Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 14 Review: Aide
Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episode 14, “Aide,” is a strong return after the show’s brief February hiatus. Keyla Monterroso Mejia and Tyler Tomás Perez return as Ashley and Caleb, respectively, to shake up the narrative. Meanwhile, Janine is desperate for a teacher’s aide now that she has a whopping 42 students in her class. And Shrinking‘s Luke Tennie gets more time to flourish as Dominic.
Abbott Elementary, “Aide”
“Aide” respectfully dismantles the stigma surrounding ADHD medications. Barbara and Melissa’s remarks about their mistrust of the healthcare system really speak to the general sentiment among right-wing Boomers (because I believe leftist Boomers exist), especially the MAHA ones.
Not that Mel and Barb are actually on that side of the spectrum, but Abbott Elementary cleverly shows how dangerous the “we don’t need medication” belief can be. You’ve undoubtedly heard people in real life talk this way. Tennie’s Dominic, who takes medication for ADHD, enlists Jacob’s aid to address this issue with Barbara. A comedy of errors ensues when Jacob believes Dominic is coming out as gay, not as someone with ADHD.
In true Abbott Elementary fashion, though, every narrative choice — and every character — is treated with respect. Eventually, Dominic approaches Barbara with his concerns, and they’re well-received. Barbara immediately apologizes with zero pushback, and I wouldn’t expect anything else from her.
That said, in a world full of obstinate Boomers who dig their heels deeper into the mud rather than being accountable and open, Barbara’s response is so lovely. It’s a prime example of how one should be when their words cause harm. Open and willing to grow. The series never shies away from tackling those generational divides between our cast of characters.
Bringing Back Magical Side Characters
As mentioned earlier, “Aide” brings back Mejia and Perez as their respective characters. Ashley is hilarious, in particular, especially now that she has a stronger work ethic. An angry Janine is already a lot of fun to watch, as it’s something different — a subversion of the narrative formula. Partnering her with the unpredictable Ashley makes for double the fun.
Perez is also a blast as Caleb. He plays off Chris Perfetti’s Jacob well. Ava hiring Caleb as the gym teacher could mean we’ll see more of him. Here’s hoping. Ashley is great for dropping in the middle of a story to cause a whirlwind of chaos before she departs as quickly as she arrived.
It’s wonderful to see more of Tennie as Dominic. He delivers understated work here. Except for his brief storyline during the mall arc, it seemed like Abbott Elementary didn’t know what to do with Dominic. Thankfully, “Aide” gives him a plotline filled with humor and heart.
On a separate note, we need more Gregory/Melissa side plots. They’re a delight together, especially during the gym arc with their militaristic approach to coaching the kids. “Aide” gives everyone plenty of time to shine under the comedic spotlight, bolstered by hilarious dialogue, strong performances, and kids wreaking absolute havoc. All the havoc.
Stray Observations:
- Janine’s got a little Benson Boone on her hands. Go, Flip Boy, go!
- A Gregory versus Mr. Johnson squat challenge would be epic. That would’ve been a fun button or mid-credit scene for the episode (although I loved the lie-detector test bit with Caleb).
- As a theater kid, “I thought you meant stage left” made me laugh out loud.
- I think sprinkling hot sauce in one’s door frame summons Sean Evans, but I could be wrong.
- I’m gonna start carrying a physical photo of Paul Walter Hauser as Richard Jewell in Richard Jewell to calm down any screaming children I see in public spaces.
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.