In the age of streaming, ABC show “Abbott Elementary” has brought back the traditional sitcom.
By Lila Penenberg
It’s come as a surprise to viewers that the hottest comedy series on television this year is not a streaming show like “Ted Lasso” — it’s ABC’s situational comedy, “Abbott Elementary.”
The season two finale of “Abbott Elementary” aired on April 19 with great anticipation. The hit sitcom focuses on a group of teachers in an underfunded and primarily Black public school in Philadelphia and, using the mockumentary style — which “The Office” popularized — updates the classic sitcom content to appeal to a more diverse and modern audience while maintaining a feel-good nature.
“The coolest part about these comedies is you can guarantee laughs for people…but then you can give them the real behind the stories,” the show’s creator, writer and star, Quinta Brunson, told L.A. Confidential. “We are bringing some real issues to light…but our goal was not to tackle the issues. Our goal was to present a comedy using real-life material.”
Since the rise of streaming services, networks have had to battle against streaming shows, such as Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso,” Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and HBO Max’s “Hacks.”
Cable and satellite subscriptions dropped to 56% of households in 2021, down from 76% in 2015, but “Abbott Elementary” has had consistently high viewership since its premiere in December 2021, reported 34th Street.
The second season premiered in September 2022 and had 10.4 million viewers — ABC’s most-watched comedy telecast since the “Modern Family” series finale in April 2020, reported Deadline.
“‘Abbott Elementary’ is a network sitcom without question, and that’s what audiences and critics alike love about it,” reported 34th Street. “There’s no explicit language, there’s no sex, there are no gimmicks: Abbott Elementary is pure heart and wit, and proves that sitcoms, if they want to be successful, should just be themselves.”
The series is also the most awarded network sitcom in over a decade.
Network shows like “Black-ish” and “The Good Place” earned a few nominations in their time, but “Abbott Elementary” became the first network show to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series since “Modern Family” won in 2011.
The first season went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy TV Series, and many have predicted that the highly acclaimed second season will also take home its fair share of accolades.
One of the show’s main draws is a slow-burn romance between teachers Janine and Gregory, played by Brunson and Tyler James Williams.
The show was confirmed for a third season in January, and Janine-and-Gregory shippers are excited to see what awaits the pair.
“I think even those who aren’t totally head over heels [with] where we land [with Janine and Gregory in season two] will nonetheless be compelled to watch…season three and see where it goes,” co-showrunner Patrick Schumacker told TheWrap.
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