In the age of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Max, Prime Video, and Disney+, one is constantly faced with the question: “What should I watch?” Scrolling through the numerous lists of movies and television shows on various streaming platforms is a pet peeve of many, and “Abbott Elementary” could be the solution you’re looking for.
“Abbott Elementary” is a mockumentary style sitcom, if you’ve watched “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation”, you may be familiar with the format. This workplace comedy surrounds a group of hardworking and passionate teachers, along with their unserious principal, working in a Philadelphia Public School with the odds against them, still trying their hardest to provide success for their elementary and middle school students.
With all 4 seasons filled with laugh-out-loud comedy, this show is guaranteed to have something for everyone to enjoy. It varies from making jokes that anyone would find funny, sharing life lessons about important topics, and drama between the characters that make it hard to turn the television off.
One episode that does a good job overviewing the entirety of the show’s sense of humor is season 3 episode 4, “Smoking.” In this episode a student is caught smoking a cigarette in school, with their defense being that nowhere in the school handbook does it specifically say, “No cigarettes.” This forces the teachers to group together to update their anti-drug policy, which leads to Janine Teagues calling her ex-boyfriend to sing an anti-drug rap to the whole school of students.
Janine Teagues is played by the actress Quinta Brunson, who was awarded the Emmy for best actress in a comedy series for “Abbott Elementary”, becoming the first black woman to win the award in over 40 years. She was also the first from a network show to win it in more than a decade.
Gregory Eddie is their newest teacher, the pilot episode followed his first day teaching. He may not seem enthusiastic for his class but in reality just wants the best for his students. Mr. Eddie is played by Tyler James William who has starred in a number of features including “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Lab Rats,” “Let It Shine,” and many more. Other teachers are: Janine Teagues, Melissa Schemmenti, Barbara Howard, Jacob Hill, and finally Ava Coleman as the principal.
“Abbott Elementary” first premiered their pilot on December 7, 2021, and has released a new episode weekly since. The first season released new episodes every Tuesday but more recently they’ve changed it to every Wednesday. Watching it on streaming platforms may require an extra day before they’re put on those sites. The show is now in progress of season 4, which started on October 9, 2024. The most recent episode, “The Deli,” is the 6th episode of the season, which will debut November 13, 2024. Season 1 is the shortest season with only 13 episodes, followed by season 2 which is the largest with 22 episodes, and finally season 3 with only 14.
