ABC’sAbbott Elementaryis well into season 4 and maintains its humor while accurately representing West Philadelphia, but there’s one character that needs to be improved. Creator of the show, Quinta Brunson, has crafted compelling and funny characters that bring audiences back week after week. The wonderful thing aboutensemble comediesis that they allow audiences to get to know a multitude of characters. Over the past seasons, audiences have gotten a deeper look at who the characters are away from Abbott, except for Barbara.
Barbara Howard, brilliantly played by Sheryl Lee Ralph, is the onlycharacter inAbbott Elementarythat lacks depth. From Melissa and Jacob moving in together, Gregory and his father, Janine living alone, and others, the audience has gotten to know all the other characters on a more personal level. However,the only time the cameras have gotten into Barbara’s personal life is when she invited Gregory over for a Mother’s Day brunch.As a veteran teacher at Abbott, there have been many opportunities for the show to explore the character on a deeper level.
Barbara Needs A More Complex Story Than Just Disliking Change
Throughout the show,Barbara’s biggest character flaw has been her inability to accept change.This trait is first shown when Barbara almost doesn’t pass her re-certifications because she cannot work the technology to register. This dislike of change is later reiterated when Barbara almost tanks Janine’s librarian program and, inAbbott Elementaryseason 4, gets upset when the kids don’t want to bob for apples anymore. Each of these examples would throw Barbara into a spiral over the changing landscapes while she tries to keep her traditions alive.
Barbara’s character must get deeper stories inAbbott Elementary, so the audience and even the other characters can understand her better.
Considering Barbara has been at Abbott the longest, it doesn’t quite make sense that she is so against change since she has watched teachers and students come and go. Disliking change is not a very complex character flaw, and it leaves Barbara’s character in danger of feeling one-dimensional. This trait is not enough for audiences to feel like they understand what makes Barbara tick. Being such an important character in the show,Barbara needs a more compelling story than just her inability to accept change.
Barbara’s Character Is Vital To The Development Of The Younger Teachers
One thing for sure about Barbara’s character is that the younger teachers depend on her experience and advice.Barbara is the first person that Janine and Gregory go to when they have problemsin their classes. Barbara’s experiences throughout her entire teaching career gave her the ability to steer Gregory and Janine away from making the same mistakes she did. This type of long and fruitful career opens the door for more depth to be added to Barbara’s character using her previous mistakes and lessons learned.
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For someone as pivotal in the younger teachers' development, Barbara is only seen with the other characters a handful of times outside of Abbott. When audiences do see Barbara out with the other characters, it is normally not centered on Barbara’s storyline. For example, Barbara invited Gregory to her Mother’s Day brunch to help him grow as a person. This shows that Barbara is influencing the younger teachers both in their professional and personal lives. Barbara’s character must get deeper stories inAbbott Elementary, so the audience and even the other characters can understand her better.
