RewatchingAbbott Elementary’s pilot, I was shocked to learn a bizarre truth about the workplace mockumentary sitcom.Abbott Elementary’s entire cast of charactersare reliably hilarious. That said, it is hard to deny that the sitcom has an obvious protagonist. Quinta Brunson’s sweet teacher, Janine, is seemingly the most central character in the series.
Brunson createdAbbott Elementaryin the first place, and Janine’s story was central to seasons 1-3. Even though Principal Ava became the lead character in season 4, it was still worrying when Brunson mentioned that she was looking forward to moving on from her breakthrough role asAbbott Elementary’s Janinein the future.
After all, many viewers can’t imagine the series without her at its center. Until this weekend, I would have agreed. However, since revisiting the pilot episode ofAbbott Elementary,I have been struck by a surprising revelation about the show’s POV character, and the way the series slyly hides one of its heroes in plain sight.
Janine Isn’t Abbott Elementary’s True Protagonist In Episode 1
Gregory Is New To The School and Viewers See It Through His Eyes
Brunson is front and center throughoutAbbott Elementary’s pilot, where her misguided attempts to single-handedly change a faulty lightbulb cause all manner of chaos and some of the show’s first real belly laughs. However, this doesn’t mean that Janine is the show’s protagonist. On the contrary, it is actually another character entirely.
Tyler James Williams’ Gregory Eddie isAbbott Elementary’s original POV character, since he starts working at the school in the pilot episode. He is literally introduced to the teachers at the same time that viewers see them for the first time, making him, rather than Janine, the obvious audience insertion persona. Moreover, the pilot continually returns to his perspective.
WhereThe Office’s Jim was the show’s co-lead alongside his boss, Michael Scott, Gregory isAbbott Elementary’s co-protagonist alongside Janine.
As the first episode continues, the show sees Gregory react to the surrounding zaniness with the same stony deadpan that madeThe Office’s Jim Halpert an iconic comedic character. However, whereThe Office’s Jim was the show’s co-lead alongside his boss, Michael Scott, Gregory isAbbott Elementary’s co-protagonist alongside Janine.
WhileAbbott Elementary’s Mr. Johnsonmight be the show’s funniest character and the breakout star, the rest of the faculty are limited to supporting roles in the pilot. It is Gregory who meets the staff and becomes acquainted with the school, and it is Janine who shows him the ropes and tries to achieve a goal of her own in her subplot.
Janine Became Abbott Elementary’s Heroine Throughout Season 1
Quinta Brunson’s Character Was The Sitcom’s Primary Focus
In this opening episode, Gregory and Janine are the show’s co-leads, meaning there has to have been a point where Gregory faded into the background and the show became a vehicle for Brunson’s heroine. Fortunately, I think I’ve spotted it. In the pilot, Ava disrespects Janine after Janine’s complaint about Ava gets redirected to the corrupt principal.
Ava is an outright villain at this stage, and Gregory’s ambitions to become principal make it seem like he will replace her by the end of season 1. However, in season 1, episode 9, “Step Class,” Janine asks the infamously unreliable Ava to help her organize a step class for the students. Surprisingly, Ava is initially helpful.
Chris Perfetti
Jacob Hill
However, she pulls out of their performance at the last moment, and Janine confronts her for the first time since the pilot. The sitcom humanizes Janine’s bad boss as she explains she needed to care for her ailing, dementia-suffering grandmother at the time. WhileAbbott Elementary’s later celebrity cameoswere impressive, this storyline was a pivotal moment for the show.
Not only did “Step Class” make Ava a more complex character, but the episode did so by contrasting her with Janine. Similarly, in episode 4, “New Tech,” Janine sees Barbara Howard’s clay feet when the veteran educator claims to understand tricky new technology without any assistance, only to embarrass herself when asked to explain it during a schoolwide presentation.
Season 2 Cemented Janine’s Main Character Status
Introducing Janine’s Sister and Mother Made Her All The More Important
In episode 7, “Art Teacher,” Janine’s pretentious artist friend clashes badly with Melissa while ostensibly assisting on a collaborative project, and, in episode 8, “Work Family,” Janine is horrified to learn that Jacob views her only as a “Work friend.” Even episode 6, “Gifted Program,” contrast Gregory’s dislike of the titular programs with Janine’s enthusiasm for them.
Throughout season 1, viewers learn more about the rest of the teachers via Janine’s interactions with them, thus subtly reinforcing her role as the show’s true protagonist. All of Janine’s interactions with the other staff members, particularly her adulation of Barbara and struggles with Ava, are as much about fleshing out her character as the stories of her coworkers.
Thus, by season 2, it was already clear who the show’s true hero was. However,Abbott Elementarycleverly doubled down on this with some big-name cameos that served as a savvy second function. This season introduced Janine’s sister and mother, played by Ayo Edebiri and Taraji P Henson.
Picking famous actors for these roles was guaranteed to get the show more attention, but choosing them to play Janine’s family specifically meant that her character received more screen time and depth. While viewers were impressed by the cameos, they were also simultaneously learning more about Janine.
Abbott Elementary Season 5 Could Need A New Protagonist
Brunson Told Bustle She Was Considering Moving On From Janine
Since Janine got the best line inAbbott Elementary’sIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiacrossover, it is fair to say she isn’t going anywhere for now. However, Brunson has already said she would like to look at other, radically different roles after finishing the show. As such, she may depart the series before the sitcom ends.
If Brunson does leave before the series finale ofAbbott Elementary, the sitcom will have to find a fitting replacement. This famously sankThe Office, which cycled through various Michael Scott replacements and lost its critical acclaim as a result. However,Abbott Elementary’s clever switch from one protagonist to another proves the show could pull this off.
