The 2000s had The Office, the 2010s had Parks and Recreation and the 2020s have Abbott Elementary. Abbott Elementary came booming onto ABC Network in December 2021 following an underfunded elementary school in the heart of Philadelphia. The show’s audience has continued to grow as it nears the season two finale.
The show follows the teachers of Abbott Elementary as they deal with the ups and downs of teaching, while also balancing their own lives. From talking head sidebar conversations to making direct attitude-filled eye contact with the camera, Abbott Elementary follows in the footsteps of many great sitcoms that found endless success.
Season one showed viewers the ropes of the school and how time and time again, even with limited resources, these teachers just want to make the school a safe and inviting environment for the students. There were struggles, like teaching young girls how to do step dance, requesting supplies from the higher-ups, and finding the perfect teaching styles as many of the faculty found their footing.
Season two introduced audiences to a myriad of new recurring characters. There was Ashley, the teacher’s aide who always thought she was doing the right thing. From the neighboring charter school, Addington Elementary, came Kristen Marie, who was revealed later on to be Lisa Ann Walter’s character’s estranged sister after a red potato funeral fiasco. The second season also expanded more on the personal lives of each teacher, including Mrs. Howard’s husband’s health issues, Ms. Teagues’ strained relationship with her mom and sister, and the budding will-they-won’t-they romance between Mr. Eddie and Ms. Teagues.
Buzzfeed alum Quinta Brunson created and stars in the show as Janine Teagues, the peppy second-grade teacher. She is joined by Tyler James Williams from Everybody Hates Chris as the not-so-interested first-grade substitute teacher, Gregory Eddie. Lisa Ann Walter from The Parent Trap is the veteran second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti who’s always got a guy for any situation. Janelle James plays Principal Ava Coleman, who is more interested in TikTok trends than leading the school. Dreamgirls alum Sheryl Lee Ralph is the senior hyper-religious kindergarten teacher, Barbara Howard, who shuns new methods. Chris Perfetti plays the woke eighth-grade teacher who wants to be the “cool” teacher, Jacob Hill. Mr. Johnson, the janitor played by William Stanford Davis, doesn’t always seem to know that he works around impressionable children.
When audiences last saw the Abbott Elementary teachers, Jeanine’s mom, played by Taraji P. Henson, made an unexpected visit to her classroom. Throughout the season, Jeanine has hinted at a struggling relationship with her mother, finding more maternal energy from her coworker Barbara Howard instead. But as she tries to rekindle her relationship with her sister, Jeanine’s mother seems to come with the deal. As season two comes to a close, audiences are waiting to see how her mom’s arrival may throw Jeanine for a loop she cannot come back from. While this is going on, fans are also anxious to find out what will happen between Jeanine and Gregory as they try to figure out if a romantic relationship is right for them. They’ve shared secret moments confiding in each other and special knocks on the thin wall between their classrooms together, a Jim and Pam/Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt relationship. Towards the second half of season two, the pair shared a kiss at a teacher’s conference, but decided dating would be too messy for them and everyone around them. However, the rest of the school faculty know about their shenanigans and encourage them to express their feelings to one another.
Abbott Elementary found quick, unexpected success with season one and has carried that momentum through season two. In 2022, the show was nominated for seven Emmy Awards, winning two for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series. Abbott Elementary was also nominated for five Golden Globe awards in 2022, winning three for Best Musical or Comedy Television Series, Best Supporting Actor in a Musical-Comedy or Drama, and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical-Comedy or Drama. The show continues to sweep in nominations from esteemed organizations like the Screen Actors Guild and the Critics Choice Awards.
After the pandemic and the tsunami of online teaching, many have realized just how essential teachers are and Abbott Elementary does a stupendous way of conveying that. No matter what daily struggles the teachers must go through with their students, they will always be there the next day to welcome the youngsters in with open doors and a smile. Check out the season two finale of Abbott Elementary on ABC tonight, April 19, and on Hulu on April 20.
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