Abbott Elementary Season 3 Episode 11 Review: Double Date

Abbott Elementary Season 3 Episode 11, “Double Date,” features some of the most cringe-inducing humor we’ve ever seen on the show and plenty of awkward situations, making for a highly entertaining episode. 

This episode, written by Riley Dufurrena, Joya McCrory, Kate Peterman, Justin Tan, Garrett Werner, and series creator Quinta Brunson, sees our beloved characters interact in ways we both do and don’t expect. 

“Double Date” is a showcase for actors and writers alike and also evidence that the Brunson-created comedy will not be slowing down anytime soon. 

Abbott Elementary is at its best when focused on characters, and “Double Date” is no exception. It’s a particularly rough episode for Gregory but also an excellent way for Tyler James Williams to showcase his talents. 

Surely, the question on viewers’ minds is, where exactly do Gregory and Janine stand, and how long will they remain just friends? The double date scenes are simultaneously hard to watch — due to their cringy nature — while also being entertaining and comical. 

What originally seems like a fun connection between Gregory and his blind date turns into a disaster, adding to the scenes’ overall enjoyment. It’s a delight to see Williams as the awkwardness peaks, especially when he makes a strange vocalization upon seeing Manny seemingly kiss Janine.  

The other central plot of this episode is about a book club Ava has started, giving us new character pairings and putting our beloved characters in a new situation — leading to amusing shenanigans.  

From the get-go, it’s obvious the varied personalities will clash, especially as the alpha-like Ava assumes control, letting Janelle James show off her excellent comedic timing. 

The character pairings are fun, most notably Melissa and Mr. Johnson, whose apparent “shared nihilism” is fun to behold and provides both Lisa Ann Walter and William Stanford Davis with funny material. 

It’s fun to see them both become characters in this hypothetical apocalyptic world, and they even get a food delivery driver to join in. 

Of course, the episode’s heart lies with Brunson’s Janine, who is over the moon to be back at Abbott, as shown in her delightful encounters with staff and students alike. 

The pregnancy rumor Ava has started about Janine — mentioned on Abbott Elementary Season 3 Episode 10, “2 Ava 2 Fest” — is only used briefly and funnily calls into question whether or not she truly worked for the district. 

However, what’s most important to Janine is that the kids are happy she’s back, and Brunson is so adept at showing Janine’s love for the school, and most notably for the kids, especially in her adorable interactions with her class. 

Janine missing the little things about Abbott is charming, and hopefully, we’ll see more of it in future episodes. 

The episode also features a guest appearance by Lana Condor as Gregory’s blind date, and it’s unlikely that she’ll return — considering the character’s flat-out rejection after a disaster of a date. 

Despite Janine’s departure from the district, it makes sense that Josh Segarra’s Manny wants to stay connected. And, his cheerfulness is not related to any romantic feelings he may have for Janine. It’s nice to see him pop up and add some positive energy to what is a very awkward situation. 

Another return guest star is Karan Soni as Avi, who has a playful dynamic with Jacob. His particular enjoyment at this mess of a double date and his googly eyes at the camera make him a delightful addition to the episode. 

Stray Observations:

• Jacob referring to himself as “J-Date” and then realizing his faux-pau is yet another example of why Chris Perfetti should be Emmy-nominated alongside his castmates. 
• To perhaps no one’s surprise, Gregory is a grammar snob, which fits with the rest of his personality. 
• During the book club meeting, Ava hints at her secret hide-out in the basement, which we’ve seen early in the show’s run; it’d be interesting when/if other characters discover this. 

What did you think of this episode of Abbott Elementary? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on ABC.

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