Abbott Elementary Review: Ava & Fest / Miami (Season 5 Episodes 21 and 22)

Abbott Elementary Season 5 Episodes 21 and 22, “Ava & Fest” and “Miami,” serve up a heaping helping of hilarity and high stakes in equal measure. The double-episode season finale sees Granine patch things up (we knew they would), Ava Fest get a surprise visit from Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and the teachers of our titular school undergo a wave of emotions at a conference in Miami.

Hey, at least fake Tiger Woods/fake Don Cheadle/fake Donovan McNabb (an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia reference, for the uninitiated) spared Abbott from closure. Here’s hoping we’ll see more of Geoffrey Owens in Season 6 since he’s playing the new superintendent. 

Abbott Elementary, “Ava & Fest,” and “Miami” 

Luke Tennie steps into the spotlight again as the adorable Dominic, who tries desperately to get on Ava’s good side. It’s a fun, lighthearted side arc that shows Dominic becoming part of the Abbott culture. It’s more entertaining than Jacob and Melissa’s quest to catch some kids in the act of creating fake hall passes, although it’s always a delight to watch young Lela Hoffmeister as the scheming Courtney. 

The undisputed highlight of “Ava & Fest” is Janine and Gregory working through their first big fight instead of throwing in the towel. Barbara’s invaluable advice about discovering “The want behind the want” is applicable to real life.

It also tugs at the heartstrings to see Gregory and Janine realize that their behavior when in conflict can be traced back to their parents. Janine picked up bad habits from her narcissistic mother, while Gregory did the same with his rigid, stoic father. Instead of digging in their heels and repeating their parents’ mistakes, Janine and Gregory decide to break the cycle of generational trauma. They choose each other over their preconceived notions of what relationships are. 

All on the Line

“Ava & Fest” ends on a high note before we barrel full-steam ahead into “Miami.” The final episode of Abbott Elementary Season 5 has Granine drama in the rearview mirror (thankfully), but the narrative stakes are now higher than ever with the school on the line. When the teachers learn that Abbott is on the list of schools the district plans to close, they each take different approaches to saving their jobs.

Jacob plans a sit-in with the other teachers, while Barbara and Melissa encourage their fellow educators to paint the town red. Janine considers becoming a content creator on “Mostly Fans.” Gregory watches Naked and Afraid for ideas on how to save Abbott. Of course, we know the school won’t close — after all, Abbott Elementary was renewed for Season 6.

It’s not about the actual threat of closure; the manufactured stakes are more about forcing the teachers to consider their futures. Gregory confirming to O’Shon that he plans to propose to Janine while a band plays an instrumental version of Bruno Mars’ “Marry You” is pitch-perfect. It made this Granine fan very, very giddy. A wedding proposal in Season 6 definitely feels like a possibility. Elsewhere, Jacob plans to get more involved with the district, building on his journey to becoming district liaison this season. 

Onward and Upward 

To top it all off, when the new superintendent announces that Abbott is spared, we learn that the district plans to hire an in-house assistant principal for the school. Naturally, the teachers recommend Gregory, who was the interim principal for Ava. This sets the stage for some Ava/Gregory shenanigans in Season 6 since they’ll be working closely to keep Abbott running. I’m so in. 

“Miami” is equal parts euphoric and heartfelt. Everyone is forced to reckon with how they really feel about our eponymous elementary school. It’s honesty from here on out. The episode is a love letter to these teachers and how much they pour into their work. It’s a stark reminder that, even with the temporarily high stakes, Abbott Elementary is one of the best comfort-food comedies on the air. All the humor and heart wrapped into a sweet sitcom package. We can always depend on this series for a laugh. 

Despite a few (understandable and expected) speed bumps, Season 5 was consistently strong throughout. Bring on Season 6 (and hopefully a Granine proposal). 

Stray Observations: 

• Did we know before that the “Ava” in “Ava Fest” stands for “A Very Abbott”? Methinks not. Still, it’s creative. 
• I agree with Mr. Johnson — I’m very far from 65, and my brain is definitely not developed yet. 
• I would kill for a Barbara Howard pep talk right about now. 
• I thought Pentatonix was like Mariah Carey in that they’re on ice for most of the year before we defrost them for Christmas. 
• Morton would be a Mostly Fans creator. I see the vision. 
• I think we need footage of Gregory “raw-dogging” the flight to Miami. For science. 
• Jim Rash will always be Dean Pelton from Community to me, even when he’s not. 
• Sea Barbara is the best pirate on the seven seas. Watch out, Monkey D. Luffy. 

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Abbott Elementary Seasons 1 through 5 are now streaming on Hulu. 

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