Abbott Elementary Season 5, Episode 5, “Camping” Spoilers Ahead
TV really is at its peak when it fully always its characters to be relatable, and this is often the case with a show like Abbott Elementary. We may not all be teachers like the characters are, but we can still empathize with some of their struggles and feel a little less alone in ours. And while last week’s “Game Night” made us anxious while taking us to the DMV, this week we’re headed camping, except everyone’s tired.
Abbott Elementary’s Halloween specials are usually incredible, and this week’s is no exception, with clever and timely costumes that stick the landing. But at the same time, I can’t stop fixating on how tired everyone is at the beginning. And really, throughout the whole thing.
In a capitalist society and with so much going on in the world every day, it always feels like hustle culture is winning—burning us out to a point that shouldn’t be considered normal. More often than not, it feels like all we have to do is work and do so without complaining. And here’s the thing: having a job in this economy is a great privilege—I recognize that and I value it tremendously. But so much of the way that things have changed means that we’re all constantly overworking to outdo ourselves because it’s never enough. We aren’t making enough. We aren’t seen. We can always do better.
We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic changed a great deal for many people, but educators especially. There’s also the matter of how limited funding is in so many areas that the overworked and underpaid teachers have a lot more on their plates than they did years ago. And while Abbott Elementary Season 5, Episode 5, “Camping,” doesn’t openly acknowledge all of this, by showing us how tired the teachers are, it tells us plenty.
It’s also an excellent reminder for people who don’t quite realize how taxing the job itself can be. It isn’t every person who could be a teacher, and that’s always a reminder that people could use to be more mindful of the real-world educators who are constantly fighting for our kids. The show gives us little moments like this often, but the visible sight of everyone just slow losing it is both heartbreaking and so realistic because it’s all of us.
People were never meant to be puppets like this, and the fact that most people may be skipping Halloween or repeating outfits because of how tired they are is something we need to acknowledge. It’s also so easy to appreciate that even a character like Janine, who’s generally so bubbly, has way too much on her plate and voices it. Inherently positive characters like her aren’t always given the space to vocalize that things aren’t all that great, so the fact that Abbott Elementary Season 5, Episode 5, “Camping,” allows it is a pretty big deal.
Now streaming on Hulu or ABC: What are your thoughts on Abbott Elementary’s fifth annual Halloween episode? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: (Disney/Gilles Mingasson)