u/Infinitely-Gay09

Okay, so I wanna start this off by saying this isn't a critique of the writing, I'm aware you can write something uncomfortable about a character and it doesn't mean the show supports it or anything like that, nor am I saying Barbara is an evil monster and that this shouldn't have happened because I actually like when a character does something wrong. It's real and makes me happy! I wouldn't change this scene for the world because vonplex characters are goated. But does anyone else get uncomfortable about the fact that Barbara, who knows about Gregory's food sensitivities, decided to give him a food that could possibly cause him distress?

I mean she had no idea how he would react but that's the point. She didn't really know, but she was given clues by how he'd acted with food before and still decided to give him something without telling him everything that was in it. Yes, Gregory could've looked but just because he could've done something on his end (he did, because he asked what was in it he just didn't look through for some reason? Maybe he was distracted.) doesnt mean it negates Barbara's actions. Food sensitivities can be a lot to deal with and we've seen it be a lot for him and his stressed reactions to foods he hasn't claimed to like (and very much claimed to dislike) before so possibly giving him something that could've hurt him feels iffy for me. Though maybe Barabara made an educated guess based off of what textures he has claimed to like before? That wouldn't account for taste tho, so idk. But what do yall think?

I really like the subtle detail that, when Mr. Johnson revealed he has a passport, Barbara and Melissa react to them not needing to have gone down to the DMV in the first place but Ava initially reacts to the "the world is my clam" thing. Melissa pointing it out is when you see Ava really thinking further about what he said (she squints like it was a newer realization) and I like the overarching theme of Mr. Johnson being one of the only characters (and one of the only MAIN ones more importantly) to repeatedly catch Ava off guard. They are THE strange and dillusional dynamic duo!

Did anyone else notice that Janine noticed Frank before looking at Ava in the science fair episode? Like there was a visible look of recognition in her eyes before she ever even began to turn to Ava and then she immediately decides to back out when she does. Something tells me she looked into Frank and just didn't mention it to Ava as a way of being able to quietly support her without being intrusive...

When Ava comes into the teachers lounge on the 1st episode of season four she literally drops her jacket and bag while setting both down on a chair inside. Like, she was genuinely so distraught she accidentally dropped her bag and that makes the whole her thinking Charlie was a ghost thing so much more hilarious to me😭

Oh I also noticed that in season 4 episode 9, Ava saying that Janine needs to stop bragging about going to college something she did when she was 17, looks edited in between one continuous scene/was ADDED in? Because Ava was standing in one position with a particular look on her face and it goes back the same way after the fact.

Anything yall notice from Season four or five that yall wanna share? Been rewatching those two seasons these past few days lol

I love Abbott and I'd like to think I'm pretty well-versed in its characters and jokes, but this one joke flew over my head. In Season 5 Episode 12 Titled Picture Day, Ava says something along the lines of "these net-heads are trying to sabatoge picture day" and Jacob says that she can't say that anymore. And then makes an awkward maybe face when Ava asks him to clarify WHAT she shouldn't say. What was the meaning behind this joke? I'd like to rewatch this episode but with a better understanding of it.

1. Barbara and Ava's mugs are nearly identical, the only thing significantly different between the two are the color

2. When we see Jacob sing/rapping to the kids in the Gifted and Talented program, you can see one of the kids rapping along (which, if we're looking at it canonically, we can determine Jacob practiced before in front of the students enough for them to memorize it which is adorable as hell)

3. Ava pours an inordinate amount of sugar into her coffee (something I actually noticed before and forgot to mention) and actually seems to be in the teachers lounge fairly often despite pretending to not have any interest in hanging around the teachers

4. Ava seems to be a lot more impulsive in season 1, something that becomes more honed and utilized for the betterment of the school rather than a detriment

5. (IMO) Even though a lot of the Abbott fandom judges Janine's outfits, some of them, even in season 1 was pretty cohesive and actually didn't look half bad.

6. Ava, who mentions Crystal for the very first time I believe...refers to her as her friend!

7. HONARABLE MENTION! Janine singing in the (first?) episode while impersonating Barbara was cool as hell and really pretty. She has a wonderful, elegant voice !

Is there anything yall noticed?

Observation: One thing I find hilarious about season 5 episode 1 is, first, when Ava goes into the school kitchen to check out the smell, the cameraman (who I can assume is a man, as that's how they're described, moderately attractive white men who all look alike) comes into the kitchen at the same time as Ava, yet is the first and only one to pass out while Ava looks clear and alert (obviously there can be exceptions, but the general idea of a grown man passing out first while Ava remains wholly unaffected makes me giggle for some reason). What makes it even better is that before she comes to alert anyone else, she had to get her mask!

Question: I say all this to say, I've been rewatching season 5, and I understand people critiquing the show. Nothing is without flaw, and I find critiquing something, while sometimes be negative and even overbearing at times, can also be a way of showing a deep love for something, no matter how small...

So I wanna ask... what is something you absolutely loved looking back at season 5? And what do you think could be done better/hope for for season 6 after reflection?

(Sorry, reposting... made a mistake w that last post lol)

In the episode where Ava dresses Mrs. Howard up cause she's insecure about her age, she mentions "white chicks" as an inspiration... (before tanking the idea then stating "unless," which is fucking hilarious!) and that made me think, would she dress Barb up as a white woman or white man? How good do yall think Ava could get it in terms of ability (not chance)? Would it be offensively bad or terrifyingly and almost suspiciously good?

And honestly while I'm at it, if yall remember that joke Ava made when she let slip the computers 14th generating processors... what the HELL do you think she meant when she asked about incognito not tracking history??? What the fuck could she POSSIBLY be cooking up to be using incognito with deepfakes of Janine??? I'm honestly scared to even ask but did no one else question that scene? ✌🏾😭

Edit: Okay, so I'm talking about the episode TITLED winter break (not a winter break themed episode in general), where Melissa has her family over and Jegory has their first Christmas Eve together

Original post: About 11:24 minutes into the Winter break episode, Ava mentions needing to go to the bathroom, but unless she genuinely peed AND washed her hands in a little over 10 seconds, she just went in there to gather herself. Her being more insulting than usual on top of not watching anything that could be remotely cheesy or emotional is also sad to me, but in the other hand, something I find absolutely hilarious is the fact that she had to have already had that insult about cheap handsoap keyed up or noticed it on the fly cause she was quick as hell with it 😭

Edit: it's also so cute how Janine only seems to have safety scissors in her apartment as that's what she hands Ava. How cute!

Janine's progress in just three episodes is astounding to me, and I haven't seen anyone talk more in specifics so I wanted to mention it here.

In the pilot episode, you see Janine stressing and exhausting all of her resources without seeming to understand that the powers that be would not help as effectively as she'd like. She's sending emails, hoping the other teachers will get on her side about sinply being positive and showing each other more support, not yet fully understanding just how much the district will not be a reliable resource until she learns in the end that her already overachieving self CAN do more than she thought possible. He'll we even see her try to fix reversy toilet, which was a great indicator of what the next episode was going to be about.

In the 2nd episode, we see her taking the brute of every issue, seemingly hyperfixating on the smallest of details and having enough audacity to genuinely try and fix them ALL. And fail. Then, she learns yet another lesson... she needs to learn how to MEASURE out her energy, so that she has enough for herself and her kids.

Next episode, we see her "employ" Ava to help her out, because she believes Barbara needs help. She even mentions something along the lines that asking for help only takes "10 seconds and it's soooo effective" so seeing her immediately make those small shifts as little ways she's begun to grow is so deeply admirable of the writers and Quinta, especially.

It also fuels my personal belief that she's neurodivergent, cause we tend to take things in extremes, hyperfixate, sometimes take things a little too literally and execute based on clear information and advice, but that's just me lol 😅

REGARDLESS

I love how much love and care they put into her character to get even the littlest things right, and it goes to show just how intricate each character's personality is and how their growth (including their misgivings) feels like a map of who they are and how they'll flourish. Give everybody their flowers NOWW 😭

Honestly, this isn't a big deal, but I am slightly confused... some of my friends have been saying they couldn't see Janelle's account and when I tried... same thing! Is it weird for yall, did she delete it or is it some sorta technical issue?

Edit: Quinta broke ✨️character✨️ anyways...

I keep watching the April Fools episode (help me, please, I just can't stop) and something I couldn't get out of my head is that, when Gregory runs into the plastic wrap, right after Janine asks if he's okay, you see her quickly turn around and face Melissa, who widens her eyes a little, so I'm starting to think to think it might've actually just been a reaction to her breaking.

And because Quinta mentioned in a interview somewhere that she couldn't help but be a little stressed/breaking if I recall because it looked like it hurt and was a more action-packed physical scene, I genuinely feel like they kept one of the moments where she broke but it was more hidden. But, unless my eyes don't work, you can literally see her flip around quickly behind Tyler's back... right? What do yall think?

20:27 into Costume Contest, it felt like a Janelle moment so much more than an Ava one, I love it! They all looked like they had sm fun and I wonder if there were any panels talking about this episode or breaking down episodes in general!

If yall have any interview recs I'd love them!

In Season 4, Episode 3, 33 seconds in, Ava is there, but in the next shot, she completely disappears from the scene. Is this on purpose? Who knows! But it is funny ash and I'd like to think it is, seeing as she can change quickly and she's Ava, so who am I to doubt it? 😭

ALSO:

(There have also been plenty of scenes that I could tell were cut, like the talk between Ava and Janine in the deli where Ava probably threw in a corner line and Janine had to reroute her [I feel like I can tell based on Ava's body language that she got off track and prolly just said a joke, especially because Janine's reaction seemed like she tried to tell her back in and Ava's face feel from a semi- lighthearted smile to something more serious, again?],

The talk between Janine and the others where she mentions looking like Phil and Lils mom,

Jacob seemingly looking around the mall with confusion before a kid clarified, saying "I said PRESENT" so maybe Jacob threw in some funny one liner,

Janine fully recognizing and making a joke to the district director (?) only to then recognize him later...? When she said Omg (insert official title here cause I can't be bothered to notice) is in my office! Am I being fired... like, I know Janine is awkward and may not have noticed at first, but that felt like too long of a gap of not understanding when they met earlier before right?)

Anyways, anything yall noticed?

Honestly, this won't be super detailed, but my seasons 6 predictions have helped make me further realize this might truly be the end.

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I predict Ava and Gregory struggle but Gregory eventually learns and it capitalizes on his growth, I predict we see the teachers close up their stories and settle, I predict Barbara retires as it's been something we see her thinking about across multiple seasons (and Barbara is based on Quinta's mom who already is retired) and that Gregory eventually learns enough to eventually become principal of his own school, which is a good call back to what we see in the beginning.

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Lastly, I feel like we might not see a wedding or maybe even a proposal, but that it'll be more of the hint of one, and if we do see it that it'll be in the season finale... that's good writing to leave things up for us to interpret, miss, imagine about these characters who have so much potential and that we know will do great and it already hurts to think about... but people have been predicting since season 4 that that was the last season/ we'll be closing down and as much as I hate to say this, good writing in respect to the storyline would indicate that season 6 will/should the last (or at least we stop getting seasons when the foundation of these characters motivations that we see from the beginning would be solved, developed, or completed)...

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So yeah! Also, I hate to say it but I'm nervous especially that we won't see Gregory purpose because they should wait longer but the only so much can happen in a season.

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We see Ava show MANY signs of having ADHD. Personally, after a few weird comments in general, I've tried not to mention neurodivergence in fandom spaces unless it's a more general consensus that a character is neurodivergent, but I honestly see it!

Forgetful, moving quickly especially in the first season (which was an intentional choice Janelle talks about in some interviews), speech patterns, being a "jack of all trades (and masted of them all lol)" etc. I wish I could explain it all more thoroughly and in the depth it deserves (but then I'd be typing for hours), so I'll get to my more silly point, as long as we can all navigate, just for a moment, under the assumption that she does, in fact, have ADHD...

Ava calls herself "Young Ava" in the Story Samurai episode... she also refers to the only Canon ADHD character, Dom as "Young Dom". Are the writers fucking with me (Yes, Me! PERSONALLY!) Or is it a subtle clue they've utilized as they've brought some smaller details from earlier seasons back to life? And, more importantly, regardless of whether you think this detail was intentionally Included or not- do you personally think Ava has ADHD? What traits do y'all see?

Maybe I'll include a poll to get results better idk...

View Poll

Forgive me if this is the wrong subbreddit to post in, but I just noticed something about Janelle and I wanted to share it. Recently, in many interviews I've noticed that Janelle does this, but after watching the interview w Jimmy Kimmel titled 'Janelle James on Chris Rock Call that Changed Her Life & Success of Abbott Elementary' and noticed that, even though her father died long ago, she still refers to him in the present tense. I noticed it in other interviews, but didn't think about it too hard until this interview, where she is asked about her dad in the present by Jimmy and she words it to say something along the lines of "I can't question him on it because he gets very upset".

I don't mean to be intrusive, but I know she's talking about the same man because she's saying the same traits she has when describing her dad in standup and podcasts before, so it isn't like a step-dad or anything and I was wondering if it was possibly cultural?

Is there anyone who is from the Virgin Islands or is Carribean in general who can tell me if this is how people typically approach death and their loved ones, or is this just a personal choice? Because honestly, respect in general; I think it's a sweet way to speak about her father and I now want to take it on as something I use when speaking about my Grandmother, it's a careful and intentional way of choosing your words and it is so lovely and heartwarming to me! I just don't happen to know if it is more common in certain cultures like Janelle's 😅

EDIT: Thank you all for the insight- I had no idea this was a more common sentiment but that truly is incredible to hear! I had always been wondering, so to know this is something more common is very deeply comforting!

I wish yall the best from the bottom of my heart, and thank you for taking the time to comment what yall think!