Abbott Elementary has continued to grow in popularity, but it isn’t the only series set in Philly with a substantial following. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is about to release Season 17. Though it has a drastically different tone, the proximity of the two stories presented the opportunity for them to cross over. As Abbott Elementary Season 4 returned from hiatus, it incorporated the characters from the long-running series as court-ordered volunteers. Despite their differences, the connections worked fairly well. With storylines like Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) teaching Charlie (Charlie Day) how to read and Janine (Quinta Brunson) growing jealous of Dee (Kaitlin Olson) flirting with Gregory (Tyler James Williams), the two series managed to work together for everyone’s benefit. However, the best character pairing was Frank (Danny DeVito) and Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis). These two are a natural fit because, as the older characters with a storied past, they fill a somewhat similar role in two drastically different shows, but in a fitting turn, they don’t get along. Frank and Mr. Johnson’s hilarious rivalry came out of nowhere to steal the crossover episode.
Mr. Johnson and Frank Develop an Instant Rivalry
Mr. Johnson has long been an underused character in Abbott Elementary despite being one of the funniest people in the show. His occasional anecdotes of a fascinating life make him one of the more unrealistic parts of the show, but that only lends him more towards the crossover as he and Frank are each determined to prove themselves right. While Frank and Mr. Johnson’s similarities could have made them buddies, their mistrust of each other is far more funny. Mr. Johnson instantly knows something is off about the group of volunteers, yet it is Frank specifically that he chooses to keep a close watch on, and so a rivalry is born.
Frank and Mr. Johnson spend the episode dealing with a raccoon terrorizing the garden Gregory and his students tend. However, they have different ideas of how to handle the situation, and neither is inclined to listen to Gregory. Mr. Johnson plans to trap the creature in a cage while Frank buries batteries and covers the area in pee-soaked pelts to deter it. Frank joins the raccoons in trashing the garden and getting caught in Mr. Johnson’s trap. Though random, this storyline adds a level of ridiculousness to the episode that melds the two shows together. And on Abbott Elementary‘s side, Mr. Johnson is the perfect person for that task. Unlike Janine’s conflict with Dee or Ava’s (Janelle James) solution to her issue, Mr. Johnson and Frank’s rivalry does little to move along any of the show’s ongoing storylines, but it adds a lot to the episode because their argument lets both Mr. Johnson and Frank do what they do best.
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‘Abbott Elementary’ Needs to Fix Its Barbara Problem
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Mr. Johnson and Frank’s Rivalry Was Almost a Life-Long Rivalry Over a Woman
Though already one of the best parts of the crossover, Frank and Mr. Johnson were supposed to share a different plot. Abbott Elementary producers Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker told Entertainment Weekly that they initially planned to have an old high school grudge between these two, but the episode didn’t have the time to go into it. The cut storyline would have involved the two sharing a past where they competed for the same woman, with bitter feelings lasting all these years later. While this would certainly add another layer of complication to their rivalry and work with the characters, especially Mr. Johnson, who seems to have experienced everything, it would have been unnecessary.
The low stakes of their argument and the fact that it was based on nothing but Mr. Johnson’s unjustified (but accurate) suspicion was a better way for the episode as it capitalized on both characters’ random natures. Mr. Johnson’s ability to size Frank up instantly highlights his worldly experiences, even if he doesn’t share any new hints about his past. Both Frank and Mr. Johnson thrive with little to no explanation, so their unexplained distrust of each other is a perfect way to bring them together. As the strangest part of their respective shows, this crossover event had to pair Frank and Mr. Johnson, and their rivalry certainly didn’t disappoint.
Abbott Elementary is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
A workplace comedy centered around a group of dedicated teachers – and an oblivious principal – in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life.
- Release Date
-
December 7, 2021
- Cast
-
Quinta Brunson
, Tyler James Williams
, Sheryl Lee Ralph
, Lisa Ann Walter
, Chris Perfetti
, Janelle James
, William Stanford Davis
, Zack Fox
, Courtney Taylor
, Nikea Gamby-Turner
, Josh Segarra
, Mason Renfro
, Jerry Minor
, Larry Owens
, Nate’ Jones
, Lela Hoffmeister
, Vince Staples
, Kimia Behpoornia
, Dillion Blake Allen
, Reggie Conquest
, Kate Peterman
, Keyla Monterroso Mejia
, Benjamin Norris
, Aayden William
, Ben Onyx Dowdy - Seasons
-
4
- Network
-
ABC
- Streaming Service(s)
-
Hulu
, MAX
