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Abbott Elementary's third season (shortened due to last year's WGA strike) ended on a cliffhanger as teachers Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams) finally kissed after her end-of-school party. It was thrilling news for fans of the show—like myself—who had been waiting oh-so-patiently for the pair to finally connect. That’s part of the joy (and frustration) of watching a sitcom, as the will-they-or-won’t-they of a seemingly perfect couple develops over multiple seasons. While it seems we’ve finally reached the beginning of Janine and Gregory’s relationship, there was no guarantee they’ll be together by the time Season 4 starts.
After all, another famous sitcom—The Office, a key influence for Abbott Elementary—had fan favorites Jim and Pam finally kiss in the Season 2 finale, “Casino Night,” before ultimately moving their relationship backwards for an entire season. That episode was shot by Randall Einhorn, who directed Abbott Elementary's Season 3 finale, “Party.” So there are plenty of reasons to be worried.
While I won’t spoil it here, the first episode of Season 4, "Back to School," which premieres Oct. 9, delivers a definitive answer on Gregory and Janine’s romance. You can be sure that whether or not they’re together, the Janine-and-Gregory dynamic will continue to be a key part of the show's newest season. Abbott faces plenty of other issues in the premiere, though, particularly the development of a new golf course in West Philadelphia that brings a white family to the school and could have significant implications for the student body's demographics. It’s also causing plenty of trouble with the campus's infrastructure, including water and electricity, leading to plenty of enjoyable antics, including some seriously undercooked chicken nuggets.
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