The sitcom is a "mockumentary" about a group of passionate teachers and a quirky principal at a Philadelphia public school, Abbott Elementary. Despite the odds stacked against them, the characters are determined to help their students succeed. The stars of the show are Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti, Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, and Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard.
Whether you are new to Abbott Elementary or binged watched every episode, there are several reasons why the series deserves so much praise. Here's why you should be watching Abbott Elementary.
The Cast, Crew, and Characters
In an interview with Shondaland, Quinta Brunson said she knew the cast would have great chemistry because she and other cast members have worked well together on past projects. "It's like when you have a group of different friends [who may not know one another], and you're planning something, you say to yourself, 'You know what? These people will get along with each other,'" Brunson said. "And that's how I approach casting because, yes, it's work at the end of the day, but you're spending countless hours with these people. You want to imagine that they'll get along well and work with each other outside of just having chemistry. So, that was a huge part of the process."
Fans may recognize Tyler James Williams from another great sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. Before his role on Abbott Elementary, Tyler starred as a young Chris Rock in the sitcom loosely based on his real-life growing up in Brooklyn, NY. Aside from the main cast, rapper and comedian Zac Fox guest stars on the show as Tariq, Janine Teague's boyfriend. Fox has collaborated with Kenny Beats, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat. The American stand-up comedian, rapper, writer, illustrator, and internet personality hails from Atlanta, Georgia.
Abbott Elementary also offers a refreshingly casual gay character with Jacob Hill, played by Chris Perfetti. The show doesn't rely on cheap gags or other sly nods to his sexuality. Instead, the show makes it commonplace. In a recent episode, Janine offers to help set Jacob on a date but is surprised to know he already has a boyfriend. The character isn't shocked or upset because he's gay. It's because it has become apparent that maybe she and her co-worker aren't as close as originally thought. The episode ends with the two coming together, sharing a much-needed moment of honesty about Janine's current relationship with Tariq.
The talent behind the series is just as impressive. Werner Walian, an executive producer, was previously a producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and directed two episodes, "Winner Takes Off," in 1993 and "I, Stank Hole in One," in 1996.
The Inspiration
Quinta Brunson named the show after her former real-life teacher, Joyce Abbott. During a recent appearance of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Brunson was reunited with the teacher via video chat, who inspired the show's name. "Quinta was an awesome student," Ms. Abbott said. "When she came into my class, she was really shy, timid. But as I challenged all of my students, we had to speak in complete sentences. I built their confidence that whatever you want in life, you can do it. You have to work hard." The former teacher noted how honored she was to have the ABC series named after her.
Quinta also based parts of the show off her mother's experiences as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While she was a guest on the Kelly Clarkson Show, Brunson said Abbott Elementary was inspired by her mother's real-life teacher struggles. "When you're the child of a teacher, you get to see teachers in a different light -- like a 'behind-the-scenes' look," she said. "It's just getting such a different view, and I really credit my mom's experience for helping me create the show." Brunson even was a student of her mother's kindergarten class. How cute!
Reflecting on her mother's experience, Brunson uses Abbott Elementary to address an issue affecting many public schools today--a lack of resources. "Those are my two goals: heart and humor. I think when you put both of those things in a school, an elementary school — sorry, a public, underfunded elementary school — naturally, it uncovers some of the larger issues at play, right?" Brunson told the Associated Press. "Why isn't the support there? What are they lacking in resources? Because the goal was to have heart, a lot of the time, inherently, you get a message because we couldn't avoid what's going on in public schools if we wanted to. We would be making an insincere show."
The Success
As of now, the series has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. "Abbott Elementary earns top marks for its empathetic yet sidesplitting critique of the U.S. education system, plus some extra credit for a deftly handled will-they-won't-they dynamic," according to critics. Brunson's success is proof anything is possible. "It shows it doesn't matter what you did first — all of these platforms are just ways for artists to flex their muscles," she told Vulture.
Before Brunson was the creator of Abbott Elementary, the writer, producer, comedian, and actress grew to prominence for her self-produced Instagram series Girl, Who Has Never Been on a Nice Date. Then she produced and acted in content for BuzzFeed Video, eventually developing two streaming series with BuzzFeed Motion Pictures. After departing, Brunson has since starred in several TV shows, even landing a leading role in HBO's Emmy-nominated sketch comedy show, A Black Lady Sketch Show.