Do not mess with Barbara should be an obvious rule on ABC’s hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary.” But somehow, Janine’s not very bright ex, Tariq (Zack Fox), learns this the hard way in a HuffPost exclusive sneak peek of the show’s new episode, “Gregory’s Garden Goofballs,” airing Wednesday night. (Watch the clip above.)
In the clip, Tariq returns to Abbott and surprises Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), the school’s veteran kindergarten teacher, by claiming a student in her class is his “son.” But in typical Tariq fashion, it’s not really the truth. He has only been dating the student’s mother “for, like, seven weeks.” That doesn’t stop him from declaring that “technically, I’m stepdaddy right now.”
“Take your presumably sticky hands off of my student,” an annoyed Barbara tells Tariq.
“You mean, take my definitely sticky hands off of my son,” Tariq responds, while the student glares at him in confusion.
“To quote Maury Povich, you are not the father,” Barbara says.
Barbara keeps schooling Tariq throughout the clip, like when he nonsensically decides the kid is named “Tariq Jr.” (“That is not his name,” Barbara says) and when she catches Tariq stealing Play-Doh on his way out of her classroom.
“Abbott Elementary” continues to be one of the funniest and most beloved shows on TV, the rare network sitcom to become an appointment television series.
Developed by and starring Quinta Brunson (who previously produced popular videos at HuffPost’s parent company, BuzzFeed), the workplace ensemble and mockumentary show follows Janine (played by Brunson) and her colleagues at a fictional Philadelphia public school, spotlighting both the joys and frustrations of being an educator.
Inspired by Brunson’s mother, a longtime Philadelphia public school teacher, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series has already been renewed for a fourth season, announced Saturday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.
The show’s long-awaited third season premiered last week with an hourlong episode, jumping ahead five months into the school year at Abbott. In a surprise development, Janine is now working for the school district, spending time away from the classroom (and apart from her will-they-won’t-they love interest, Gregory).
The episode also featured some new faces, including “The Other Two” star Josh Segarra as one of Janine’s new colleagues. And as always, there were several nods to the show’s Philadelphia setting, including cameos from Philadelphia Eagles players Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce, who Zoomed into the school’s career day.
Elsewhere in Wednesday’s new episode, Gregory (Tyler James Williams) unexpectedly finds himself as the “cool teacher,” with students lining up to spend time with him at lunch. Meanwhile, Janine and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) are trying to hire an ASL interpreter.
New episodes of “Abbott Elementary” premiere Wednesdays on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu.