Abbott Elementary: Season 5, Episode 7 Recap Clubs and Baby Pictures

This week, Abbott returns with another warm, weird, and wonderfully chaotic episode, reminding us why it excels in both comedy and emotion. We open with Barbara proudly passing around photos of her brand-new granddaughter. The problem? These baby photos are very new, and people are politely smiling since newborns can look like confused aliens. The teachers and Ava try to conceal their true feelings until Janine asks if there’s a newer photo. Everyone’s relief is clear when Barb produces one from that morning. Crisis averted.

Meanwhile, Janine notices one of her students, Lana, looking withdrawn and helps her find community by joining a school club. She picks the Garden Goofballs, Gregory’s club, and immediately learns why the boys-only dynamic isn’t exactly thriving. The boys shut the girl out, play jokes on her, and dismiss Gregory’s attempts to foster inclusion. It’s not until Gregory goes full stern-principal-in-training mode that they finally get the message… and subsequently quit the club altogether.

Over in the teacher’s lounge, Melissa is furious that her boyfriend forgot her guinea pig’s birthday, because in Abbott's world, of course, the guinea pig’s birthday matters. Barbara recommends the silent treatment, which Melissa tries. When they ask Illena’s opinion, she attempts to “therapize” them out of the nonsense, which unexpectedly works on Barbara. Eventually, Melissa realizes what Illena is doing and calls her out in a wonderfully Melissa moment.

Janine, ever the idealist, decides girls need more club options and proposes a fashion club. She recruits Mr. Johnson as her model. I have to take a moment to give William Stanford Davis his flowers. He is hilarious as Mr. Johnson, who is so unintentionally funny. His comedic timing is impeccable, and he offers comedic gold. Ava dismisses her idea immediately, dragging Janine’s style in typical Ava fashion until a student casually mentions she’d actually attend school every day if that club existed. Ava’s selfishness may be loud, but her love for the kids is louder, and Janine suddenly has approval.

While Janine is dreaming up Lookbooks, Gregory returns to the garden with a bucket of manure and finds the boys missing; only the lone girl has shown up. Jacob, in his awkward sincerity, wrangles the boys back after their attempt to rejoin his podcast club. Gregory gives them an honest talk: getting along is hard, but finding common ground makes it easier. And it works. Soon, the kids are cooperating.

Janine runs in to announce the fashion club is officially happening and tries recruiting Lana, but she wants to stay in the garden club. Gianni, however, thinks he has “the drip” and wants to join fashion. So the clubs end up with a full-circle student swap, and honestly? It feels right.

Barbara and Melissa later apologized to Illena. Communication really is better, and Janine brings Ava a Lookbook. Ava, of course, immediately shooed Janine out and then took credit for her talent, as she admired the Lookbook in peace.

Final Thoughts:Another ten-out-of-ten Abbott episode. Laughs? Check. Heart? Check. Workplace chaos held together by misguided love and manure? Double check. Season 5 continues to prove that Abbott still has its charm, balance, and comedic rhythm firmly intact, and Episode 7 is a perfect reminder of why we keep coming back to this little Philly school.

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