In the Abbott Elementary season 3 premiere, one seemingly minor and inconsequential joke actually has major implications on the show’s canon. After experiencing setbacks as a result of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Abbott Elementary season 3 is finally here. The season 3 premiere of the hit ABC sitcom begins with the documentary camera crew returning to Abbott Elementary School after a five-month break with new equipment since their old equipment was stolen.
Not much has changed in those five months, except that Janine is now working for the school district. To give context to this new development, the episode flashes back to five months earlier when a new team of school district representatives paid a visit on Development Day. At the time, the notoriously incompetent Principal Ava had turned a new leaf and started taking her job duties seriously after completing her Education degree. This “New Ava” later makes a comment that raises a question about the logic of two stars from another hit series simultaneously existing in the Abbott Elementary universe.
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With Abbott Elementary season 3 almost here, there are several unanswered questions that the show needs to answer in its upcoming episodes.
Ava References Jeremy Allen White In Abbott Elementary Season 3
Ava calls Gregory “Jeremy Allen Black”
Despite spending the first two seasons wishing Ava would start behaving like a proper principal, the Abbott teachers find that the “New Ava” is too strict about reinforcing certain policies. To try to get Ava to revert back to her old self, they convince Gregory to use Ava’s crush on him to entice her. Gregory reluctantly complies and stands in Ava’s doorway, flexing his muscles. She doesn’t fall for this ruse, though, and promptly tells Gregory to put his arms away before calling him “Jeremy Allen Black,” a play on actor Jeremy Allen White’s name.
By calling Gregory a Black Jeremy Allen White for flexing his muscles, Ava is presumably referencing White’s viral Calvin Klein underwear ad in which the actor’s ripped physique was on full display. It’s a funny line and a topical pop culture reference, but it also poses a problem for the show’s canon. If White exists in the Abbott Elementary universe, that means his hit Hulu series, The Bear, does too. However, one of White’s The Bear co-stars already appeared in Abbott Elementary, which makes these canonical truths a little tricky.
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Manny seems like a sweet new addition to Abbott Elementary season 3’s cast, but he could have a major villain arc involving Janine and Gregory.
Ayo Edebiri Played Janine’s Sister In Abbott Elementary Season 2
Ayo Edebiri also stars in The Bear with Jeremy Allen White
In Abbott Elementary season 2, viewers finally got to meet Janine’s somewhat estranged sister, Ayesha, played by none other than The Bear star Ayo Edebiri. Ayesha appears in two episodes of Abbott Elementary season 2, “Valentine’s Day” and “Teacher’s Appreciation,” both of which aired after The Bear had already premiered in June 2022. Edebiri’s guest appearance was exciting at the time. However, the existence of a character in Abbott Elementary played by one of White’s real-life co-stars contradicts his now-canonical existence as a famous actor in the Abbott Elementary universe and creates a plot hole in the show’s canon.
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How Jeremy Allen White Existing In The Abbott Elementary Universe Could Still Make Sense
His existence creates a great opportunity for an Abbott Elementary and The Bear crossover
There are a few ways that Jeremy Allen White’s existence in the Abbott Elementary universe could still (sort of) make sense. Since The Bear isn’t directly mentioned by Ava, perhaps Abbott Elementary takes place in an alternate universe where the series never existed, but White is still a famous actor. This would solve the problem of Edebiri playing Ayesha. If The Bear didn’t exist, the actress wouldn’t necessarily have to exist either, meaning she could play Janine’s sister.
Another way Abbott Elementary could square White, Edebiri, The Bear, and Ayesha’s simultaneous existence in this universe is by leaning into the discrepancy and having Edebiri return as Ayesha at some point in Abbott Elementary season 3. This would create an opportunity to set up a running joke about Ayesha’s uncanny resemblance to The Bear star Ayo Edebiri. What would make this even funnier is if every other character pointed out Ayesha’s resemblance to Edebiri, while Janine insisted she doesn’t see it.
To add another layer to the joke, White could also guest star in the same episode as a new character who shows up at the very end. The show could flip the joke by having Janine insist this new character looks just like Jeremy Allen White, while the rest of the characters disagree. It wouldn’t fully solve the issue of Abbott Elementary‘s messy canon, but acknowledging that Edebiri and White’s Abbott Elementary characters look just like the actors in real life would playfully draw attention to the discrepancy and allow for an Abbott Elementary and The Bear crossover.
Abbott Elementary
- Release Date
- December 7, 2021
- Cast
- Quinta Brunson , Tyler James Williams , Janelle James , Lisa Ann Walter , Chris Perfetti , Sheryl Lee Ralph , William Stanford Davis
