Some 'Abbott' Fans Think There Is More to Gregory Than Growing Up in a Military Family

Not every Abbott Elementary character has a counterpart on The Office, but viewers have compared Gregory Eddie to Jim Halpert from time to time. Still, the Abbott teacher is a character all his own, and some viewers have come to speculate and wonder if one thing that sets him apart is a diagnosis of autism that hasn't been formally addressed.

So, is Gregory from Abbott Elementary autistic? Like we said, it hasn't been mentioned on the show, but it's a topic that fans have talked about at length on social media. And, according to some, there are things that have happened on the show and things that Gregory has said that actually back up the theory. Even though, like we said, no one on the show has specifically said that Gregory is on the autism spectrum.

Although a formal in-show diagnosis or mention hasn't happened regarding Gregory being autistic, there are plenty of theories and thoughts from the fandom that claim Abbott's favorite sarcastic first grade teacher is indeed autistic. There's even a Reddit thread dedicated to the theory with the subject being: "so we all agree that Gregory is coded autistic right?"

According to the user who made the post, Gregory's various personality traits and what are seen as quirks in the show are evidence that he is on the autism spectrum. They wrote, "He expresses emotions differently, misses some social cues, is extremely logical, has a strong sense of right and wrong, has sensory issues with food, struggled in school as a kid/felt like an outsider, and he thrives with a structured schedule."

In the thread, a viewer who said they work with children on the autism spectrum agreed. They wrote that Gregory reminds them of some of their students who do what is called "masking." Masking is a strategy used by some individuals on the autism spectrum to blend in with societal norms or refrain from saying or expressing things that come naturally to them.

If the portrayal of Gregory on Abbot is autism coded rather than outright saying Gregory is autistic with an official diagnosis for the character, the show is allowing for representation in the same way. It is sharing behavior that is sometimes found in those who are diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum, and it shows that Gregory isn't mocked or ridiculed for his way of thinking or behaving.

Tyler James Williams, who plays Gregory on Abbott, was in plenty of TV shows prior to landing the role in the hit ABC mockumentary comedy. You might recognize him as the younger version of Chris Rock in Everybody Hates Chris, or as a character in 10 episodes of The Walking Dead. He was also in the 2024 thriller Amber Alert.

Of course, his role in Abbott is arguably Tyler's most important role to date. It might not have catapulted his career. Everybody Hates Chris did that just fine, thank you very much. But it did give him the opportunity to show another side of his acting chops as an adult.

Watch Abbott Elementary on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC.