Warning: this article contains spoilers for Abbott Elementary.
I have been obsessed with the show Abbott Elementary for a few years. It’s a workplace sitcom set in modern-day Philadelphia, centering its narrative on the staff of an elementary school in the heart of the city. Now back for its fourth season, I just keep falling deeper in love with the show’s story and characters. Along with the staggering number of accolades the show possesses, I have a few more reasons why I believe Abbott Elementary is 100% worth the hype.
Breaking Boundaries of TV
Shows have changed in recent years, mostly because streaming services have overtaken cable in television usage. During their infancy, streaming services exposed TV shows to larger audiences, boosting viewership exponentially. For instance, Breaking Bad began seeing unprecedented levels of success when Netflix started broadcasting the show. The phenomenon was thus dubbed “The Netflix Effect.”
While streaming’s popularity has completely transformed the market, it has arguably taken a turn for the worse in recent years. Companies like Netflix have become infamous for canceling shows left and right if they don’t instantly pull in high viewership. Breaking Bad didn’t see its big break until the fourth season, so it wouldn’t have stood a chance if Netflix aired the show today. This has likely contributed to other problems with streaming series, like the huge gaps between seasons that make fanbases dwindle. For instance, season two of Euphoria aired three years ago, and production for season three was only confirmed on February 10 of this year.
Abbott Elementary’s formula pushes back against streaming culture’s dominance and solves both problems. It heavily follows the sitcom routine of the 2010s, featuring seasons averaging between 15-20 episodes aired weekly. The episode schedule also follows the American school year as it goes on hiatus during breaks and features holiday episodes. Consequently, Abbott Elementary has been widely praised for “bringing real TV back.” By pushing back against mainstream production and distribution methods, Abbott Elementary has become a breath of fresh air for those jaded by streaming conventions.
Relatable to Everyone
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary similar to shows like Parks and Recreation and The Office. Working in corporate or local government offices is way more niche than just going to school. This sets Abbott Elementary apart from its predecessors. The conflicts the teachers and students experience can apply to many people watching from home. The environment is familiar to a larger audience than ever before. My elementary school was much like Abbott, so certain events in the show have unearthed memories and even triggered intense nostalgia at some points.
If people aren’t familiar with Abbott Elementary’s setting, then they are guaranteed to find a piece of them within the diverse cast of characters. Quinta Brunson, the show’s creator, expressed her commitment to being as straightforward as possible with Abbott Elementary’s slice-of-life narrative:
“It’s a show about these people’s lives. There have been recent sitcoms — Black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat — really good sitcoms, but my generation was starting to get tired of race as the only focal point. The white shows got to just be white, but a lot of the shows with people of color were about the color of the people and not about stories of the people. So Abbott also feels like a shift in that way.”
Janine, Barbara, and Ava’s characters drive this point home. They’re all Black women, but of different ages and often opposing upbringings. So that identity takes a backseat while their actions, motivations, and interactions with each other take center stage. For example, Janine’s ambition often clashes with Barbara’s experience as an older teacher, warning that her efforts for change might be fruitless. Yet Janine remains as steadfast as she is enthusiastic. Their experiences are not monolithic, highlighting how diverse the Black community is and inviting new nuance into conversations about how identities intersect and operate.
This principle rings true with other identities. Jacob is gay, which isn’t established until a few episodes into the first season. This reveal doesn’t happen with an extravagant “coming out” plot that would follow his character for the rest of the show. Instead, he mentions having a boyfriend that reappears in later episodes. The same happens with implicit, “coded” identities. For instance, viewers have pointed out that Gregory exhibits autistic traits such as his blunt speech, aversion to certain food textures, and methodical planning that make many autistic viewers feel seen in his character. Shows with autism representation have largely defined these characters by their identity exclusively guiding their actions. Gregory is refreshing by celebrating the traits that make him a well-rounded and multifaceted character.
Whether it’s stories about family dynamics or falling in and out of love, Abbott Elementary has something to touch everyone’s hearts and identify with the characters.
Social Commentary
Abbott Elementary doesn’t shy away or sugarcoat the social, cultural, and political forces influencing the staff’s work. It makes the show painfully realistic with their struggles while highlighting how they persist through it. These issues affect them personally, like a parent ripping into Janine for being unable to “control” a student constantly disrupting class. Teachers’s jobs don’t involve being stand-in parents, but their mission to ensure a child’s well-being often ends up extending beyond the classroom. This encounter dampens Janine’s attitude toward teaching for the first time, echoing Brunson’s goal to humanize teachers through displaying the full scope of their lives.
There are also larger issues beyond the staff’s control. Season 2 revolves around the negative impacts charter schools have on public schools, such as taking away funding and resources that subsequently threaten teachers’ livelihoods. 70% of schools in the United States are pupil-funded, meaning that funding is allocated for each student. Schools with a larger student body get more funding. So, competition with charter schools has decreased the quality of public schools and contributed to stratifying education further. Public schools are forced to make difficult choices with their thin budgets, like cutting physical education, music, and art classes in elementary schools. This happened to me in fourth grade, which made the year particularly memorable. What stands out in the memory is how the staff took it upon themselves to keep the arts alive. My teacher ushered us to the gym herself and my principal used her church choir experience to guide music classes for every class.
One of the latest episodes, “Strike,” perfectly illustrates how teachers are forced to innovate under dire circumstances. Philadelphia’s bus drivers go on strike to demand better treatment from the city, but it has dire consequences for those who rely on public transport to commute to work or school. With a major chunk of the student body stuck at home, Abbott implements hybrid learning to keep them from falling behind. It isn’t ideal, and they run into issues like students’ home environments distracting them from fully focusing in class. To mitigate this, Janine and Mellissa rent a party bus to pick up students and take them to school without crossing the picket line. It’s challenging and chaotic, but their efforts to persevere have a real, tangible impact on their students. “Strike” reminded me of fourth grade, and I wonder how my elementary school’s staff coped with the sudden budget slashes and additional workload. Whatever the answer, I’m eternally grateful for their relentless determination.
Abbot Elementary pushes boundaries, both with its composition and content, delivering a feel-good piece that grants insight into different issues within education. The characters have heart, grit, and endless love for how they connect with each other. Regardless of the obstacles they face, joy is palpable in all corners of Abbott Elementary. I can’t help rooting for them. If you’re looking for a multifaceted show that is perfect to binge, I can never recommend this show enough.