Season after season, Abbott Elementary just continues to get better and better! Not only is it a comedy meant to make us laugh, but it also has heart and character development as well. I mean, look at how much more confident Janine is now compared to season 1. Even Melissa and Barbara have come to learn that yes, many times the old ways work. But there's nothing wrong with introducing new ways as well.
And I mean, season 4 of the hit sitcom focused on everyone overall, but definitely Principal Ava Coleman! She was the main person at the school bribing the golf course people, and we got a little more insight into her complicated relationship with her father and family history. There was also the fact that she was fired from her job and realized how good she actually is at it and how she does actually love being a principal, while her love life with O'Shon bloomed beautifully as well.
There was definitely a lot thrown at the character and actress, making it "the year of Ava, that was part of the creative roadmap" of the fourth season, as Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich tells Deadline. You can definitely tell the story was Ava-focused in the most recent installment, which makes complete sense. She's one of the more complicated Abbott characters and the one I think has the most character development growth needed.
Erwich was then asked who's up next for it to be "the year of" in the upcoming Abbott Elementary season 5, set to air this fall on ABC. The head of programming said he doesn't know, but teased that where the show started "both in terms of its kind of creativity and popularity, and where we are now, there’s no doubt that it will continue to top itself."
This leads us to also question who perhaps the main focus is going to be on, and which character we want it to be. For me, I would love for the new season to be all about fan-favorite teacher, the one and only Gregory Eddie. It didn't last long, but he got a taste of what it's like to be principal after Ava's firing, and Gregory was so great at it!
I would love to see his continued journey in perhaps making a change in his career, and finding himself a principal position elsewhere since Ava is back and doesn't want to go anywhere. Which again, we're very happy about. But we also love our guy Gregory, and he definitely deserves to spread his wings.
I think this would make for such an interesting storyline, including how if he did leave Abbott, how that would potentially effect his and Janine's relationship not seeing each other at work everyday. They certainly love being classroom neighbors.
We've learned a lot about Gregory's personal life over the course of the past four seasons, including his mother's death when he was young, his father's strict upbringing, his love for very plain food, and some of the OCD-like tendencies. Though I think this character's journey is far from over!
What brought him to Abbott in the first place is the fact that he was up for the principal position before Ava blackmailed her way to the job. Her story has sort of come full circle now, and I think it's Gregory's turn to do the same.
Abbott Elementary season 5 premieres in fall 2025 on ABC.
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