Viewers have questioned the potential romance between Gregory and Janine since Abbott Elementary Season 3 premiered earlier this year. Series lead and creator Quinta Brunson elevated those questions by providing a cryptic response about the eager teacher and her District co-worker Manny’s relationship. This threw fans into a frenzy after labeling Janine and Gregory them the next “Jim and Pam.” However, there’s one series regular who is not worried – Gregory himself Tyler James Williams. In fact, the Abbott Elementary star argued why he doesn’t want Janine and Gregory together, and his take makes a lot of sense.
What Tyler James Williams Said About Janine And Gregory
The Everybody Hates Chris alum revealed his real thoughts on the Abbott teachers’ relationship during an interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show. Hudson brought up the fan-favorite “will-they-won’t-they” relationship after watching recent Season 3 developments. Falling in line with his previous Gregory-Janine comments, Williams might’ve brought out the ire of Abbott viewers with his unique take on the co-workers’ relationship, saying:
I hate to say it, and everybody’s always mad at me for this, I don’t necessarily want to see them end up together. … It’s partially an actor’s choice. I read a lot of scripts all the time. I watch a lot of TV, a lot of film. I don’t think that we see displays of platonic love between two people often. I think it’s really easy to go right to ‘they have feelings for each other, therefore they should be together.’ I like this dynamic of them exploring, withholding that and just actively loving each other where they are.
The Golden Globe winner mentioned he loved Gregory and Janine’s current status as supportive friends, and he wants to see more of that. Williams’s perspective was quite refreshing, especially from someone who’s read hundreds of scripts since childhood. He can see where the eventual “get-together” moment could go, and he may not like it. We’ve all been there with our favorite TV couples. So, the friend zone might be the best for both characters right now.
Tyler James Williams wasn’t done advocating for more platonic love on the small screen. He went into more detail, saying:
I think it’s time for that. I think TV allows people to see things that could be their lives for the first time. And I think seeing a healthy friendship that is deeply caring about one another in a work atmosphere needs to be shown more than a relationship.
He has a point that Janine and Gregory should remain friends. After only three seasons, they are still coming into adulthood. Both teachers experienced multiple breakups since Season 1. These heartbreaks allowed the friendly duo to grow. They’re still learning what it means to be an adult and the tribulations that come with that. It’s not like we haven’t seen the awkward friends kiss before. Plus, the Season 3 opener made viewers question the teachers’ status after that heartbreaking confession scene. It pointed out how they never match each other’s energy when one confesses their feelings for the other.
Right now, I see Gregory and Janine serving as comfort and strength for each other as they navigate the Philadelphia school system. Some of Season 3’s best moments have been those encouraging moments between them when one (or both) faces a challenge or feels insecure. I think staying friends works in the duo’s favor for now.
The Varying Success of “Will-They-Won’t-They” Couples
I’ve seen varying results of TV’s infamous “will-they-won’t-they” couples. So, Janine and Gregory were in a good place. Viewers have gotten their wishes and eventually soured on certain couples. The archetype Jim and Pam (after marriage and children), Insecure’s Issa and Lawrence, and even the beloved 1990s sitcom couple Martin and Gina come to mind. Those examples lost the tension that made their romantic stories worthwhile.
Other infamous TV couples were either messy until the end (Friends’ Ross and Rachel) or coasted upon finally getting together (i.e., Friends’ Monica and Chandler, Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Jake and Amy, and Living Single’s Overton and Synclaire). The best couples remained beloved and grew to become goals upon starting their romance like Full House’s Jesse and Becky and Parks & Rec’s Leslie and Ben.
So, if Janine and Gregory do get together, it's hard to tell if it would help or harm the show. However, for now, I'm with Tyler James Williams, it's just nice to see them being supportive friends.
Only time will tell what category Janine and Gregory will join. Thankfully, Abbott Elementary was renewed for a fourth season so there’s more to come for the quirky duo. You can watch the hit Emmy-winning sitcom every Wednesday on ABC at 9 p.m. ET or through a Hulu subscription. After catching up with the ABC sitcom, make sure to check out the 2024 TV schedule to find other excellent shows to watch.
