Abbott Elementary’s Surprising Character Introduction Hints At A Deeper Ava Storyline The Sitcom Must Explore

Warning: Spoilers for Abbott Elementary season 4, episodes 7 and 8

ABC’s Abbott Elementary‘s new holiday episode sets up an interesting storyline for Ava that the show would be remiss for not exploring further. One thing Abbott Elementary does really well is creating these goofy characters on the outside and then giving them deeper, more realistic issues on the inside. Over the course of its four seasons, the show has done much to develop Abbott Elementary’s cast of characters.

One character who is about to get that deeper storyline is Abbott Elementary’s Ava Coleman. While Ava puts on this confident, cool exterior for the cameras, there have only been a few instances when that facade has fallen. Getting deeper into the backstory Ava could greatly enrich her character. And based on a reveal about Ava’s father and her holiday plans, the show is now poised to do just that.

Ava’s Dad Makes An Appearance In Abbott Elementary’s Latest Holiday Episode

Now We Can See A Vulnerable Side Of Ava

In an almost missable moment, the ending scene of Abbott Elementary‘s “Winter Show” episode introduces the audience to Ava’s father. Gregory goes to get his haircut and with his normal barber out of town, Mr. Coleman steps in. Gregory’s uncomfortableness when he realizes that Ava’s father is about to be the one cutting his hair could easily just be taken as a funny joke for the last minutes of the episode.

However, it would do the show a great service to dive into Ava’s personal life in Abbott Elementary more, since audiences have seen so little of it. The only time Ava’s family has previously been mentioned in the show was during episode 9 of season 1, when Ava’s grandmother showed up.

Ava’s readiness to drop everything to help her grandmother revealed that the Ava in front of the cameras is not actually who she is. The show could continue down this rabbit hole by exploring who Ava is when her father is around. It is important to see this vulnerable side of Ava with her family because it makes her character much more compelling.

We Now Know Ava Lies About Not Having Family To Spend The Holidays With

Ava’s Unbothered Attitude Is Just A Shield To Protect Herself

During episode 8, Ava showed up at Janine’s house to spend Christmas Eve with her and Gregory because she didn’t have any family in town. Gregory, knowing she was lying, asks her about her father. While Ava asks Janine and Gregory not to meddle, it wouldn’t be like Janine to just drop it. This sets up the show to explore Ava and her father’s relationship in future episodes.

Diving deeper into this storyline would also give the characters and the audience a deeper understanding of who Ava was before being principal. This new development shows that Ava’s whole unbothered attitude is only a shield that she uses to protect herself.

It’s important to dive deeper into this story because it would make Ava’s character more realistic, allowing audiences to connect with her more. It would also open the door for Gregory and Ava to bond over their difficult relationships with their fathers, since they rarely discuss anything serious in Abbott Elementary.

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Abbott Elementary

Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary comedy series centered around a group of dedicated teachers at a struggling public school in Philadelphia. The show highlights their efforts to overcome bureaucratic challenges and underfunding, while showcasing their commitment to making a positive impact on their students’ lives.

Release Date

December 7, 2021

Creator(s)

Quinta Brunson

Seasons

4