Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 11 Review: Mall Part 3: Heroes
Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 11, “Mall Part 3: Heroes,” concludes the abandoned mall arc with the show’s signature comedic flair. Here, viewers are finally blessed with a more Mr. Johnson-centric storyline featuring the always hilarious William Stanford Davis and series newcomer Khandi Alexander as his lover in the janitorial arts, Miss Carroll. Admittedly, despite its relegation to B-plot status, it’s the more interesting storyline of the two.
Abbott Elementary, “Mall Part 3: Heroes”
What’s great about this particular arc is that the writers aren’t stretching it too thin. They could’ve easily kept the mall story going, but “Mall Part 3: Heroes” really feels like a natural ending. Any longer, and we would’ve crossed the threshold into tired and uninspired territory. Thankfully, the Powers That Be are expert storytellers, and they know when not to beat a dead narrative horse.
Mr. Johnson and Miss Carroll’s love story is as humorous as it is strangely heartwarming. We seldom see this character’s personal life beyond the long-running gag of mentioning all the awe-inspiring things he’s accomplished. Davis is a comedic pro. All the character flourishes and choices he makes, particularly when he tucks a strand of invisible hair behind his ear like a giddy schoolgirl, resonate onscreen.
The decision to make Mr. Johnson and Miss Carroll’s extraordinary stories mirror each other is also clever, as is the former’s refreshingly feminist belief that women should be NFL coaches and in Wall Street boardrooms. It’s a fun way to subvert a misogynist trope — that women should be reduced to cooking and cleaning. Alexander matches Davis’s energy to perfection, and their chemistry made this reviewer wish she would stick around beyond “Mall Part 3: Heroes.”
Do Schools Even Need Schools?
The A-plot sees the teachers go head-to-head with the district to fight for the titular elementary school’s reopening. After being hailed as heroes on the front page of the local newspaper and finally getting their due, Ms. Alomar brings the staff back down to Earth. Could it be that the district is leveraging the media to distract from the fact that Abbott will never leave the mall?
It’s a delightfully clever skewering of what’s happening in our world. Art imitates life. Those in power incessantly weaponize the media to distract from the real issues.
It takes Janine, a character more likely to go with the flow than disrupt the status quo, coming to terms with their situation for actual change to occur. It’s a moment of immense growth for her. Abbott Elementary‘s ability to continue fleshing out these characters in interesting ways, even five seasons in, should be studied.
This newfound assertiveness from Janine, which has cropped up a few times in Season 5, is put to good use here. “Mall Part 3: Heroes” should galvanize anyone, especially those in the teaching profession, to stand up for themselves and fight for what they deserve. There’s no show that’s a greater champion for teachers than this endearing little comedy.
“Mall Part 3: Heroes” is a solid conclusion to this three-parter, and a stronger outing compared to last week’s fare. Where Season 5 will take us next, only time will tell, but here’s hoping the laughs are plentiful (and that Mr. Johnson gets more than a mall-mance on the love front).
Stray Observations:
- Jacob is right — winning fake arguments in your head is satisfying. Just don’t thrust me into an actual confrontation, please, and thank you.
- I’d watch a John Wick the Janitor flick.
- Night at the Museum discourse in 2026? I’m a fan.
- Jacob finally finishing Gregory’s sentence is probably the best thing to happen to him all year. And I get it.
- Ava and Dia spin-off episode when? They’re so funny together.
What did you think of this episode of Abbott Elementary? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Abbott Elementary airs new episodes every Wednesday at 8:30/7:30c on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.