The teachers of Abbott Elementary are having a strange start to the new year. After the school’s furnace broke down, the entire staff has been moved to teach classes inside an abandoned mall. In the chaos of this unusual setting, a quick joke about Gregory Eddie and his struggle to make ends meet made a surprise return, reminding fans of a ongoing story from last season.
The moment happens early in Abbott Elementary Season 5, Episode 9, titled “Mall”. A school district employee named Simon informs the teachers that lunches will be delivered to the mall since there is no kitchen. Hearing this, Jacob Hill immediately quips, “Food delivery?! That’s treadin’ on Gregory’s other job, buddy.” This line is a direct callback to Gregory’s financial struggles in Season 4, confirming he is still balancing multiple jobs.
The Original Season 4 Joke About Gregory’s Jobs
To understand the callback, you need to look back at Abbott Elementary Season 4. In Episode 16, titled “Books,” it was revealed that Gregory, a second-grade teacher, had taken on two extra jobs because his teaching salary wasn’t enough to cover his expenses. He was working as both a food delivery driver and a rideshare driver.
This plot point created one of the funniest and most relatable conflicts of the season in Episode 17, “Karaoke.” Gregory was stuck working a rideshare shift on a busy, profitable Friday night. He had a difficult choice: continue driving to earn more money or leave work to join his girlfriend, Janine Teagues, and the rest of the staff for karaoke night. He ultimately chose Janine, arriving just in time to sing a duet with her. The joke in the new “Mall” episode is the first time this storyline has been mentioned since that karaoke night, over a season ago.
How the Callback Fits Into the New Mall Setting
The setting for this callback is key. Episode 9, “Mall,” premiered on January 8, 2026, and picks up right after the events of the fall finale. In the previous episode, “Birthday,” the school’s aging furnace finally gave out, forcing the district to relocate Abbott Elementary to a vacant mall building. The episode shows the teachers trying to manage students in the wide-open, distracting space of the mall, with the promised district lunches arriving in terrible condition.
Jacob’s joke cuts through the frustration of the moment. It’s a classic Abbott Elementary style of humor—using a character’s ongoing personal struggle to make a lighthearted comment on a larger systemic problem, like a school district’s poor food service. The joke confirms for viewers that despite his relationship with Janine progressing, Gregory is still quietly dealing with the financial pressure that forces him to work three jobs.
Abbott Elementary’s History with Callback Jokes
This is not the first time Abbott Elementary has used a callback to get big laughs. The show’s writers often bring back old jokes, knowing their audience remembers them.
One of the most famous examples is from Season 1. In an early episode, when Jacob’s boyfriend Zach first visited the school, Ava Coleman yelled “Black?!” in surprise upon seeing him. Zach, mishearing, politely replied, “It’s actually pronounced Zach.” This became an instant fan-favorite joke. The show brought it back in Season 4 when Jacob ran into Zach and his new boyfriend, Wyatt. In a loud bar, Ava again misheard, yelling “White?” to which Wyatt cheerfully corrected, “It’s actually pronounced Wyatt.”
Another running joke involves veteran teacher Barbara Howard. She frequently mixes up the names of white celebrities, believing them to be Black. This bit was inspired by something actress Sheryl Lee Ralph does in real life and has become a recurring gag that the other characters quietly enjoy without correcting her.
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Fan Reaction and Series Context
While fan reactions to this specific Gregory joke are not detailed in the available sources, the callback has been noted by reviewers as a smart, quick piece of continuity. It comes at a time when some critics have expressed concerns about Season 5 feeling repetitive or moving too many stories outside the school building. Episodes this season have been set at a baseball game, a DMV, a camping trip, and now a mall.
Critics argue that the show is at its best when it focuses on the school and the students. Episodes like “No Phones” and “Goofgirl” (Episode 7), which center on student interactions, have been highlighted as strong points of the season. The move to the mall, while a big change, is seen by some as a necessary shake-up that could bring fresh energy and new stories back to the core of the show.
“The choice is not a grand speech. It is a clear ruling, delivered on camera, that treats access as policy rather than a favor.”
This line, describing Gregory’s decision to make his gardening club co-ed in Episode 7, reflects the show’s strength in handling real issues with subtlety and humor. The callback to his second job continues this tradition, using comedy to highlight the ongoing reality of underpaid teachers.
All released episodes of Abbott Elementary Season 5, including “Mall”, are available to stream on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.
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