- "Abbott Elementary" has been named Insider's TV series of the year. (A tie with "House of the Dragon.")
- Though its pilot premiered in late 2021, most of its episodes aired in 2022.
- Quinta Brunson's series proves that sitcoms can be both joyful and complex.
"Abbott Elementary" is the rare TV show that garners critical acclaim while dominating Twitter's trending topics, and its widespread success boils down to one thing: joy.
The series centers on a group of passionate, dedicated school educators (and a slightly-tone deaf principal), including second-grade teacher Janine Teagues, played by the series creator Quinta Brunson.
Brunson previously told Insider that she drew inspiration for the Philadelphia public school setting from her mother, Norma Jean Brunson, a retired Philadelphia kindergarten teacher who also taught at her daughter's public school.
During their drive to school, the "A Black Lady Sketch Show" star would hear her mom bond with carpooling coworkers about their workplace issues and the "small joys" of teaching, like Pizza Fridays or the look on a child's face when they finally understood a concept.
Balance is key to the dynamic success of 'Abbott Elementary'
The teachers and staff at the fictional Willard R. Abbott Elementary School often face seemingly insurmountable challenges, but they also never take themselves too seriously.
In a season two episode titled "Juice," Janine's desire for healthier juice options in the cafeteria hilariously leads to a nightmare scenario involving distracted students, full bladders, and dilapidated bathrooms.
But as we're laughing at the idea of Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) taking a baseball bat to a broken toilet to make the school system work for her, we're also reminded of how grossly underfunded and underappreciated inner-city public schools and their workers truly are.
Middle-school English teacher Sydnee Harris told Insider that "Abbott Elementary" is the topic of conversation in many teachers' lounges because of storylines similar to the one on "Juice." The show depicts the reality of the ridiculous situations educators are sometimes forced to overcome without making fun of the profession.
As for the characters, each role on "Abbott" is lovable, not in spite of, but because of their flaws. Brunson may not have won an acting Emmy for her performance (yet), but she did take home an Emmy for best comedy writing this year and the multidimensional characters at the heart of her pilot script are why.
There's no better example of this complexity at work than Principal Ava Coleman, (played brilliantly by Janelle James). Viewers simultaneously laugh and cringe at her behavior because, yes, frustrating bosses are a universally relatable experience. But we also learn more about the things that make her human, like her family and her love life.
We don't normally expect sitcoms like 'Abbott' to hit us deep in our emotional core
Many sitcoms don't want to touch the uncomfortable topics that adult millennials like Janine usually avoid speaking about in everyday life. But Brunson and her team did that on the season two Halloween episode, "Candy Zombies."
While Abbott's staff tries to control hyper children who have found the hidden candy stash and taken over the school, Janine is forced to face the fact that it's been hard for her to make friends as an adult — especially after her recent breakup. When an old high-school friend invites her to a party, she initially declines. After failing to make plans with someone at school, she realizes she should go to the party unless her ultimate goal in life is to become a lonely cat lady.
"I think I've been avoiding making new friends because the unknown — it's scary," Janine tells the fictional documentary cameras. She also tells her colleagues Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter) and Barbara that starting her life over after a long-term relationship feels "really hard."
These are basic truths in life that some adults choose to ignore in favor of pretending like everything is fine. If viewers aren't in touch with the areas where they need to grow, unexpected storylines like this could have them reaching for tissues. "Abbott" should be proud of this.
On top of everything else, Brunson weaved in a potential romance between Janine and Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams). Slow burns aren't groundbreaking by any means, but still, it's impossible not to root for the potential romance — even if Greg is constantly (and maddeningly!) sending Janine mixed signals. We just want the staff of "Abbott Elementary" to be as happy as they make us every week.
"Abbott" is proof that laughter does inspire change in the world. In her quest to shine a light on teachers' day-to-day lives, Brunson and her team are forcing the nation to confront the flaws of our public school system in a way that's palatable to the masses.
What they've accomplished with this classic workplace sitcom is nothing short of brilliant.
"Abbot Elementary" was named Insider's best TV show of 2022. For more of our End of Year Awards, click here.
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