Who knew that watching a show about school could be so interesting? “Abbott Elementary” (2021–) executes it perfectly, offering a refreshing and unexpected perspective on the challenges faced by teachers and students in the halls of a Philadelphia public school. The series was created by Quinta Brunson, multitalented actress, comedian, writer and content creator. Brunson attended Temple University, where she is set to get an honorary degree and the 2024 Lew Klein Excellence in the Media Award before the university’s 137th commencement. She dropped out of Temple after her sophomore year and began uploading content on Vine and Instagram, where she started to gain traction. She found popularity with her Instagram series “The Girl Who’s Never Been On a Nice Date,” and in 2014, she joined BuzzFeed as a video producer and content creator, where she created relatable pop culture-inspired content. Brunson’s web series include “Broke” and “Up For Adoption” — her performance in “Broke” was nominated for a Streamy Award for Best Acting in a Comedy in 2017. This success led her to make appearances and voice act on shows such as “Big Mouth,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Quinta vs. Everything,” “iZombie,” “Magical Girl Friendship Squad” and “Lazor Wulf.”
However, Brunson experienced several challenges along the way. After leaving BuzzFeed in 2018, Brunson starred in a CW pilot titled “The End of the World as We Know It” and a CBS pilot called “Quinta and Jermaine,” in which Brunson and Jermaine Fowler played longtime friends dealing with an unplanned pregnancy — neither show was picked up. In 2021, she released her first book, “She Memes Well,” a series of essays in which she gives advice about how to make it in the industry and describes her journey to develop her humor while remaining connected to her roots. That same year, her persistence and dedication finally paid off when ABC picked up “Abbott Elementary,” a sitcom inspired by one of her elementary school school teachers, Joyce Abbott, as well as her mother’s experiences as a teacher.
On the show, Brunson plays Janine Teagues, an optimistic second-grade teacher. At Abbott Elementary, an underfunded predominantly Black school, a camera crew documents the teachers who help their students succeed despite their lack of resources. With a 99% average Tomatometer and 82% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the show is clearly popular, and what makes it loveable is the cast. Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti), the school’s awkward white history teacher, is Janine’s loyal friend. Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) is traditional, religious and well-respected as one of the school’s most experienced teachers.
Alongside them are the confident Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter), whose shady connections with locals aid Abbott and Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), a substitute teacher turned permanent hire who ends up becoming Janine’s love interest. The school’s principal, Ava Coleman, is played by none other than Janelle James. Coleman is everything a principal shouldn’t be: tone-deaf, inexperienced and more focused on her side hustles and followers than her job. She will never miss an opportunity to insult Janine. Finally, Willam Stanford Davis plays the talented, overqualified and hilarious Mr. Johnson, the school’s janitor. This show never fails to incorporate amazing guests such as Philadelphia Eagles players Brandon Graham, Jalen Hurts and Jason Kelce as well as musician Questlove and TikTok comedian Sabrina Brier. Season 3 premiered in February following the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, and with 45 episodes broadcast and a fourth season on the way, “Abbott” shows no sign of slowing down. The series has received critical acclaim, winning Golden Globes, Emmys, NAACP Image Awards, Television Critics Association Awards and Critics Choice Awards.
This season is different from the previous two, as Janine makes a career-changing decision to leave the classroom and pursue a job working for the district, fueled by her passion to find solutions to the problems she faced as a teacher. However, throughout the season, she has difficulty leaving Abbott and letting go of control. She is quick to accept a full-time position, but ultimately decides to quit the district job in the same episode. Some fans felt as if this decision was rushed, and others just didn’t like the storyline, arguing that a sudden career shift seemed inauthentic for Brunson’s character. Fans also commented on how this impacts the ongoing slow burn romance between Janine and Gregory.
As the season progresses, there’s still so much potential for plot twists and surprises for these characters. “Abbott Elementary” serves as a platform to spark important conversations about education, social justice, institutional racism and systemic inequalities. Representation matters and seeing these diverse characters from different backgrounds validates the experiences, challenges and triumphs predominantly Black schools face, especially since these are typically ignored or sidelined by mainstream media. Ultimately, “Abbott Elementary” not only entertains but also teaches and inspires. If you haven’t already, add “Abbott Elementary” to your list of binge-worthy shows!
