Abbott Elementary is back, and I’ve never been more excited to return to school. Quinta Brunson‘s award-winning workplace comedy debuted its Season 2 premiere episode on September 21, 2022, feeling like the welcome home hug I’ve been waiting for amid this dumpster fire of a year.
“Development Day,” the first episode of the season, is a pitch-perfect outing brimming with sharp humor, excellent comedic timing and so much heart. Janine struggling to regain her footing after her breakup is heartbreaking to watch. Gregory surprising Barbara with a desk for her disabled student 100 percent tugged at my heartstrings. The representation in this episode is beautiful.
Plus, Gregory noticing Janine’s new side part sent this Granine lover to the moon and back. Their will-they-won’t-they is going to kill me, isn’t it?
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Below, I’ve compiled a list of lines I enjoyed from “Development Day.” It was pretty tricky assembling this list because, let’s face it, every line in this show is perfect.
BARBARA: I was very inebriated. Sea Barbara is different than Land Barbara.
During her summer vacation, Barbara Howard (Emmy Award winner Sheryl Lee Ralph) went on a Jamaican cruise, wherein she misplaced her shoes. Thus, we get this iconic quote from our fave kindergarten teacher/Janine’s work mom highlighting the distinction between Barbaras. I desperately need to see Sea Barbara in action. Can we get a flashback to Barbara’s cruise, please and thank you?
AVA: Quiet down. Be silent in the presence of greatness. How was y’all’s summer?
MELISSA: Oh, it was good —
AVA: Rhetorical.
To kick off the Development Week festivities, Principal Ava Coleman (Janelle James) presents a “welcome” presentation for her teachers. In typical fashion, she corrals everyone with humor, filtering her talking points through an Ava-centric lens. I love the above exchange between Ava and Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walker). It showcases this cast’s stellar comedic timing.
JACOB: While in Peru, I took level-one ASL courses. I wouldn’t say I was inspired by CODA, per se, but it did have an impact on me. Words cannot express my excitement to teach the others the knowledge I have gained. So, let me sign it.
Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti) spent his summer in Peru teaching, where he also picked up ASL (American Sign Language). He talks about CODA‘s impact on him, then proceeds to sprinkle in his ASL know-how through the remainder of the episode. Jacob would become obsessed with inserting his ASL knowledge into every conversation. I love how Abbott Elementary lovingly pokes fun at his eccentricities and, let’s face it, his whiteness. While the above quote is funny with Perfetti delivering it, the camera cutting right before Jacob starts signing is even funnier.
GREGORY: Imagining the worst thing that could possibly happen is one of my best qualities.
Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams) is now a full-time teacher, taking on the task of educating first-grade students in his new position. Barbara finds Gregory mapping out every day of the school year and what his students will do while calculating how he’ll meet every district-mandated goal. Barbara asks him what’ll happen if something goes awry. Gregory claims his ability to imagine the worst possible thing is one of his best qualities.
I felt that in my soul. Welcome to living with anxiety, where you concoct 10 different outcomes for one scenario. You know, for safety.
JANINE: I’ve picked up things fast my whole life. Fast walker, fast talker, fast reader. Not a fast healer, though. Some things can’t be rushed.
After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, Tariq (Zack Fox), Janine Teagues (Brunson) tries to carry on with her life, purposely suppressing the devastation she feels post-breakup. It gets to a point where she struggles to pay her bills but forges ahead anyway, throwing herself into planning for the upcoming school year. Her walls crumble when she inadvertently schedules an appearance from Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty a week before classes resume.
Thankfully, Barbara and Melissa are there for support, while Gritty embraces Janine and Ava sneaks in for a photo op. Abbott Elementary knows how to strike that perfect balance between hilarious and heartwarming. Janine learning that you can’t rush the healing process profoundly resonated with me.
AVA: Look at him, picking that belly button lint. Celebrities! They’re just like us!
Every Ava line is pure gold. Before Gregory finally warms up to Gritty, Ava remarks on the mascot “picking his belly button lint.” Celebrities are just like us.
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What are your favorite lines from the Abbott Elementary season premiere? Sound off in the comments below!
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 9/8c, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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