Abbott Elementary returned in the 2026 TV schedule without the actual elementary school, following the fall finale reveal that the students (and staff) would have to relocate while their building was being repaired. That meant the new year kicking off with Ava and the teachers adjusting to getting back to business within an abandoned mall. For Ava, it has meant having to be proactive about her job and all the unexpected challenges of school in a derelict Philadelphia mall. Janelle James spoke with CinemaBlend about the twist and the real-life weird smells that came along with it.
Janelle James started the new year strong courtesy of being nominated alongside costar Chris Perfetti at the Critics Choice Awards, and she ultimately took home the trophy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy with her first win after four consecutive nominations. Her character had less of a positive start to 2026, with Ava having to cut her winter break short and get the school up and running within the walls of a mall. The actress shared her initial reaction to the twist:
My reaction was, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that that’s something that really happens,’ Because that’s what I found out after, that there are schools currently who are situated in malls and in other buildings, because their schools are falling apart. I was super surprised. And a new location – what fun surprises and twists can come out of that situation?
I think it’s safe to say that many people didn’t know that was something that really happens before the fall finale, which is now available streaming with a Hulu subscription. Showrunner Justin Halpern later explained the real-life inspiration for moving Abbott to a mall.
As a millennial who definitely spent her fair share of time at the mall back in the day, I’ve been getting a kick out of all the humor about the shuttered storefronts (and that Ben Franklin head) while also feeling the sting of nostalgia. According to Janelle James, there was a different kind of sting on the show’s temporary set. When asked if they were truly filming in an abandoned mall, Janelle James laughed and said:
That is correct. That is super unfortunately correct. [laughs] Lots of smells! But exciting.
It remains to be seen how much longer the students and staff will be stuck at the mall, but Ava was still dealing with logistical nightmares by the end of two episodes there. Her attempt at using an AI version of her voice – a.k.a. AIva – didn’t hold the parents off for long, and she had to face them.
Still, she also used the money she made by selling designer clothes that had been left behind to buy new school supplies, so it’s been fun to see Ava’s (occasional) earnest desire to help show itself alongside the usual traits that make her so much fun to watch.
Check out the preview for what’s next:
Tune in to ABC on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET for the newest episodes of Abbott Elementary, or check out earlier seasons streaming on Hulu if you want to experience everybody still within the walls of Abbott. The sitcom makes up half of ABC’s Wednesday night comedy block, following Tim Allen‘s Shifting Gears at 8 p.m. ET.
