Abbott Elementary's Janine and Ava Have More in Common Than You Think

Summary

• Janine and Ava's relationship is the source of most of the fun on Abbott Elementary.
• Ms. Teagues and Principal Coleman seem to have had similar childhood dramas.
• This could lead to the characters bonding over their backstories.

While some people don't get it, others have become true fans of ABC's hit mockumentary Abbott Elementary. And there are a lot of reasons for that. After all, the comedy show has won three Emmy Awards over the course of its two-season run. Now that AE is in its third season, it's sure to have more wins to come.

Set in the fictional Philadelphia school of the title, Abbott Elementary follows the staff in their professional and personal lives as they strive to provide their students with the best learning experience possible. The school's various staff members are all very different, and their interactions provide a lot of tension and comic relief for the audience. In particular, the fire-and-ice relationship between Janine and Ava is always fun to follow. But as polar opposites as they seem, the two characters have a lot in common.

No Parent Figure Growing Up

Although the lives of Abbott's characters before the documentary are not really explored on the show, we do get glimpses of their backstories from time to time. For example, we know that Eddie always struggled to live up to his father's standards. Barbara almost lost her faith in God after having children. And Melissa comes from a family of firefighters and has many siblings with whom she's constantly at odds.

Janine and Ava's cases are much more dramatic, as both characters come from not-so-functioning families. Ms. Teagues' mother, portrayed by Taraji P. Henson and who makes a brief appearance in Season 2, is excruciatingly self-centered and delusional, and it is unlikely that she gave Janine much time, care and affection while the future teacher was growing up. Ava's mother, on the other hand, is not mentioned on the show, but we know that Principal Coleman has a grandmother and siblings that she had to take care of because her parents were apparently absent from her life.

In other words, neither Janine nor Ava had a parent to rely on, which made them grow up and mature very quickly. But while Janine has managed to retain her childlike optimism and naivety, Ava has become quite cynical and carefree.

A Reason to Bond

Given their completely different personalities, Ava and Janine are unlikely to be good friends, but their similar childhood experiences could be the perfect reason for the two characters to bond. At the very least, the duo could have a heartfelt moment where they bare their souls to each other, which would help them understand one another better.

Hopefully, this won't stop Ava from making fun of Janine, because that's one of the funniest things about the show. Abbott Elementary returns from a two-week hiatus tonight, April 10, with the ninth episode of Season 3.