Abbott Elementary season 2 has the perfect opportunity to set up its long-term future by naming Greg the new principal of the school. Throughout Abbott Elementary season 1, the show built a passionate fanbase through its humor and its unique spin on The Office-style humor, helping to revive the TV mockumentary genre. However, the main strengths of Abbott Elementary are the sitcom’s characters and their relationship dynamics. Giving Greg the promotion he richly deserves would help strengthen both.
It is well-documented throughout Abbott Elementary season 1 that Greg (Tyler James Williams) is beyond qualified to become the school’s principal. However, by the end of the season, Greg largely accepted the hand he’d been dealt and, with the help of will-they-or-won’t-they love interest Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson), he finds his place at Abbott by being promoted from long-term sub to full-time teacher. Janine’s previous relationship of several years came to an end in the season 1 finale, so it would appear Greg and Janine are free to explore their feelings for each other in Abbott Elementary season 2.
With Abbott Elementary still in its infancy and looking primed to continue for several seasons, the show would be wise to prolong Greg and Janine’s dynamic by promoting Greg to the position of principal in season 2. The chemistry and complicated potential romance between its co-leads make up one of Abbott Elementary’s defining features. And given the strong character development of both Greg and Janine in the show’s initial run, Greg receiving a promotion in the upcoming season makes logical sense and would be reasonably expected to further complicate any potential romance between the two. This would give an extended shelf-life to what’s essentially Abbott Elementary’s version of Jim and Pam from The Office.
How Could Becoming Principal Affect Greg and Janine?
Greg has been shown throughout Abbott Elementary to have a deep respect for duty and proper order. He is the kind of person who would, at least initially, see a relationship between a principal and a teacher as a conflict of interest and thus put his feelings for Janine on hold. This would be true even if he feels like they are closest to admitting their desires for one another. The idea would provide the longest runway possible to continue Greg and Janine’s unresolved romance. Similar storylines have been done in popular sitcoms to great effect in the past, as with Jim and Pam on The Office and, most famously, Sam and Diane on Cheers before her season 5 exit.
Romantic relationships between principals and teachers are the kind of real-world issue in education that Abbott Elementary strives to address, as it allows the show to dive into a fresh aspect of social commentary. Promoting Greg to principal and creating a temporary complication for him and Janine would give the show’s supporting characters humorous opportunities to pick a side in the debate and further develop their own personalities as well.
When Abbott Elementary returns for season 2, the sitcom will do so as an Emmy-nominated hit instead of an unassuming underdog. The show will have endless possibilities for the future afforded to it as a result of being popular and the likliehood that it will receive several seasons. Promoting Greg to the role of school principal in season 2 would be one of the best ways to ensure Abbott Elementary‘s most endearing character dynamic has a long shelf-life.
