From the moment that Dominic Clarke (Shrinking’s Luke Tennie) joined the Abbott Elementary staff at the top of season five, it was clear that his character was eager to fit in and learn from his older and wiser colleagues. As a former student of Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and protége of Janine, we’ve seen the new fourth-grade teacher adjust to the school over this season through everything from navigating social dynamics in the teachers’ lounge to the instant classic episode where he has to keep his cool while trying to teach his class in a broken down mall (episode 509, “Mall”). But this week (episode 514, “Aide”) we see a whole new side of Dominic as he opens up to Barbara and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) about his struggles with ADHD and the benefits of medication.
The episode opens with a scene in the teachers’ lounge where Barbara comments that medicating children with ADHD is a “shortcut” and Dominic overhears. He then confides in Jacob that he found the comment hurtful, and wants to figure out how to best address it with her.
“This episode is about weaving Dominic into the fabric of what it means to be a teacher at Abbott,” Tennie told The Knockturnal. “Dominic had been this character who was just a little new, a little young. So he wasn’t as jaded as everyone. He’s been struggling to find his identity at the school for a while. And I think this mix-up provides an opportunity for him to figure out how to articulate who he is to other people and express who he is. And with Barbara who taught him when he was a kid, he gets to tell her, ‘You don’t know me that well. And now that I’ve changed in this way, I’m going to need a little bit from you in this regard’. It’s such a responsible way for this show to tackle neurodivergence, ADHD diagnosis, and medication. So I’m just grateful to be a part of it.”
In the classic ‘Abbott’ way, this lesson unfolds through incredible comedic work between Tennie and Perfetti. Jacob misunderstands which comment Dominic overheard in the lounge and thinks that he is asking him for help coming out as gay. Luckily the two get back on the same page, but not before Jacob coins the term “GAYDHD”. In Tennie’s own words, “That’s going to be a hashtag for centuries. I was wheezing when I read the script. Chris plays his characters with such conviction that you know you have to show up extremely prepared and bring your A+ game. There’s no way you’re walking off that set without all of the air leaving your lungs through laughter. He just broke everybody on that set every take.”
When looking to the future of the show and his character, Tennie can definitely see this episode opening the door for future storylines for Dominic. He is also currently on season two of ‘The Pitt’ and drew a comparison, observing “There’s an episode where Dr. King had a specific set of skills on how to handle a patient on the autism spectrum and it provided the perfect narrative opportunity for her to help get the patient what they needed. So I’m thinking perhaps there’s an opportunity where Dominic may have a special skill that other teachers lack where he can get hands-on with a student and help them get the education that they need.”
New episodes of ‘Abbott Elementary’ air Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. PT on ABC.
