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People are raving over ABC‘s new sitcom, Abbott Elementary, and fans have especially taken to Janine and Gregory’s subtle dynamic. It’s evident that the show is building to a romance between the two teachers. And the slow burn reminds fans of the relationship between Jim and Pam in The Office‘s earlier seasons.

'Abbott Elementary' actors Quinta Brunson and Tyler James Williams, in character as Janine and Gregory, share a scene while holding rolled up rugs. Janine wears a blue dress with white flowers. Gregory wears a maroon button-up shirt, light gray tie, and jeans.
Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues and Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie | Photo: Prashant Gupta/ABC via Getty Images

Gregory has a crush on Janine in ‘Abbott Elementary’

Although Gregory, played by Tyler James Williams, hasn’t admitted his feelings for his co-worker Janine, played by Quinta Brunson, in Abbott Elementary, the signs are all there. Janine and Gregory first met during the pilot episode. She is a second-grade teacher at Abbott Elementary, and he is a substitute teacher who has aspirations of one day becoming a principal.

The two of them quickly develop a friendship in the show, and the cameras constantly catch Gregory staring lovingly at Janine. And in episode 9, although Gregory admitted he didn’t like pizza to his other co-workers, he said yes when Janine asked him to get pizza with her.

Unfortunately, Janine has a boyfriend named Tariq, and they have been together for more than 10 years. There are signs that Janine is somewhat unhappy in her relationship with Tariq, though. So it seems like Abbott Elementary is planting the seeds for a romance between Janine and Gregory.

Janine and Gregory’s relationship in ‘Abbott Elementary’ reminds viewers of Jim and Pam’s dynamic in ‘The Office’

Abbott Elementary has gained a large fan base in only a short period, and most of them are rooting for Janine and Gregory to become a couple. And some of them even see similarities between them and another famous sitcom couple — Jim and Pam from The Office.

One fan wrote, “Gregory & Janine are so much like Jim and Pam even down to the enthusiastic excited girl to the laidback guy who will do whatever if that means spending time with her.”

“I love everything about [Abbott Elementary], and Janine and Gregory are my new Pam and Jim,” another person said.

“I don’t know how to explain this,” a Twitter user shared. “But every Janine and Gregory interaction has the energy of that one episode of The Office where Jim had like the worst day ever, but Pam fell asleep on his shoulder at the end so he was like ‘not a bad day.'”

It seems like Abbott Elementary fans are excited to have another iconic sitcom couple to root for with Janine and Gregory. It has been almost nine years since The Office ended, after all.

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Quinta Brunson rejects comparisons to ‘The Office’

While speaking to Insider, creator and star Quinta Brunson explained how Abbott Elementary, and Janine and Gregory, are different from The Office and its characters.

Brunson stated, Janine “is at the forefront of telling this story,” whereas Pam wasn’t the main character in The Office. Also, “Janine’s whole life is teaching and growing up,” and Pam’s character revolved around romance in the show’s earlier seasons.

As for the comparisons between Janine and Gregory and Jim and Pam, Brunson said, Janine and Gregory “will both be going on totally different personal journeys than what we’ve seen in The Office.”

But the main difference between Brunson’s show and The Office is “Everyone [in Abbott Elementary] cares about this job. Everyone is dedicated to doing a good job because if they don’t, it means a child doesn’t learn.”

Abbott Elementary returns with new episodes on March 22 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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