On the last day of school before Christmas break, Melissa and Barbara are excited to have their traditional Christmas dinner at the school. Jacob fishes for an invitation, as he’ll be alone on Christmas while Zach visits family. They don’t invite him, but he crashes anyway, along with Mr. Johnson. ..
Jacob kills the mood with his conversation, eventually driving Melissa and Barbara away. Mr. Johnson tells him he’s ruining Christmas with his “withering takes” on the holiday. Jacob admits he doesn’t have good memories surrounding Christmas, so Mr. Johnson convinces him this is his chance to make one.
Jacob runs to the store and back. He gives Melissa and Barbara Christmas presents and apologizes to them for being a Grinch. He confesses that the holidays are tough and doesn’t want to ruin it for them too.
Jacob called Zach later to let him know that he had decided to come to Pittsburgh after all to have Christmas with Zach’s family. ..
Janine is anxious about her first single holiday. She and Erika go to a holiday hookah party. In line at the club, they run into Gregory and his friend Maurice (and also Ava and her girlfriends). Janine was excited about letting loose tonight, but now feels uncomfortable in front of her boss and coworker. ..
Gregory asks Janine to dance. Erika notices that Janine isn’t having fun, so she pulls her aside and tells her to turn up her energy. With her encouragement, Janine finally lets loose and starts enjoying herself with Gregory.
When Ava interrupts them, they leave the club to get away from her. It starts snowing, and they lean in to kiss each other–but a text from Amber to Gregory interrupts them. They wish each other a good break, and Gregory leaves to go hang out with Amber.
Maurice flirts with Janine for a while, but she is ultimately left alone until Ava finds her outside and invites her to keep partying with her and her boyfriend, NBA champion Andre Iguodala.
The Episode Review
This holiday episode of Abbott Elementary may turn down the comedy, but it turns up the romantic tension in turn. Gregory and Janine finally get their outside-of-school romantic moment (under the snow, no less). The sweet moments for them underscore not only their mutual feelings, but the unease they carry by having such feelings for a coworker–making for an even more complicated (and compelling) work relationship.
The episode is cute, but it’s half-heartedly wrapped in Christmas cheese and cheer. Ultimately, I’m excited about where the episode ends. Janine has met someone, and it’s none other than one of Gregory’s own friends. If something develops, it could bring Janine and Gregory closer together–but not before it drives an awkward wedge between them.
