Abbott Elementary fans are feeling some type of way about Wednesday’s episode, and that’s exactly what Quinta Bronson wants.
“I don’t even want to say I’m sorry,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “We’re all going to go on a nice sun ride with each other [after this], right?
During the episode titled “Trip,” the long-simmering tension between Janine and Gregory (Tyler Williams) reaches a shocking breaking point over what begins as a simple vacation disagreement. While planning a getaway to the Outer Banks, the couple finds themselves at an impasse. Gregory’s frugality leads him to insist on a grueling eight-hour drive to save money. Janine, who wants to be comfortable, secretly buys plane tickets to bypass the hassle. This move forces them to discover if they are truly compatible.
According to Brunson, this is Janine’s evolution.
“This is a girl who has, over the years, learned to stand up for what she wants and to not to compromise as much,” Brunson said. “We talked about that a lot in the [writers’] room. Her learning, especially with a trip — there was a trip she wanted to take a few seasons ago. And she was going to compromise for the sake of her mother, and she learned not to do that. So she’s trying to exercise that. She’s trying to exercise her wants and getting what she needs.”
With Janine and Gregory at odds, they do the unthinkable: They consider going their separate ways.
“I think [we were excited] because Jeanine and Gregory are two characters we know very well. And more than anything, two characters we think we know very well. So we think we know their relationship,” she said. “We feel settled with it. But I think, as with any relationship, the inside has its own dynamics. And I thought that they’ve been on such an easy ride since they got together, it was interesting to all of us to see some different layers there.”
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.