Abbott Elementary's Fan-Favorite Character Has a Very Serious Flaw

Summary

• Abbott Elementary is especially popular with viewers thanks to its memorable characters.
• The show's ultimate fan favorite can ruin any mood with her negative attitude.
• The character tries her best to be realistic and doesn't get her hopes up.

When Abbott Elementary premiered in late 2021, it was an instant hit for many reasons. The mockumentary format proved popular once again with audiences who had missed it since Modern Family ended in 2020. The amusing and engaging premise of AE following the staff of the titular school in Philadelphia got viewers hooked on the show. But the sitcom is even more popular for another reason – its charismatic characters.

Abbott Elementary focuses primarily on Janine Teagues and her efforts to make the school a better place for her students. But the rest of the faculty contributes a lot to the overall dynamic of the show. For example, Principal Ava Coleman is the funniest character on the show. And Ms. Barbara Howard, the longest-tenured teacher at Abbott, is the most popular character, thanks to her stern and righteous demeanor and hilarious quirks, such as confusing the names of celebrities. But despite her many assets, Barbara has one very serious flaw.

Unwillingness to Explore New Things

Since Season 1, there has been a contrast between Janine's enthusiasm and openness to new things and Barbara's experience and down-to-earth approach to everything. And while it seems like a very mature behavior that speaks to Ms. Howard's expertise, it also speaks to her greatest flaw - stubborn skepticism.

It's almost a superpower. No matter how excited you are, Barbara can kill the mood with her cold criticism, as she often does with Janine's ideas. The last two episodes of Season 3 are prime examples. For instance, in the post-Oscars sixth episode, Janine wanted to turn Abbott Elementary into a Philadelphia historical landmark, thanks to Willard R. Abbott, who used the building as a bomb shelter. However, Ms. Howard didn't share her enthusiasm and ruined the fun of the idea. In fairness to Barbara, it's worth noting that the idea did fail in the end.

In episode 7, Janine introduced a new librarian program at Abbott, and all the teachers were excited about it except Barbara. She was extremely reluctant to accept the changes that were actually very positive and beneficial for the school and the students. Eventually, Ms. Howard opened up to the new idea, but she really hurt Janine's feelings with her attitude.

In Barbara's Defense

First of all, Barbara always comes around, even if she doesn't like something at first, like the librarian program. Second, Ms. Howard has a lot of experience and usually knows what works with students and what doesn't, what's worth the time and effort and what isn't. But it would be nicer if she wasn't such a downer all the time.

Episode 8 of Abbott Elementary's third season will premiere on March 20.