Having premiered on December 7th 2021, Abbott Elementary has been named on the best network sitcoms on NBC. Written in a mockumentary style, this show displays an underfunded public school and the hardships they have to go through. Quinta Brunson, the creator of the show, plays the main teacher Janine Teagues. Janine is a second grade teacher at the elementary school in Philadelphia and is known to be quite the people pleaser. She, along with her fellow teachers: Gregory, Barbara, Jacob, and Melissa traverse the unwritten path of teaching in an underfunded school. They have to deal with money cuts, how to avoid the Reversy Toilet, and textbooks with presidents taped into them. They also try to make sure the kids that attend the school are given the best opportunities to succeed. Gregory and Jacob start a podcast club and Janine and Ava the principal, start a step team. Barbara and Jacob even start a vegetable garden to be harvested and used in the school cafeteria. With everything this school puts them through, the teachers of Abbott Elementary always stay respectful and grateful for what they have.
Quinta Brunson started out on Buzzfeed and started to gain attention with her self-produced Instagram series. This Instagram series lead to Brunson her first big break comedy show on HBO. Once she realized comedy was what she was meant to do, she presented the pilot for Abbott Elementary to the network and they loved it. Crew members believed that Abbott Elementary would be a perfect fit for the TV network. With the sharp gags and character sketches, this show really did make a splash not only on TV but in the award games as well. This show won three Emmy Awards, two Critics Choice Awards and three Golden Globes in the short time it has been on the air. It has reached a huge audience of teachers: with the huge teacher burnout that happened during Covid, many teachers have found Abbott Elementary to be empowering, relatable, and funny. The show touches on so many different aspects of the teacher experience that not many other people see. It’s been an encouragement to teachers all around.
When I first decided to sit down and watch Abbott Elementary – I was home on break. My sister and I wanted something to watch so we decided to put on the show without really thinking about it. We didn’t know what the show was about but we had heard good things. I think that day, we watched 3 or 4 episodes in one sitting. It is one of those shows that is so amazingly written, funny, and easy to watch. I am a sucker for mockumentaries and sitcoms so this was right up my alley! I fell in love with the sarcasm of Melissa and Barbara, the positivity of Janine, the wittiness of Jacob and the serious but sometimes humorous side of Gregory. When I went back to school after break, I finished the rest of the 1st season without my sister and I still watch each new episode that comes out weekly. Abbott Elementary is a must watch and it is streaming now on Hulu!