Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 7, “Winter Show” and Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 8, “Winter Break” Spoilers Ahead
Abbott Elementary never misses when it comes to holiday specials, balancing its usual brand of chaotic humor with a unique heart that effectively threads into something beautiful. Such is the case for both episodes this week, “Winter Show” and “Winter Break,” as they each provide something different while simultaneously blending to evoke a message about loneliness.
Conversations about loneliness are often present in holiday specials, yet they feel especially relevant this year. When the Department of Education is threatened, when schools may push one religion over the other, and when minority groups feel isolated? We need episodes like Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 7, “Winter Show,” and Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 8, “Winter Break,” more than ever. We need the reminder that the world is still overflowing with people who care and want to ensure that no one’s left alone during the holidays or the rest of the year.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 7 Is All About Caring for the Students
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it as many times as the show will allow me to, but Barbara Howard is a shining example of how a Christian woman should be—welcoming, warm, and genuinely loving. And as a Christian myself, I adore watching a character like her remind people that there are those who still take Christ’s message of loving your neighbor to heart. Christianity isn’t the sole religion in the world, nor should it be. The mixture of church and state isn’t the way to go when we’re all created uniquely, and if we are to believe that we’re made in the image of God, then isn’t His inclusive image one we should value?
There are indeed people who aren’t religious and still celebrate Christmas, but others who don’t, and when her Muslim student, Khadija (River Blossom), expresses that she can’t sing the songs and is later teased by other students, Barbara takes matters into her own hands. I could hear the battle cries of “They’re ruining Christmas!” Yet, Christmas is about ensuring that no one is alone, and the Jesus Christ I believe in wouldn’t celebrate the idea of children bullying others for their religious beliefs. We’re talking about the man who sat with sinners and broke bread with those who scorned Him. We’re talking about the savior who’s so deeply loving that His sole commandment is to love. Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 7, “Winter Show,” reminds us of this fact when it endeavors to ensure that no student should ever feel left out because of their beliefs, nor should they have to conform. Because love, kindness, and company are the very foundations of Christianity (and I imagine most religions).
The rest of the hijinks are quintessential Abbott, but this time, we meet more family members, starting with Jacob’s brother Caleb (Tyler Perez). Caleb charms his way through everything and everyone, making Jacob feel like a failure. But it’s Christmas, and things aren’t what they seem, so the truth is that all this time, Caleb has merely tried to show his brother how much he admires him. As the brothers reconnect, it gives us another piece to Jacob’s puzzle that feels thoughtfully placed. More of him, please.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 8 Is About the Teachers
If “Winter Show” is about the students, then Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 8, “Winter Break,” is about the teachers. It’s Gregory and Janine’s first Christmas together, and it’s also the first time Melissa is hosting a family dinner since her divorce. We knew that her family would be a lot, yet meeting the very Italian Schemmentis makes for a superlative episode. Thankfully, Barb and her husband are there, along with Jacob and Caleb. Additionally, we learn a secret about Ava that could result in some great character development if it comes back around.
First things first, don’t take fitness advice from a TikTok trainer who thinks checking someone’s pulse is the same as checking for a fever. Caleb and Jacob believe that Melissa’s bigot uncle Archie is dead, yet when they want to call 911, she proposes they do it after dinner. Stressed beyond comprehension, Jacob is going through it, yet Melissa is just trying to get by, showing us once again that she’s the black sheep in her family. Her racist uncle even makes a gross comment about Barb and her husband, plus calls Jacob Nancy. Yet, this idea of loneliness comes in full force when we see how hard Melissa is trying and how important it is to have her people beside her.
One scene in particular with her mother, guest starring The Godfather’s Talia Shire, sticks out because it’s so painfully apparent how a single compliment means so much to Melissa. Lisa Ann Walter does a gorgeous job of showing us that in the chaos, a moment of calm is the one that hits the hardest. Additionally, seeing how Barb continues to check in on her is a perfect reminder of their friendship, which never once fails to evoke all the emotions.
Elsewhere in Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 8, “Winter Break,” when Ava barges in on Gregory and Janine’s night in, she changes their Christmas movie plans. Janine gets frustrated and tells Gregory to ask her to leave, but he instead confronts Ava about how he knows her father lives in Philly. Ava dodges the question by simply stating that they don’t have a good relationship, yet I can’t help but wonder if this could be one of the things that gives her character development beyond the careless principal. I want to see more of her heart, and this could be some way of showing her life inside her home and past life.
At the same time, I love seeing Gregory and Janine take it so easy with their first Christmas. The chance to watch the comfort that’s so present in their relationship will always be one of the best parts of having an established couple on our screens. Watching them compromise with each other and get to know each other more is something I’ll always want to see more of. And a small little fight? Yes. Good.
Both of these winter episodes serve as brilliant reminders of the fact that there are people who look out for us when we need them most. These characters each love one another so deeply that even when they tirelessly mock, showing up when things matter most makes Christmas specials like this everything.
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on Abbott Elementary‘s “Winter Show” and “Winter Break?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©(Disney/Gilles Mingasson)