Over the years, ABC has been the origin of many beloved sitcoms including Boy Meets World, Family Matters, Full House, George Lopez, My Wife and Kids, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, The Brady Bunch, and so many others. Recently, the network has found success with comedic series like Modern Family, The Goldbergs, and Black-ish. Abbott Elementary is the newest addition to this list of sitcoms, and it has shattered records set by some of its predecessors.
Sitcoms on ABC have found tremendous success. Modern Family is among the network's most successful, winning a total of 22 Primetime Emmy Awards over the course of its 11 season run. ABC's newest sitcom, Abbott Elementary has already begun to prove that it has the ability to challenge Modern Family as one of the network's most successful sitcoms, with only nine episodes under its belt.
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary-style sitcom, a technique many will recognize that was used by popular comedies including The Office and Parks and Recreation. Like these sitcoms shot in the mockumentary style, it is set within the workplace. The series is set within the Philadelphia school Abbott Elementary, where a number of underfunded, devoted teachers attempt to make the most of what they have to make a difference in their students' lives. The school's staff is composed of colorful characters who ensure that each episode is memorable.
Abbott Elementary hails from creator Quinta Brunson, a former Buzzfeed writer and producer. Brunson drew from her own life to create the atmosphere for the sitcom which is set in her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to being the creator of Abbott Elementary, Brunson works as a writer and producer and stars in the series as well. On-screen, she is joined by notable comedic actors including Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, and Janelle James. Other notable members of the cast include Chris Perfetti, William Stanford, and Zack Fox.
Brunson plays Janine Teagues, a second-grade teacher who never shies away from doing whatever is necessary for her students, or fellow staff members. She admires kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard (Ralph), often doing things in hopes of gaining her approval. Melissa Schemmenti (Walter) is a fellow second-grade teacher who is never afraid to speak her mind or reach out to her questionable connections to get things done. Jacob Hill (Perfetti) is a history teacher who began teaching at Abbott the same year as Janine, and they consider one another friends. Gregory Eddie (Williams) is the most recent addition to Abbott. He is a substitute teacher who has found reasons to make his position at Abbott permanent, which includes his crush on Janine.
This devoted, but quirky group of teachers is led by Abbott's principal, Ava Coleman (James), who routinely demonstrates she isn't the most qualified for the job. Over the course of the series, Ava has made a habit of picking on Janine and showing her interest in Gregory. The comedic timing of its main cast is supported by two of the series' recurring characters in Abbott's janitor and Janine's long-term boyfriend, Tariq (Fox). Mr. Johnson (Stanford) has proven that he has his own unorthodox way of fixing things around Abbott. In "Light Bulb," (episode 2) Mr. Johnson's peculiar trick for fixing the school's power is validated, as he uses the labeling system he has created using Boys II Men songs. Tariq's budding music career and untimely lyrics add to Abbott Elementary's comedy. The cringey responses Tariq elicits from Janine's co-workers elevate his absurdity and utter aloofness.
Even as a comedy, Abbott Elementary offers plenty of real-world commentaries. From the funding of public school systems, class systems, co-worker relationships, to societal treatment based on race, Abbott Elementary doesn't shy away from serious topics, no matter their level of severity. Similar to The Office,Parks and Recreation, and other famous mockumentaries, Abbott Elementary also has several sub-plots in motion. Most notably among them is the inevitable romance between Janine and Gregory, which has the makings to be the next great Jim and Pam story.
The ongoing first season of Abbott Elementary has been ordered for 13 episodes, with 9 already having aired on television. Each episode is confined within its own story and plotline, but the bonds it creates between its characters stretch from episode to episode. Every episode of Abbott Elementarybegins to peel at the layers of these characters. "New Tech" (episode 4) begins to show Barbara's insecurities when it comes to her job, and "Art Teacher" (episode 7) begins to show Melissa's. "Step Class" (episode 9) shows that there is more to Principal Ava than anyone has given her credit for thus far. "Work Family" (episode 8) was a massive turning point for the series, as it focuses on Jacob and Janine's friendship, Gregory's relationship with his father, and Janine's relationship with Tariq. It begins to lay major groundwork for the budding relationship between Gregory and Janine because of it.
A series like Abbott Elementary is long overdue, especially on a network as big as ABC. Given the success of other ABC sitcoms like Black-ish, a work-related mockumentary with a non-white majority cast had the makings to be a hit on any network. Occurring in a time when education and adequate wage and budgets for teachers and schools have become a focal topic, Abbott Elementary is right on time. Abbott Elementary's charming story and loyal fan base that it has already attracted, put it on the fast track to becoming the next big sitcom.
Abbott Elementary is now streaming on Hulu.