Quinta Brunson’s new sitcom Abbott Elementary has become one of the most talked-about shows on Twitter, and a lot of that has to do with the romance brewing between two main characters. In fact, this potential relationship is so exciting for fans that some believe it could be TV’s next Jim and Pam, a couple made famous on The Office.
Abbott Elementary follows a group of teachers at a struggling public school in Philadelphia with a focus on a soft-hearted teacher who catches the eye of an ambitious newcomer. The sitcom stars Brunson as Janine Teagues, a second-grade teacher who is determined to give her students the education they deserve. And on the flip side is Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), a substitute teacher who joins the staff after a teacher gets fired for kicking one of her students.
Janine and Gregory approach their work at school in very different ways. Janine feels she has a responsibility to meet every student’s needs as she shapes their minds, while Gregory’s goal is to take the job of the school’s selfish principal. But while his business-like approach to being a teacher is very different from Janine’s optimistic outlook, they both go out of their way to help each other have a better work experience.
The series’ second episode, “Lightbulb,” introduced Janine’s longtime boyfriend, who is nothing like Gregory at all. Janine has been in a 10-year long relationship with wannabe rapper Tariq, played by comedian and rapper Zack Fox. Tariq is the total opposite of Janine, leaving her to be the responsible partner while he follows his dreams of being a star. And Janine seems to be aware that Tariq is not doing his part in their relationship, but they’ve been together for so long that she just accepts it.
However, despite his rather serious demeanor, Gregory clearly shows signs of interest in Janine. He tends to turn to Janine for advice and has already been caught gazing at her longingly when she expresses her passion for helping kids. Clearly, Abbott Elementary is setting up an office romance between the two that Janine is not aware of. But Janine might find she has some competition since Gregory has already caught the attention of other women at the school.
If all of that sounds familiar, it’s because the relationship between Gregory and Janine is reminiscent of that of Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly’s in The Office. When the show started, Jim was clearly a great match for Pam, but she was already engaged to her long-term partner, Roy. And while they were obviously into each other, it took a whole three seasons for Jim and Pam to finally get together.
Slow-burn office romances are a staple of any workplace comedy. From Jim and Pam to Ben and Leslie in Parks and Recreation, there’s something endearing about seeing two people fall in love over breakroom coffee. It might take a while for Janine to accept that Tariq is no good for her, but she’ll be one step closer to realizing that there’s someone better for her just down the hallway.
To see Gregory and Janine’s relationship form, new episodes of Abbott Elementary air Tuesdays on ABC.
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