“When you believe in them, you put in the work… You have to give these kids a chance if they want to make it out of neighborhoods. The only way is for them to be educated.” So says Joyce Abbott, a veteran Philadelphia elementary school teacher, and the namesake for Abbott Elementary, the ABC sitcom created by her former student Quinta Brunson. Abbott Elementary follows Brunson’s Janine Teagues, who works at the eponymous Philly school, which suffers from a lack of funds. She and her colleagues attempt to navigate the demands of their job, which, as Abbott reminds us, is “more than a job.”
This is what makes Abbott Elementary shine so bright: it spotlights a group of dedicated, passionate teachers who never stop believing in their students, and celebrates that like the act of heroism it is. Connecting with children, helping them understand things and overcome obstacles—that’s everything to a teacher, because that’s everything to a kid… and this show has that down to a tee.
The supporting players are just as engaging as the lead, with each one bringing something new to the table. Chris Perfetti plays Jacob, one of the sole white and gay employees at the school, whose overly pronounced attempts at allyship double as hilariously sly commentary—a great subversion of the “token black friend” trope; Lisa Ann Walter lends the character of Melissa a delicious dose of sassy self-assurance; Tyler James Williams underplays with brilliance as the laconic Gregory; Janelle James steals every scene she’s in as the tone deaf principal Ava, whose incompetence and immaturity are as hilarious as they are concerning. The standout, though, is Sheryl Lee Ralph as Ms. Howard, whose weathered realism is a perfect foil to Teagues’ stubborn idealism. With characters this singular and believable, the arcs of every episode never feel forced, brought home by the grounded, pitch-perfect performances.
Aided by it’s mockumentary presentation, zoom-ins and pans capture every little reaction that characters have to on-screen events. The sitcom makes use of talking heads, in which the characters speak alone and directly to the camera. It highlights how unfiltered Gregory and Melissa are around the camera vs how presentational Janine is—or how Ava hoards it.
But as much as I’ve been loving this show, it isn’t without its pitfalls. The third episode, while sweet, has predictable arcs and punchlines, which is a shame considering how razor sharp the preceding episodes are.
The second episode introduces a compelling subplot of Janine being unsatisfied in her current relationship with her boyfriend Tariq. Unfortunately, the show seems to completely forget about this development until six episodes later, with Gregory and Janine’s will-they-won’t-they dynamic (and any appearances by Tariq) vanishing out of thin air in the meantime.
Luckily, the eighth episode – easily the standout of the series – makes up for lost time, bringing back Tariq to hilarious and poignant effect. Gregory’s arc is wholesome and adorable, Jacob gets some much needed development, the will-they-won’t-they is back, and Janine’s personal reckoning is some of the most affecting material of the entire show thus far.
The inconsistency of this romance plotline makes me wonder how long the series can sustain itself across multiple seasons. Nevertheless, I’m along for the ride. Abbott Elementary is a hilarious, moving and authentic glimpse into the lives of unsung heroes, and is one of the most refreshing sitcoms I’ve seen in a while.
August Van Der Werf is a first-year cinema and photography major who is a firm believer in the Dewey decimal system. They can be reached at [email protected].