Warning: Spoilers for “Abbott Elementary” Season Three premiere
“Abbott Elementary” is back in session and it scored a total touchdown.
The Season Three of the ABC show had a special two-episode premiere on Feb. 7, which included an update on Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory’s (Tyler James Williams) romance, a surprise proposal, job offer and special cameos from three Philadelphia Eagles stars, including Jason Kelce.
In the new episodes, school is already half-way through the year, as the cast members explain that the camera crew documenting their lives got their equipment stolen and spent the last couple of months saving up for new cameras.
Here we break down what happened on the “Abbott Elementary” Season Three premiere.
A new role for Janine
When three people from the district, Manny (Josh Segarra). Emily (Kimia Behpoornia) and Simon (Benjamin Norris), pay a visit, they take interest in Janine after she suggest a career day during a team meeting.
Manny then offers Janine a fellowship at the district where she can implement new ideas and help the schools.
Throughout the episodes, she contemplates the decision, before ultimately accepting the role but making sure that she would be able to continue to teach.
Janine and Gregory in the friend zone
Viewers also found out that Janine told Gregory that she wanted to explore a romantic relationship. However, Gregory told her that he had moved on and it was best that they remain friends.
Later on, Gregory expressed how valuable Janine was at Abbott and wondered if she was really going to leave the school.
Gary proposes to Melissa
During career day, Melissa welcomed a marketing professional from the Philadelphia Eagles into her classroom who ended up bringing a surprise guest.
The special guest is none other than Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who video chats Melissa’s classroom and then the whole school goes wild. Hurts’ appearance is part of Gary’s (Bruno Amato), Melissa’s (Lisa Ann Walter) boyfriend’s proposal.
Unfortunately, Melissa, who had been adamant about not getting married again, turned Gary down.
Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce guest star
While this is happening, Hurts is still on the screen when defensive end Brandon Graham and center Jason Kelce appear asking their teammate what he is doing.
“Hey man, you’re late for practice,” Graham said, before Kelce asked, “What’s happening?”
Hurts replied to his teammates, “He just asked me to ask her to marry him, and she said no.”
“Another proposal,” Kelce said, with Graham following up, “Jalen, you gotta say no to this kinda stuff.”
The trio sticks around for a while, before Hurts continues to take questions from the kids.
Ava gets a degree and starts being a strict principal
In the first episode, viewers find out that Ava (Janelle James) earned a degree on Harvard’s campus. To clarify, she did not graduate from Harvard, she just got her degree from an online university while being physically on the Cambridge property. When she returns, she is a very strict principal, which upsets the teachers.
The teachers then try to lure Ava back to her old ways. They even make Gregory try to flirt and flex for Ava, who calls him Jeremy Allen Black — a nod to Jeremy Allen White, who got ripped for his role in “The Iron Claw.” People on social media had a field day with that quote.
Thankfully, Gregory, Melissa, Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Jacob (Chris Perfetti) and Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) had a plan to get the old Ava back: play “Back That Thang Up” by Juvenile.