As a fan of school-based TV series - from Room 222, Welcome Back, Kotter and The White Shadow to The Bronz Zoo, Coach and Beverly Hills, 90210 - I was cautiously optimistic about ABC midseason entry Abbott Elementary. But what I did not expect was it to immediately rise to my “must see” list.
Set in the fictional Willard R. Abbott Elementary School in Philadelphia, the premise behind Abbott Elementary follows the daily doings of a group of teachers as a documentary crew is recording a feature on underfunded schools. Naturally, comparisons to The Office are inevitable. Both comedies are rich with a diverse array of interesting - and humorous - characters. And both half-hours are set in a workplace. But, unlike The Office, which centers on Steve Carell on the not always likeable Michael Scott, at the core of Abbott Elementary is the immediately relatable Quinta Brunson (who also created the series) as the eager-to-please second grade teacher Janine Teagues.
Like other series before it (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in particular), the “secret sauce” of any hit comedy is anchoring it with a character we both like and can root for and surrounding that person with an interesting supporting cast of goofballs and oddballs to play off of. There is no shortage of characters like that on Abbott Elementary.
Janelle James as Ava Coleman, the school’s principal (a role acquired by blackmailing the superintendent), is the Lou Grant of Abbott Elementary; gruff on the outside with a potential vulnerability in the middle. Chris Perfetti as nerdy and standoffish history teacher Jacob Hill is a buddy for Janine (a la Murray Slaughter on MTM), someone who faces his own obstacles. Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, a substitute teacher, is the befuddled character with no shortage of sidelong glances to the viewers at home. Sheryl Lee Ralph as legendary kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard gives off a Sue Ann Nivens vibe, complete with a fake smile to mask her underlying tone. And then there is Lisa Ann Walter as second grade teacher Melissa Schmmenti, the Rhoda of sorts who is described as “sketchy.”
Eight episodes in and I am eager to learn more about these individuals. While the cluttered and fractionized viewing environment at present means not all that many people have probably discovered Abbott Elementary, this is a funny show that is sharply written, adeptly acted, and executed without the annoyance of a traditional laugh track. The overall plot tackles the very real problem of underfunded public schools. The mockumentary style only adds to the absurdity of some of the situations. And, with Quinta Brunson as Janelle at the center, we now have a modern day woman who we all just know will “make it after all.”
Given the early positive reviews, chances of a long-run for ABC’s Abbott Elementary seem inevitable. At least I hope so.
