Abbott Elementary is the hilarious sitcom that’s been compared to The Office but, much like Geena Davis, it’s in a league of its own.
Mockumentary-style comedies had a real run there for a while, with The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Modern Family all taking home a slew of prestigious awards. And they were consistently funny, not like “I laughed at a joke in season one and never again” funny.
They had comedic ensemble casts, well-executed characters, and great writers. While The Office had people like Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak, and Parks and Rec had Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, among many others, Abbott Elementary has Quinta Brunson.
You might recognise the actress from her work at BuzzFeed Video or the HBO sketch comedy series A Black Lady Sketch Show. But she’s never been better than in her new role as Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary. It makes sense since she’s the creator, executive producer, writer, and star of the show.
The ABC sitcom has broken ratings records multiple times since its premiere – and fortunately for us Aussies, it’s been picked up locally by Disney Plus. If you’re not already signed up, you’re going to want to click here to join.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Quinta admitted to being shocked at the speedy success of the show.
“I hoped that after two seasons, people were going to be like, ‘Hey, anyone ever heard of this show?’ The best recent sitcoms that I can think of, like Schitt’s Creek, didn’t start gaining traction until the second or third season — even The Office and 30 Rock didn’t initially make noise,” she says.
But Abbott Elementary made a lot of noise, very quickly. It’s scored rave reviews and is all over TikTok. So, what makes the show worth your precious TV time? Let’s get into it.
Abbott Elementary follows a group of dedicated teachers, and their tone-deaf principal, working in a struggling Philadelphia public school, where Quinta grew up.
In the same way that Parks and Rec drew on real-life roadblocks facing government workers, Abbott Elementary gets real about the difficulties facing teachers in America. All of which Janine, a hopeful and persistent 25-year-old fresh-faced teacher, aims to solve… no matter what her co-workers think.
There’s a lack of funding, the staff are outnumbered and don’t even get us started on the way teachers are expected to source their own supplies to run their classrooms. Of course, the harsh commentary still makes us laugh as it comes courtesy of witty banter, hilarious mishaps and awkward cuts to camera in the mockumentary style.
Alongside the show’s leading lady, the exceptional cast includes Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris) as Gregory – the surefire slow-burn love interest to Janine; the Jim to her Pam.
Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha, Sister Act 2) stars as Barbara, Janine’s somewhat reluctant mentor with a wealth of teaching knowledge. Chris Perfetti (The Surrogate) plays Jacob, another wide-eyed and hopeful teacher in his second year who happens to specialise in awkward moments.
Janelle James (Black Monday) absolutely nails her role as the school’s principal, Ava, who blackmailed her way into the role and could not care less about being good at her role.
“Ava’s our principal and she has a unique take on her job. What’s unique is that she’s bad at her job,” the teachers say in a cutaway in the first episode.
And we can’t even begin to tell you about the scream that we scrumt when we noticed Chessy from The Parent Trap – also known as Lisa Ann Walter – playing Melissa, the tough-talking teacher with a heart of gold.
The pilot premiered in 2021 and season two aired in 2022/2023. The third season premiered in February 2024 in the US, and is finally available on Aussie screens from June 26.
If you love sitcoms and you haven’t checked it out yet, we’re telling you that you’re missing out. And there’s never been a better time to catch up since season four was just announced and is set to premiere in the US on October, 9. Two seasons in one year? Practically unheard of these days – and we’ve never been more ready for the future of Abbott.
Stream Abbott Elementary on Disney Plus, with a month-to-month or yearly subscription. Sign up here.
