A couple’s first I love you exchange is a big deal. The first holiday is a big deal, and ultimately, the first of everything is a big deal. Consistently, Abbott Elementary has been giving us a glimpse of every milestone for Gregory Eddie and Janine Teague’s relationship as well as every holiday, making their relationship that much sweeter in the process.
This week, it’s Valentine’s Day, and a voice note from Gregory with the three little words confuses Janine during the school’s district meeting. But in true Abbott Elementary style, the show takes the small moment and turns it into the type of declaration that feels profoundly authentic for the couple. In other words, we’re sobbing about it.
At this point, Tyler James Williams is known for delivering some of the show’s most romantic (and memorable) moments with the most simple words, and every time, it hits like a ton of bricks. From I take all your recommendations seriously, to it slipped out because that’s how I feel. I think it all the time. Fold this moment into a neat little heart and gently place it in the treasure trove of cutest rom-com moments because it’s now something we’re going to be thinking about.
It’s an indescribably gorgeous moment, and Williams’ delivery makes it ten times more romantic despite the location where it occurs and how. It’s not always about the elaborately planned moments; sometimes, it’s about what’s genuine, raw, and vulnerable. At this moment, both Gregory and Janine allow themselves a beat to be vulnerable, which in turn results in authentic words being exchanged in a manner they’ll both remember.
There’s also something to be said about the sadness that subtly torrents down onto Janine’s face when she realizes it might been the name of a smoothie. Quinta Brunson is exceptional at wearing Janine’s emotions on her face, so when she expresses that she thought Gregory meant to say I love you, my heart ached.
Stitched back together, however, by their adorable exchanges—you want to go bone town?—every moment of this scene in Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 14, “District Budget Meeting” is a gem to add to the Gregory and Janine collection of beautiful scenes. Both Brunson and Williams understand these characters on such profoundly intimate levels that they can take the most seemingly simple instant and ensure that there’s magic tucked into every corner.
The way Gregory pulls Janine up to kiss her, how his eyes never once stop showcasing his adoration, and the sheer awe when Janine realizes this is it for him, too? They’ve both spent too long being with people who didn’t understand and accept every part of them, yet with each other, their puzzle pieces match each other perfectly. The fact that we get each of these small moments to celebrate Janine and Gregory as a couple is no small feat. Often, people feel that once the couple gets together in fiction, their exchanges will become boring and unviewable. Yet, it’s the polar opposite and Abbott Elementary continues to prove this fact by exhibiting how every moment matters and every moment is exciting.
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on Gregory and Janine’s first I love you exchange in Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 14, “District Budget Meeting?” Let us know in the comments below.
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