Abbott Elementary Heads Back To School For Season 2
In what might be the best news of the week (yeah, I'm calling it on a Monday), ABC's delightful and already-beloved sitcom "Abbott Elementary" has been renewed for a second season. The news comes via a hilarious typed memo from Principal Ava Coleman (played by Janelle James) that was shared by The Hollywood Reporter.
Here's an excerpt:
"Faculty and Students (aka My Fans) – The camera crew I hired to showcase all that I've made happen at our beautiful school thinks I'm a star. I mean, are we surprised? No, we're not ... With that said, it is with great pleasure that I share they'll be returning for the 2022-2023 school year! That's right – Abbott Elementary Season Two is coming to a screen near you."
It's an A+ sitcom
Ava caps off the memo by requesting viewers to visit DonorsChoose.org to support classroom projects and supplies. Then, in typical Ava fashion, she also slips in that she wouldn't mind a gift card or two for herself. Abbott Elementary's endearingly self-centered principal isn't the show's only breakout character. Series creator Quinta Brunson stars as ever-optimistic Janine, while Tyler James Williams plays the substitute teacher who can't keep his eyes off her. In fact, every member of the "Abbott Elementary" ensemble is great, from old-school teacher Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) to sweetly pretentious Jacob (Chris Perfetti) to mobster-adjacent Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter).
The "Abbott Elementary" renewal should come as no surprise, as audiences have shown up for the diverse and deeply funny series week to week, driving up positive word-of-mouth across the series' first nine episodes. According to THR, the show is tied with CBS' haunted house sitcom "Ghosts" as the number one broadcast comedy in the 18-49 demographic. The mockumentary-style series calls to mind newer classic sitcoms like "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation," but the show sets itself apart by centering stories from an underfunded public school in Philadelphia — some of which are apparently inspired by Brunson's mother's teaching career.
This isn't the first major project for Brunson, but it's exciting to see the writer and comedian receive such acclaim after delivering consistently funny work in the past. Whether she was going viral on Buzzfeed, starring in "A Black Lady Sketch Show," or penning the essay book "She Memes Well," Brunson has been a standout comedic talent for years now. With its slow-burn workplace flirtation plot and the entire U.S. education system to mine for comedy, allowing "Abbott Elementary" to grow across multiple seasons seems like a no-brainer.
The first part of "Abbott Elementary" season one is available on Hulu. The series will return with new episodes on ABC on March 22, 2022.