AlthoughAbbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson may not leave the sitcom in season 5, the ensemble series could pull off Janine’s temporary exit if the star chooses to move on.Abbott Elementary’s entire cast of charactersis hilarious, but it is not hard to discern the show’s true protagonist. Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues is the heart of the workplace mockumentary sitcom.
This is fitting since Brunson is also the show’s creator. However, unlike a lot of ensemble comedies,Abbott Elementarydoesn’t rely heavily on Brunson when it comes to the show’s comedic and dramatic plot lines. On the contrary, the series has done an admirable job of highlighting all its main characters over the last four seasons.
This is particularly good news now that Quinta Brunson’s comment onAbbott Elementaryseason 5 sees the starthinking about her career after the sitcom ends. Speaking toBustlemagazine for her cover story, Brunson admitted that she has given some thought to life afterAbbott Elementary, even though her breakout show remains a massive critical hit.
Quinta Brunson’s Comment About Moving Away From Abbott Elementary Explained
Quinta Brunson Said She’s “Looking Forward to Moving On” From Abbott Elementary
Speaking toBustle, Brunson said “We are so fortunate and blessed to be on a network TV show for five seasons, and for people to still be fans. That being said, I have cast members who would love to pursue other projects, and our show is very time-consuming. We shoot about seven months out of the year. That can stop people from being able to do a lot of other things.”
Brunson continued, “Right now, I’m receiving scripts, and waiting for that moment that feels like, ‘Oh man, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Abbott has been so successful, and I want to use that success to get other people’s projects off the ground… I’m always interested in playing against type. I think that’s any actor’s dream. Right now my type is ‘Janine’ and ‘teacher.’ I’m looking forward to moving away from that a little bit.”
Although the actor and writer told the magazine she had thought about ending the sitcom, it was not immediately clear when Brunson planned to move on. However, the latter half of this viral quote proves that she is also invested in starting a movie career, one where she can play characters who aren’t all that similar to her star-making role.
This should be exciting news for fans of Brunson’s work, as the star’s big-screen output has been limited in recent years by working onAbbott Elementary. Of course,Abbott Elementaryseason 5 shouldn’t be the show’s last outingsolely so Brunson and others can pursue new projects. The best-case scenario would allow Brunson to explore new avenues without exiting the series wholesale.
Season 5 could feasibly drop Janine’s story temporarily, giving Brunson the time to pursue other projects without losing her lead role in the show.
Fortunately, that is very much possible in the world ofAbbott Elementary. After all,Abbott Elementaryis an ensemble series that focuses on all of its main characters in turn, not just Janine. As such, season 5 could feasibly drop Janine’s story temporarily, giving Brunson the time to pursue other projects without losing her lead role in the show.
Abbott Elementary Is An Ensemble Show (So It Can Survive With Janine)
Abbott Elementary Season 5 Could Drop Brunson’s Janine Temporarily
To be clear, theBustleinterview comments seem to refer to Brunson’s eventual plans to end the show entirely. However,Abbott Elementaryseason 5’s potential star exit is a rare opportunitythat the series should not ignore. After all, most sitcoms can’t afford to give their star a year off without swiftly losing viewers.
Chris Perfetti
Jacob Hill
Although Janine remains the center of the series,Abbott Elementaryseason 4’s Ava storyproved that Janelle James’ outspoken Principal is one of the show’s most complex, human, and unexpectedly lovable characters. Similarly, glimpses into the personal lives of Barbara and Jacob have proven that they have unexplored depths. Thus, the show’s supporting characters could benefit from Janine’s temporary absence.]
Of course, it would make sense for the show’s creators and the network to balk at the thought of Janine taking an off-screen sabbatical. After all, plenty of earlier sitcoms fell apart without their original leads, fromThat ‘70s ShowtoTwo and a Half MentoScrubs. Most pertinently,The Officenever lived up to its early promise after Steve Carell’s exit.
Gregory and Janine are in a stable place as of season 4’s finale, so there is no better time to give Jacob, Melissa, and Ava a more sustained spotlight.
However, although that showwas also an influential network sitcomwith an ensemble cast and a mockumentary workplace setup,The Officedidn’t have the same opportunities asAbbott Elementarydoes in season 5. Gregory and Janine are in a stable place as of season 4’s finale, so there is no better time to give Jacob, Melissa, and Ava a more sustained spotlight.
If the central couple’s relationship remained rocky or uncertain, Janine’s exit would result in a breakup and undo years of chemistry between the duo. However, the fact that the pair are happy and even, by their own admission, “Boring,” means that Brunson’s character could take a break fromAbbott Elementaryseason 5 without the series falling apart.
In terms of plot, it would be relatively easy forAbbott Elementaryseason 5 to justify Brunson’s temporary exit. Janine could be attending a teacher’s convention or an international program, and season 3 of the sitcom has already seen her attend a school district fellowship. That was before she was with Gregory and Ava had been fleshed out as a character.
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The Star Doesn’t Need to End the Series for Her to Make Movies
As such, it would be even easier and more seamless for Janine to leave temporarily. Janine could return for lighthearted outings likeAbbott Elementary’s annual karaoke episode, but there are ways to allow Brunson to work on other projects without ruining the series. In fact, Brunson taking a break fromAbbott Elementarycould keep the show feeling fresh and unpredictable.
Janine leaving Abbott temporarily could up the stakes of season 5while simultaneously allowing Brunson to pursue other projects as the show remains on the air. Gregory could struggle with her replacement, or be put in an awkward position if they prove flirtatious.Abbott Elementary’sIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiacrossover touched on this premise, but season 5 could flesh out the story.
Jacob was only afforded a brief reference to his love life in season 4, episode 17, “Karaoke,” and viewers haven’t heard much about his personal life since his big season 3 breakup.
Meanwhile, Jacob, Melissa, and other characters who were underserved in season 4 could benefit from more screen time as Janine completes another fellowship, attends a conference, or otherwise upskills off-screen. In particular, Jacob was only afforded a brief reference to his love life in season 4, episode 17, “Karaoke,” and viewers haven’t heard much about his personal life since his big season 3 breakup.
Abbott Elementaryis available to stream on Hulu.
In comparison, Melissa’s relationship with Captain Robinson seems promising, but he only makes one short appearance in season 4. SinceAva and O’Shon’s blossoming relationshipalso deserves more focus, it seems like Brunson’s character taking a break could be a perfect solution for the show’s large ensemble.
As such, viewers need not worry about the sitcom dropping its main character. It is not yet clear whether Janine will take a career break to afford Brunson more creative freedom in season 5, but this could secretly be a good thing forAbbott Elementaryif the show does take this chance.
