This article contains SPOILERS for Abbott Elementary.Abbott Elementary season 4’s ratings have been earned largely by the show’s witty writing, but the characters are what make the sitcom’s storytelling so effective.

The list of characters continues to expand as more episodes are released, with Abbott Elementary season 4 introducing Ava’s father, Jacob’s brother, Melissa’s mother, and others. to add to its ing cast roster. Regardless of how few scenes a character has, their role in the show cannot be underestimated. For every character who’s there for one episode, there are ten people hoping they’ll return. Some of the best side characters in Abbott Elementary, however, have been around for a while.

10 Mr. Morton

Jerry Minor

Mr. Morton, a science teacher at Abbott, first appears in season 2, episode 8 (“Egg Drop”). Though he initially seemed to be a stern academic, Abbott Elementary slowly revealed the absurdity of Morton’s character. Fellow teacher Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti) brings Morton up more frequently than the character is even on-screen, due to an unexplained antagonism between the two. Every time Morton is involved, Abbott Elementary continues to let his character spiral and display his erratic behavior.

What makes Morton such a great character is his ability to rouse such strong negative emotions from the audience. He’s the type of character that people love to hate, and Abbott Elementary doesn’t shy away from that. The best sitcom rivalries sometimes grow to be so popular that they become ubiquitous in the show, and the strange hatred between Morton and Jacob only grows more entertaining with time.

9 Gary

Bruno Amato

Gary, a vending machine operator at Abbott, first appeared in season 1, episode 6 (“Gifted Program”). His obvious infatuation with Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter) made him an instant favorite, with his sweet flirting backed up by a genuine interest in her as a person. The two started dating, quickly cementing themselves as one of the best couples in Abbott Elementary. Unfortunately, Melissa and Gary broke up in season 3 after a failed proposal.

Despite no longer appearing in the series, Gary’s presence is still fondly ed. He brought a much-needed kindness to the show, and his love for Melissa revealed a hidden depth to her character. Though Melissa is still a tough, no-nonsense person, her relationship with Gary showed a softer side that often goes overlooked. Gary had to leave eventually, but everything he left behind made Abbott Elementary better.

8 Kristin Marie Schemmenti

Lauren Weedman

Kristin Marie Schemmenti, Melissa’s formerly-estranged sister, first appears in season 2, episode 2 (“Wrong Delivery”). Working at a rival school and holding an old grudge involving family recipes, Kristin Marie was immediately a perfect addition to the show that further built off of Melissa’s extreme, almost caricature-like experience as an Italian-American. The Schemmenti family has continued growing since Kristin Marie’s introduction, with Abbott Elementary season 4 adding Melissa’s mom in episode 8.

Aside from the amazing comedic instincts of Lauren Weedman, Kristin Marie’s character always adds a sense of levity to the scene. From the touching moment where she and Melissa reconnect after fighting a common enemy to the way she insults Janine’s height with a deadpan expression, Kristin Marie is always a treat. Her close proximity to Melissa also offers endless opportunities for more Kristin Marie appearances in future episodes.

7 Ayesha Teagues

Ayo Edebiri

Ayesha Teagues, Janine’s (Quinta Brunson) younger sister, first appears via a video call in season 2, episode 14 (“Valentine’s Day”). The total antithesis to Janine’s sunny disposition, Ayesha offers an interesting contrast that reveals the true extent of Janine’s tough childhood. Their mother often fought with Ayesha, leading her to move to Colorado to escape the tension. When she visits Janine, the awkwardness builds until the sisters have a harsh confrontation that results in Ayesha itting she felt like everyone compared her to Janine and found her lacking.

The addition of Ayesha’s character allowed Abbott Elementary to explore a more serious aspect of Janine’s character and show her in a negative light. While many TV shows highlight sibling bonds, Abbott Elementary let its most positive, upbeat character harbor a heartbreaking estrangement. The unexpected reveal that both sisters have been comparing themselves to the other opens up a new opportunity for Janine to step up and succeed where their mother failed. And of course, any chance for the wonderful Ayo Edebiri to return would be a gift.

6 Manny Rivera

Josh Segarra

Manny Rivera, an employee from the Philadelphia school district, first appears in season 3, episodes 1-2 (“Career Day”). After shadowing Abbott for the day, Manny took a professional interest in Janine and kick-started her season 3 storyline of working at the district. Though at first he seemed to be a potential romantic rival for Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), Manny remained respectful and cognizant of Janine’s boundaries after his first advance was rejected.

Every time Manny appears in Abbott Elementary, his infectious energy lights up the scene. After Janine resigned from the district and returned to Abbott, Manny’s absence was immediately felt. Manny briefly returned in Abbott Elementary season 4 to help Ava, proving his lovable character can return any time they need to interact with the district. His dedication to bettering Philadelphia schools makes him a reliable character to include in future overarching stories.

