Abbott Elementary Season 5 Premiere Recap & Review: Back to School

Jazz
Oct 2
2 min read

A group of people in a parking lot look up with interest. They are in casual and formal wear, near parked cars and a school bus.

Abbott Elementary is back, and with it comes the perfect mix of chaos, charm, and heartfelt comedy. The season premiere wastes no time throwing us into the mayhem of a new school year while setting up fresh dynamics for the teachers we love.

A New Face in the Classroom

The big introduction this season is Dominic, played by Luke Tennie. He’s Barbara’s former student-turned-new teacher, and Barbara’s initial shock is both amusing and tender. True to form, she handles it with grace, but it does give her a new protégé, which doesn’t sit so smoothly with Janine.

Classic Abbott Chaos

The school year kickoff wouldn’t be complete without disasters. This time: stale donuts Mr. Johnson neglected to toss, a gas leak, and a literal ceiling collapse. In true Abbott fashion, the teachers take it all in stride (mostly). Melissa, meanwhile, gets bumped up to teaching sixth grade and quickly regrets it after hearing horror stories from Jacob and Joseph. Her attempt to swap classes with Janine? Ava denied it, of course.

Team Building, Abbott Style

The district sends in an outsider to run team-building exercises, which sounds like a nightmare and quickly becomes one. Gregory discovers Mr. Johnson never learned how to ride a bike, and suddenly that becomes his mission. What follows is a clumsy journey that ends with everyone pitching in to help Johnson ride the bike without crashing. It’s messy, chaotic, and somehow perfect, and Barbara reminds the district rep that this is precisely what the district was hoping to see.

Man rides a blue bike through a cheering crowd in an alley. People smile and raise fists in excitement against a backdrop of brick walls. — (Disney/Gilles Mingasson) TYLER JAMES WILLIAMS, QUINTA BRUNSON, JERRY MINOR, WILLIAM STANFORD DAVIS

Personal Notes & New Arcs

Ava: Still Ava. She’s rewriting history, head-over-heels in love, and a little delusional. Still, it’s entertaining, and I’m glad she and O’Shon are holding strong.
Janine: The standout arc here is her insecurity over Barbara mentoring Dominic. Watching Janine wrestle with identity and purpose was quietly powerful. By the end, she leans into being herself and realizes she has the potential to mentor others as well.

Final Thoughts

This episode felt more like a teaser of the season than a full meal, but it worked. The laughs weren’t as plentiful as past episodes, but the groundwork is there. We have new dynamics, team-bonding activities, and plenty of room for growth.

Rating: 7/10 – A solid setup with good story potential. Not the funniest episode, but the heart and foundation for what's to come are strong.