‘Abbott Elementary’: Who Is the New Substitute? What the Latest Teaser Reveals

Abbott Elementary Season 6 is gearing up for two new guest stars in the next episode, “Tryouts,” airing October 21 on ABC, as Miranda Cosgrove and Ali Wong join the mix.

A teaser for the episode offers a closer look at the new arrivals, and despite Wong and Cosgrove’s previous casting announcement, it seems like fans are finally getting answers on who they’ll play. The episode’s logline teases that the step team tries out for a major competition, while Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) take a special education certification course.

As for Janine (Quinta Brunson), Gregory (Tyler James Williams), and Jacob (Chris Perfetti), they’re welcoming a new substitute, likely the person taking over Gregory’s classroom duties as he shifts focus to being an assistant principal. But who are the newbies playing?

The teaser below offers some additional context as Jacob asks, “Is that the new sub?” To which Janine says, “Let’s show her what a couple of untamed public school teachers really look like.”

 

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Of course, the “she” in question could be Wong or Cosgrove, until the teaser reveals Barbara and Melissa in class together, getting reprimanded by Wong, who appears to be playing the instructor for their special ed course.

This would mean Cosgrove is playing the substitute, which could have bigger implications, as we know there needs to be a long-term replacement for Gregory’s classroom. Could Cosgrove’s character be the answer to that problem, and if so, could that mean she’ll play a bigger role moving forward?

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Fans will have to wait and see if the new sub is sticking around for good. The teaser doesn’t offer a glimpse of The Righteous Gemstones‘ Edi Patterson, whose casting was announced at the same time as Wong and Cosgrove. Unless the show is keeping her character under wraps, we’d imagine she’s likely to arrive in a later episode this season.

Stay tuned for more on the award-winning comedy as Abbott Elementary Season 6 continues to play out, and let us know your theories about the newest additions in the comments section.

Abbott Elementary, Season 6, Wednesdays, 8:30/7:30c, ABC