Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 4 Recap: Janine & Gregory’s Awkward Game Night
- Jazz
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Poor Janine. The episode starts with her water breaking—cue Ava’s pregnancy joke. But it’s not what you think. Her apartment pipes burst, leaving her homeless for game night. She can’t host; Jacob volunteers, but Melissa shuts it down. Enter Gregory, who shocks everyone by agreeing to host. For the first time, we step into Gregory’s minimalist place.
Janine, ever the helper, tells Jacob she’s worried Gregory’s home might look like a tech start-up lobby: functional but lifeless. Architectural, sure, but not a throw pillow in sight. Determined to help him “cozy it up,” she takes it upon herself to steer him toward the world of HomeGoods. Step one: cookware, since the man doesn’t even own pots and pans. However, Gregory tells her that he has things under control.
Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson is heading on vacation. Barbara reminds him that he’ll need a Real ID, which prompts a DMV field trip featuring her, Melissa, and Johnson himself. Ava tags along because she looks fabulous and wants to make the most of her camera-ready look. Naturally, chaos ensues. The trio turns a simple errand into a mini-adventure full of snark, mishaps, and bureaucratic frustration. By the time they’re the last customers standing, Johnson’s old friend swoops in to help him, only for it to come out that he’s had a passport all along and didn’t need the Real ID in the first place. Classic Mr. Johnson.
Back at Gregory’s, the party… well, it’s not exactly adventurous or fun. Gregory’s idea of snacks? Cucumbers, chickpea chips, and limes. Erica shows up and is shocked by the place's layout. She is expecting cocktails, but gets offered a choice between filtered and bottled water. Later, Gregory is excited to offer up home-brewed kombucha. The awkward silence is deafening, and even Janine can’t fake her way through it forever. The games are as dry as the snacks, something involving agriculture, and when a pigeon crashes the party, chaos officially reigns. The group finally admits what we’ve all been thinking: this party sucks.
Thankfully, Janine comes to the rescue. Ever the nurturer, she pulls out some backup supplies and sprinkles a little personality around Gregory’s sterile apartment, throw pillows and all. The night ends sweetly, and their quiet connection shines through. Give us more, Janine and Gregory, please. The chemistry is undeniable, and this episode proved it once again. The DMV storyline was hilarious. Janine and Gregory shared moments of coupledom that we would like more of.
Rating: 10/10. Abbott rarely misses.
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