Warning! SPOILERS about Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 22 ahead.

Janine and Gregory’s slow-burn romance in Abbott Elementary faced 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 Elementary season 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 other without making their romantic intentions explicit persisted as they dated officially, albeit without the drama of the sitcom’s earlier seasons. revived Gregory plot risks endangering their relationship in Abbott Elementary season 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 Elementary season 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 in Abbott Elementary season 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.

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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 in Abbott Elementary season 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 in Abbott Elementary season 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

Mr. Eddie Had Wanted To Be A Principal Since He First Arrived At Abbott

Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and Dia (Pam Trotter) in Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 20.

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’s Abbott Elementary season 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 in Abbott Elementary season 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 Elementary season 4 proved how Ava’s place was at Abbott as a principal at last, with that meaning that Gregory could never progress to that role at Abbott. Gregory’s Abbott Elementary season 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 his Abbott Elementary season 4 story took points to Gregory possibly exploring this option in his career in season 5, which could affect his and Janine’s relationship because of the latter’s loyalty to Abbott and because focusing on progressing might pull his attention from Janine.

How Abbott Elementary Can Still Show Greg's Frustrations Without Making Him A Bad Partner

Talking About His Frustrations With Janine Wouldn't Stifle The Relationship

Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie in Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 21.

Abbott Elementary season 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 in Abbott Elementary season 5, it wouldn’t necessarily mean he’d have to become a bad boyfriend. While Gregory’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 together instead of letting it pull them apart.

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Full seasons of Abbott Elementary can be streamed on HBO Max.

Abbott Elementary Season 3 TV Series Poster

Your Rating

Abbott Elementary
TV-PG
Comedy
Mockumentary
Release Date
December 7, 2021
Network
ABC
Showrunner
Quinta Brunson
  • Headshot Of Quinta Brunson
    Quinta Brunson
    Janine Teagues
  • Headshot Of Tyler James Williams In The 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards
    Tyler James Williams
    Gregory Eddie

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Writers
Quinta Brunson
Creator(s)
Quinta Brunson