What To Know
- Abbott Elementary‘s upcoming episodes feature the faculty temporarily relocating to an abandoned mall.
- The mall storyline is expected to span several episodes.
- Episode descriptions tease challenges with the PTA, staff suspicions, and adapting to the new environment.
Abbott Elementary‘s fifth season returns with a new school, or at least a temporary one, as the faculty sets up shop in an abandoned mall after the pipes burst at the titular locale.
As fans see in the midseason return, “Mall,” Janine (Quinta Brunson), Gregory (Tyler James Williams), Jacob (Chris Perfetti), Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), and Ava (Janelle James), along with Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis), face the challenge of creating a cohesive learning environment in a very unusual setting.
But how long will the show take place at the mall? It seems like the show’s social media account has already answered this question by revealing the calendar for upcoming episodes. “New year, new episodes, new school 👀❄️ Welcome back, Abbott Elementarians!” the calendar graphic was captioned. As fans see in the visual, it appears that the mall setting will unfold over three episodes: “Mall” on January 7, “Mall Part 2: Questions & Concerns” on January 14, and “Mall Part 3: Heroes” on January 21.
The month of episodes will be rounded out with “Picture Day” on January 28, but it’s unclear if it will still take place at the mall; however, the deviation in title format makes us think the staff and students may be back in their old school by then.
For now, ABC has unveiled the episode descriptions for these mall installments. In Part 2, the logline teases that growing pains hit the staff as the PTA pressures Janine and Gregory for answers. Meanwhile, Jacob and Barbara become suspicious of their colleague, Mr. Morton (Jerry Minor).
In the third mall episode, the faculty finds success with their mall-based operation and realizes they’re being taken advantage of, and Mr. Johnson must get used to working with a new custodian who arrives on the scene.
Fans will have to tune in to see how everything unfolds, but in the meantime, let us know what you think of the mall episodes in the comments section, and stay tuned for more back-to-school shenanigans.
Abbott Elementary, Season 5, Wednesdays, 8:30/7:30c, ABC
