Abbott Elementary Season 4 Brings Back An Underrated Supporting Star (& Sets Up A Huge Problem For Janine)

While Abbott Elementary season 4’s supporting character comeback is great news for viewers, it is not necessarily such a positive development for Janine and Gregory. Although Abbott Elementary’s entire cast of characters is beloved by viewers, there is one relationship that the show is particularly invested in. Gregory and Janine’s romance arguably dates back to Abbott Elementary’s pilot, although it took until halfway through season 2 for the pair to acknowledge their feelings for each other. They didn’t discuss their shared attraction properly until the season 2 finale and didn’t hook up until season 3’s ending.

Fortunately, Abbott Elementary season 4 can finally give the couple a chance to give their highly hyped romance a fair shot. Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams confirmed in an interview with TheHollywoodReporter that the sitcom would not hold out any further upon its return. Whether Janine and Gregory are together or not, the sitcom’s premiere will at least confirm their relationship status for eager viewers. Since the many impediments to their dating have been systemically dismantled throughout seasons 2 and 3, there is no reason for the couple to stay apart, or at least that is how it seemed.

Ben Onyx Dowdy’s HR Rep Is Back In Abbott Elementary Season 4

The Catty Character Made An Impression In Abbott Elementary Season 3

In the trailer for Abbott Elementary season 4, Ben Onyx Dowdy’s unnamed HR rep from season 3 makes a comeback. This hilariously catty character developed a one-sided feud with Janine during her fellowship at the school district in season 3, consistently butting heads with the ambitious teacher whenever she wanted to fast-track bureaucracy or paperwork. The district’s HR rep character was a highlight of season 3 despite their limited screen time, but their return in season 4 might not be an unalloyed good. Specifically, Ben Onyx Dowdy’s character comeback may be bad news for Janine and Gregory’s shared future.

Since the HR rep is typically called in to mediate any potential people problems in the workplace, there is a very good chance that Principal Ava has called in HR to break up Janine and Gregory. While Abbott Elementary’s replacement show English Teacher depicts a more outright antagonistic relationship between its faculty and their principal, Ava has been known to make Janine’s life harder without justification. She also harbored a not-so-secret crush on Gregory for years and made it clear that she would consider any potential romantic relationship between them an HR violation in season 3, episode 13, “Smith Playground.”

This Character Return Could Be Bad For One Abbott Elementary Couple

Ava May Be Bringing HR In To Break Up Gregory And Janine

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Ben Onyx Dowdy’s character might be back to break up Janine and Gregory at the behest of Ava, meaning the comical character’s comeback could be more dramatic than comedic. Admittedly, the HR rep’s brutally funny putdowns of Janine and painfully passive-aggressive attitude mean the returning supporting star is still likely to garner a lot of laughs along the way. However, Abbott Elementary’s best couple should still be worried. Few sitcom couples make it through their first season together, with everyone from The Mindy Project‘s Danny and Mindy to New Girl’s Jess and Nick soon breaking up only to later reunite.

To make matters worse, both Janine and Gregory are cautious characters who worry about authority and following the rules to a tee. Although both characters have stood up to Ava over the years, they still struggle with disregarding authority altogether and doing what their heart desires. The HR rep’s return might even be the result of Ava pulling out the big guns because her earlier attempts to break up the couple failed. This would make Ava a more outright villainous presence than she has been since early in season 1, but it does align with the supporting character’s pettiest, meanest incarnation.

Janine’s Abbott Elementary Season 3 Story Might Not Be Over

Abbott Elementary’s HR Rep Already Revealed They Dislike Janine

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In the closing scenes of season 3, episode 10, “2 Ava 2 Fest,” Manny and his fellow school district employees commiserated with each other over Janine’s decision to leave them behind and return to the titular school. The HR rep smiled smugly and told the camera crew they didn’t care since they hated Janine, a throwaway gag that may be foreshadowing in season 4. If Abbott Elementary season 4 brings back Gregory’s attempts to score a principal job, the show could see the HR rep threaten Janine’s relationship by warning Gregory that this romance wouldn’t look good on his professional record.

Since the series began, Abbott Elementary’s Gregory has struggled with his status as a teacher. Initially, he only wanted to take a substitute teaching job so that he could become a principal as fast as possible and his overbearing father still expects him to follow this path despite his changing ambitions. As such, the HR rep who openly dislikes Janine could cause a lot of trouble for the couple in season 4. Abbott Elementary’s recurring supporting star could sow the seeds of doubt in Gregory, causing him to jeopardize the relationship he spent years working for in service of this ambition.

Ava Shouldn’t Break Up Janine and Gregory In Abbott Elementary Season 4

Ava Should Finally End Her Longstanding Beef With Janine

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While this plot would make sense in terms of existing characterization, Ava and the HR rep shouldn’t break up Gregory and Janine in Abbott Elementary season 4. Janine’s Abbott Elementary character evolution has already seen her improve massively when it comes to standing up for herself, so reigniting her longstanding beef with Ava would be a step back for the heroine. Meanwhile, Ava herself has become a more conscientious character in recent seasons, even pushing Janine to help Jacob secure learning aids for a student early in season 3. Both characters work better when they work together.

As such, it would be a welcome subversion of expectations if Ava helped Gregory and Janine hide their relationship from the returning HR rep instead of selling them out. This would prove how much she has grown while also allowing Ava to get up to some of her classic absurd hijinks. Whether she pretends to be romantically linked to Mr. Johnson or Jacob to distract the rep or ends up taking the fall for Gregory and Janine, Ava would work better as an unlikely ally than a predictable villain here. Thus, Abbott Elementary season 4 should take this storytelling route.

Source: YouTube

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