The teachers of Abbott Elementary are back for a fifth season, bringing their unique brand of humor and heart to the underfunded halls of Willard R. Abbott Elementary School. The ABC sitcom, which premiered its new season on October 1, 2025, continues to follow the lives of its dedicated teaching staff. This season brings new faces, new challenges, and the long-awaited development of Janine and Gregory’s relationship, all while maintaining the mockumentary style that fans love.
The Main Cast and Their Characters
The core group of teachers and staff returns, with each character bringing their own unique dynamic to the school’s ecosystem.
Quinta Brunson reprises her role as Janine Teagues, the optimistic second-grade teacher who is always striving to improve her students’ learning experience. In this season, Janine is navigating her new relationship with Gregory and finding her place now that she is no longer a new teacher. Brunson not only stars in the series but also serves as the creator and executive producer.
Tyler James Williams returns as Gregory Eddie, the first-grade teacher who started as a substitute and has now become a full-time member of the Abbott family. His relationship with Janine, which officially began in Season 4, continues to develop. In the season premiere, he is seen teaching Mr. Johnson how to ride a bike.
Sheryl Lee Ralph is back as Barbara Howard, the religious and tradition-loving kindergarten teacher who serves as a mother figure to Janine. This season features a major plot line following Barbara’s character. A new element involves a former student of hers, Dominic, now returning to Abbott as a teacher.
Janelle James continues her role as Ava Coleman, the school’s chaotic and often tone-deaf principal. Ava consistently creates challenges for the staff, particularly Janine, and received her position through blackmailing the superintendent.
Lisa Ann Walter plays Melissa Schemmenti, a second-grade teacher with questionable connections to Philadelphia locals that she often uses for the school’s benefit. This season, Melissa has been promoted to teaching sixth-grade mathematics.
Chris Perfetti returns as Jacob Hill, the occasionally awkward eighth-grade history teacher who remains one of Janine’s biggest supporters in her efforts to improve the school.
William Stanford Davis is Mr. Johnson, the school janitor who might appear lazy at times but consistently gets the job done while occasionally sharing conspiracy theories with students.
New and Returning Supporting Characters
Season 5 introduces new faces and brings back familiar ones to create fresh dynamics and storylines.
A significant addition to the cast is Luke Tennie as Dominic Clark, a new fourth-grade teacher who was once a student in Barbara Howard’s classroom. This creates an interesting dynamic as he now works alongside his former teacher.
Several recurring characters from previous seasons are also set to appear. Zack Fox returns as Tariq Temple, Janine’s ex-boyfriend who is now the president of the PTA. His return causes chaos in Janine’s classroom in the second episode of the season.
Other returning supporting cast includes Jaboukie Young-White as Elijah, Jacob’s love interest; Matthew Law as O’Shon, an IT worker dating Ava; Jerry Minor as Joseph Morton, a colleague of Jacob; and Taylor Garron as Tasha Hoffman, a teacher who has shown dislike for Janine in the past.
Exciting Episode Guides and Special Events
The fifth season features several notable episodes that take the characters out of their usual environment.
The season premiere, titled “Team Building,” aired on October 1, 2025. The episode sees the district implementing mandatory team building exercises for the Abbott staff. A gas leak forces everyone outside, and Janine struggles with her place now that she’s no longer a new teacher.
The second episode, “Cheating,” airing on October 8, 2025, features Melissa trying to outsmart her students while Tariq causes disruption in Janine’s classroom.
A particularly special episode is “Ballgame,” scheduled for October 15, 2025. This episode was filmed at a live Philadelphia Phillies baseball game during Teachers’ Appreciation Night. The entire cast and crew attended the game to film the special episode, which will feature a cameo from Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber as himself.
Other confirmed episodes include “Game Night” on October 22, where Gregory hosts game night at his apartment, and “Camping” on October 29. The season will also feature holiday episodes for Halloween and Christmas.
Behind the Scenes of Season 5
ABC officially renewed Abbott Elementary for its fifth season on January 21, 2025, while the fourth season was still airing. Filming for the new season began on August 6, 2025.
Quinta Brunson has teased that Season 5 will feature significant moments for Janine and Gregory’s relationship, as well as a “game-changer” that will “make or break” the school. The season has moved to a new time slot, airing on Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, positioned between Shifting Gears and The Golden Bachelor.
The season continues to follow the mockumentary format similar to shows like The Office and Modern Family, with a documentary crew recording the lives of teachers working in an underfunded Philadelphia public school.
Also Read: Abbott Elementary Season 5 Release Schedule: New Episode Dates