5 Caleb Hill

Tyler Perez

Caleb Hill, Jacob’s younger brother, first appears in Abbott Elementary season 4 episode 7 (“Winter Show”). Similar to Ayesha, Caleb appears to be the total opposite of Jacob, leading to tension. Similar to Janine, Jacob holds a displaced grudge against his brother because of their parents. However, everything Jacob thinks of Caleb is proven wrong over the course of the episode, forcing Jacob into the villain role after a misunderstanding causes him to snap. After a heartfelt apology, the brothers reconcile.

Despite only appearing in two episodes thus far, Caleb has already left his mark on Abbott Elementary. His easy charm and propensity for calling people “babygirl” make him a dashing addition to the ing cast, but his physical distance restricts how often he can appear in future episodes. Caleb’s presence gave a rare and necessary glimpse into Jacob’s personal life, so hopefully Tyler Perez won’t disappear entirely.

4 Miss Inez

Cree Summer

Miss Inez, the librarian at Abbott, first appears in season 3, episode 7 (“Librarian”). Her addition to the cast offered a new dynamic to Abbott Elementary, with Miss Inez disrupting the tradition of teachers taking books and filling the library at random. Inez’s sense of professionalism and structure rubbed Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) the wrong way, but her commitment to tradition eventually gave way to her commitment to education once she realized Inez betters the school.

Inez’s effect on Barbara made for one of the most heartwarming moments in Abbott Elementary, but her character extends beyond being a harbinger of change. The librarian reinstates the central focus of the show that’s often forgotten because of the interesting character dynamics and personal storylines: Abbott Elementary is first and foremost about educators. Miss Inez and the library expand on the elementary school, cultivating a nostalgic sense of comfort from her reading children’s books with silly voices to her unique sense of style, both key traits of a successful librarian.

3 Tariq Temple

Zack Fox

Tariq, Janine’s ex-boyfriend, first appears in season 1, episode 2 (“Light Bulb”). Tariq’s role in Abbott Elementary has evolved over time, growing more improbable and ridiculous with each new appearance. Tariq began as a completely incompatible match for Janine, with the pair starting their relationship in 8th grade. From his first appearance, it was obvious the two had outgrown each other, but Tariq seemed financially dependent on Janine. After their inevitable breakup, Tariq goes from educational rapping to being a core member of Abbott’s PTA, despite not having a child.

While some characters are ed for their emotional depth or complicated relationship with the main cast, Tariq is nothing but pure comedic relief. He frequently drops pop culture one-liners, poorly freestyles whenever possible, and canonically has a credit score of 380. The irresponsibility of his character could have made him an antagonist in Abbott Elementary, but there’s an endearing edge to Tariq’s incompetence that makes him a fan favorite.

2 Shanae

Nikea Gamby-Turner

Shanae, a cafeteria worker at Abbott, first appears in season 1, episode 2 (“Light Bulb”). Her rare appearance always adds a refreshing level of self-awareness to the show, like her obvious annoyance at Janine spontaneously deciding to “help” with lunch (which only gets in the way of the real lunch workers). Shanae being so removed from the absurdity of the show only works because of how well Abbott Elementary revived the mockumentary genre. Her facial expressions and unamused attitude towards the main cast are a hilarious extension of the candid format.

Shanae’s tendency to give her raw, unfiltered opinion is a welcome challenge to the naive positivity often pushed by Janine. Although they all work towards the same common goal, Shanae helps push the others out of their comfort zone and better empathize with their coworkers. Shanae helps Gregory learn how to deal with small talk, confronts Ava (Janelle James) with seriously overlooked issues in the cafeteria, and still tries to serve the students as best she can amidst the wild misadventures of Abbott Elementary.

1 Erika

Courtney Taylor

Erika, Janine’s best friend, first appears in season 2, episode 6 (“Candy Zombies”). Following Janine and Tariq’s split, Erika takes it upon herself to comfort Janine by inviting her to a Halloween party. After realizing she gave up most of her mutual friends during the breakup, Janine accepts. Long before Janine and Gregory’s romance resolved in Abbott Elementary season 3, Erika pushed Janine to pursue her feelings for Gregory. Their friendship continued to blossom, with Erika quickly becoming Janine’s closest friend outside of work.

Erika appreciates Janine for who she is while encouraging her to be brave and make changes to be a more confident, independent person. Even when Janine is unsure of what the best course of action is, she lets Erika motivate her and give her advice. Erika is the healthiest platonic relationship in Janine’s life, but her kindhearted spirit brightens up the entire show. She is a shining example of how wonderful Abbott Elementary side characters can be, and every time she’s mentioned is a joy.