Will you be our date to Abbott Elementary‘s Janitor’s Ball? In March 18’s hilarious installment of the ABC mockumentary set in a West Philadelphia school, usually confident custodian Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) is anxious about attending the annual event. So anxious, in fact, that he’s cleaning with both hands. He hopes to see fellow cleaner Miss Carroll (Khandi Alexander), with whom he had a brief “mall-mance” while the school was relocated to an abandoned mall earlier this season.
“He’s a little nervous because there are things that happen that prevent him from possibly even getting to the ball — and then he’s nervous about what he’s going to wear,” says Davis. “You know, he wants to impress.”
And it’s not just about dazzling Miss Carroll. Mr. Johnson is also in a competition with colleague Mr. Ronson (returning guest star Ed Begley Jr.) about who is the best dressed.
Thankfully, Mr. Johnson has fashion club leader Janine Teagues (creator Quinta Brunson) and tough fellow teacher Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter) to help him get ready. “We love love, we’re in love, and we know a thing or two,” Janine says in our exclusive clip above, quickly convincing Melissa to aid in sprucing up their colleague for the big night.
Something tells us he’ll clean up nice — in more ways than one. Davis teases that the winning look is — drumroll, please — green. “Mr. Johnson’s favorite color,” the actor adds.
Davis was thrilled that Mr. Johnson got a love interest in Season 5, something he says he “teased” the writers about “for at least the last three seasons.” And Miss Carroll is a perfect match. “I think they connected, especially on [their use of] the same [cleaning] mixture. She understood this man, and he got to her heart, I believe,” he says.
Could this be the janitor’s Cinderella story? “Yeah,” says Davis with a laugh, “except no glass slippers!”
Abbott Elementary, Wednesdays, 8:30/7:30c, ABC