'Abbott Elementary' Season 5 Recap: What To Remember Before Quinta Brunson's ABC Sitcom Returns

Published Oct 5, 2026, 4:24 PM EDT

Kendall Myers is a Senior Author with Collider. As part of the TV and Movies Features team, she writes about some of the most popular releases before, during, and after they premiere. In three years, she has written over 900 articles with topics ranging from classic sitcoms to fantasy epics.

Abbott Elementary has remained one of TV's best sitcoms for five seasons, with its hilarious characters and often ridiculous situations. And the series isn't over yet. With Season 6's impending premiere, it's time to look back because, like any series, the story builds on itself. Though most episodes of the hit ABC series can stand alone, certain storylines have been developing over time, and Season 5 pushes them further. Taking the audience everywhere, from the school to an abandoned mall to a Philadelphia Phillies game (in one groundbreaking episode), the latest installment is particularly eventful, but it also sets up plenty for the future. With new faces, a building that's falling apart, and plenty of personal drama, Season 5 of Abbott Elementary is an exciting addition to the series, and Season 6 promises even more of the well-meaning antics and hilarious plans that fans love.

'Abbott's Elementary' Season 5's School Year Was Chaotic

Image via ABC

Season 5 of Abbott Elementary brings back all the favorites as Janine (Quinta Brunson) starts a fashion club, Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) becomes a grandmother, and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) takes on more responsibilities. The season starts with a major shift as Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) moves up to middle school, shaking up the teachers' dynamics. Meanwhile, the school welcomes new faces: Dominic (Luke Tennie), a new teacher and Barbara's former student; Ms. Alomar (Tyler Perez), a counselor serving several schools; and later, Caleb (Tyler Perez), Jacob's brother, who becomes a gym teacher at Abbott. As Dominic looks for a mentor, Janine steps up, placing the character in a new position now that she has more teaching experience. Also, the overworked Ms. Alomar distances herself from the teachers, though she eventually gets more involved and willingly advises the staff.

As always, the school year isn't easy, especially when a broken furnace forces the school to relocate into an abandoned mall. The environment makes teaching difficult, and there are more concerned parents than ever. Amidst this fallout, Ava (Janelle James) must take her role as principal more seriously than ever before and protect her teachers from the onslaught. While they make the best of their terrible situation, the Abbott staff eventually realizes the school district is stalling repairs by sending the construction workers to other sites. Exposing this, the Abbott team is allowed to return to their building in just a few more weeks, ending a chaotic chapter in Abbott's history.

Another major storyline is Jacob running for the 51st District Board of School Commissioners Liaison position against former coworker Tina Schwartz (Kate Peterman). Despite Tina's reputation for having kicked a child, she puts up a good fight. Jacob recruits Ava as his campaign manager, and they realize that their best strategy is to point out that Jacob will use his sometimes annoying nature to fight for the school. This gets Jacob the support he needs to win, though barely, and Tina decides to run for the school board instead. However, Abbott and its staff face another crisis in the Season finale when the district places Abbott among the schools set to shut down. However, thanks to their new furnace, Jacob proves it would be financially irresponsible to shut them down, getting Abbott another year and an influx of students. This means that Ava needs an assistant principal, and she chooses Gregory (Tyler James Williams), setting up a new school dynamic for Season 6.

'Abbott Elementary's Characters Face Personal Problems in Season 5

While the school year is eventful, not all of the drama happens during school hours. Ava's love life has previously been used for surprising name drops, but her recent relationship with IT worker O'Shon (Matthew Law) is an interesting development. In Season 5, the couple makes strides in their relationship. In one especially significant moment in the Valentine's Day episode, Ava even gives up her room full of presents to make him comfortable, pushing her character development forward as she learns to be less self-absorbed. But other characters have their own relationships. Notably, Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) sparks a romance with Miss Carroll (Khandi Alexander), a fellow custodian sent to help clean up the mall.

Most significant is Gregory and Janine's ongoing relationship. The couple faces significant changes first as they move in together, and later as they plan a joint vacation. However, this leads to trouble because they have conflicting ideas about how to deal with their finances, and they break up. Ava and Jacob try to interfere with the split, but it goes wrong. Mr. Johnson and Barbara have more success, and Janine and Gregory get back together and are stronger than ever. In fact, the Season 5 finale hints that Gregory is ready to take a major step and propose, meaning Season 6 could include major developments in their relationship. Thanks to this eventful installment, Abbott Elementary Season 6 has plenty of stories to explore in the new season.

Abbott Elementary Season 6 premieres on ABC on October 7, with previous seasons streaming on Hulu.