, it wouldn’t necessarily mean he’d have to become a bad boyfriend. WhileGregory’s career plans might become his and Janine’s first major problem, they could face it openly as they faced their minor squabbles, making them overcome the hurdle togetherinstead of letting it pull them apart.
