Abbott Elementary 3×05 “Breakup” Spoilers Ahead
Abbott Elementary Season 3, Episode 5, “Breakup,” beautifully centers Barbara Howard in such a way that continues to showcase why she’s the best exhibition of a Christian woman on screen. At the same time, Melissa and Janine misrepresent a situation while Jacob tries to get Zach to break up with him.
Christianity is a tricky subject to discuss nowadays because American Christianity is often synonymous with white supremacy and unjust conservative rulings. It doesn’t represent a large majority of Christians who sincerely believe and walk in Christ’s promised love, choosing to welcome and appreciate everyone in the world with the understanding that equality knows no gender, sexuality, race, etc. And throughout Abbott Elementary’s run, the series has highlighted Barbara’s Christianity in such a way where that love is boldly evident in everything she does.
Abbott Elementary 3×05 “Breakup” Showcases Why Faith Matters to Barbara
Ava, in all honesty, says it best: “What is a choir if not a sorority for the Lord?” Many people have chosen to leave the church because of various forms of judgment, which are often passed down in a demeaning way and ultimately undermine many of Christ’s teachings. Many still carry their faith because it matters profoundly to them, but the competition, hypocrisy, hatred, and cruelty of the church aren’t something that they can stand with.
In Abbott Elementary 3×05 “Breakup,” the school opens its doors to Barbara’s church choir after they find mold in their rehearsal room, yet Barbara is still undermined by her “sisters.” She is judged for her ear piercings and her friendship with the other teachers at the school, and she is robbed of a solo that she rightfully deserves. Ava fights for her (surprising but fantastic, no less) and tries to inspire her to stand up for herself. She also questions why Barbara stays even when they don’t treat her fairly.
But sometimes, it isn’t about how a person is treated. Praise and worship matter to some Christians, and their connection to Christ comes alive in the four walls of a church. It’d be hypocritical of me (all of us, really) to judge that. It’s why Barbara’s arc continues to be so beautiful because she’s an honest depiction of many women and why they stay despite all their viewpoints not aligning.
Simultaneously, sometimes, as hard as it is, being the bigger person also says a lot about someone. Why should Barbara’s choir, full of women who don’t see her worth, think that they have power over her because they’ve hurt her? They don’t deserve that because she’s bigger than them, in more ways than one, because of the genuine love that resides inside her.
So, after Ava sees that they aren’t letting her have the solo and refuse to hear her sing to audition properly, she opens the school auditorium to give her a beat to shine. In true Barbara Howard fashion, she takes it too far, but it’s neither aggressive nor offensive. It isn’t pushy, either. She isn’t trying to indoctrinate or sway anyone else’s beliefs. She’s merely up on the stage, singing her heart out and allowing Sheryl Lee Ralph to bring a gorgeously soulful performance to our screen.
Ralph is often the strongest performer in the series because of how she conveys quiet vulnerability with the character’s usual quirks center stage. And I felt so deeply for her throughout the entirety of the episode while she stood with multiple metaphorical daggers being thrown at her while she tried to maintain grace. And it’s because of an episode like Abbott Elementary 3×05 “Breakup” where I’m so profoundly thankful that the series is choosing to remind viewers that Christianity isn’t always synonymous with gross white supremacy and outraged, unfair hatred. Barbara Howards exist in this world, and they’re so easy to adore because they’re also tossed aside by the very people who are meant to love them.
But at the very least, she is deeply loved by the friends she cares for.
Now streaming on Hulu or ABC: What are your thoughts on Abbott Elementary 3×05 “Breakup?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©(Disney/Gilles Mingasson)