A workplace comedy centered on a group of dedicated teachers – and an oblivious principal – in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life.
Abbott Elementary is a popular sitcom in the vein of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.” In mockumentary fashion, it follows the teachers and staff at Abbott Elementary, an underfunded public school in Philadelphia.
This season, Janine (Quinta Brunson) is offered a fellowship at the Philadelphia school district. She takes a break from teaching, which came as a massive surprise to the audience, as viewers know how much she loves teaching.
I thought it was cool to see Janine in a new environment and her ideas being taken seriously, rather than being comically dismissed by the principal, Ava (Janelle James). I also liked the school district characters. It’s unclear to me how much they’ll be popping up in future seasons, but they were a fun group.
The “will they, won’t they” continues with Janine and Gregory (Tyler James Williams). I’m glad they resolved that plot by the end of this season, though, because I was starting to find it tiresome.
There are three big cameos this season, two of which felt out of place to me. One is Bradley Cooper and the other is Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Questlove also cameoed, but he felt the most natural out of the three.
One subplot I quite enjoyed is Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) becoming roommates, then besties. I always like it when a show explores the dynamic between two characters who haven’t spent much one-on-one time together.
Ava remains my favorite character on “Abbott Elementary.” She continues to be larger than life. I loved how we finally got to meet Crystal and explore their beef. Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) also continues to be a highlight of the show.
Now, Season 3 of “Abbott” is shorter than the other seasons due to the writer’s strike. Still, I’m pretty amazed that they managed to get 13 episodes up and running so quickly. I’m sure they had the season already planned out beforehand, but they had to make some changes. However, I found the overarching storyline involving Janine at the school district to be satisfying.
I can see how others may be disappointed with the season due to the shorter episode count and Janine not being at Abbott as much, but I still found this season to be quite enjoyable. I’m eager to continue my catch-up on the show as these characters.
Now available on DVD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
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