When the first season of creator Quinta Brunson’s Abbott Elementary came to a close more than a year ago, it marked the end of a strong opening to a show that felt both sharply funny and charming in a way that most comedies could only hope to be. Of course, when setting out for a second season, there is always a question about whether you can match the high bar set by what preceded it. Not only is this show already on track to do so, but there is also the promising potential for it to even surpass what came before.
If you haven’t already been lucky enough to watch the first season, best get on that now; Season 2 wastes no time in hitting the ground running. The fictional Philadelphia elementary school is starting classes again and all the teachers are having to adjust to additional challenges this year. Janine (Brunson) is just as optimistic as ever, in spite of undergoing personal struggles after recently ending a relationship and having to take a financial hit as a result. Gregory (Tyler James Williams) is similarly going through his own relationship challenges that have also gotten wrapped up with his job in abundantly awkward ways. Alongside them are Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) who is having to take on teaching more students, and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) who is trying to find a way to get resources for the bare necessities to support students. Then there are also Jacob (Chris Perfetti) and Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis), who will go through Development Week with them.
Complicating all of this is the glorious menace of a principal that is Ava (Janelle James) who is just as chaotic as ever. Every moment she is on-screen is wonderfully unpredictable, as the supposed leader of the school remains self-centered and snarky. This ensures she serves as a great foil to Janine — who, in the middle of her own personal struggles and a mountain of institutional challenges, keeps trying to improve things for the students. It is tough going that is full of setbacks, though Brunson plays the character with such sincerity that it makes each moment she is undercut feel both humorous and heartbreaking. It doesn’t find laughs at her expense, or paper over the realities of how hard the profession can be. Rather, every laugh is one of catharsis for any who has had to work a job that chews you up and spits you out despite all the care you put into it. Abbott Elementary can be as sincere as its central character, which is precisely what makes the often biting humor land so well. The juxtaposition between Janine’s prevailing optimism and the realities of the job continue to go together perfectly.
In the first two episodes shared with critics, the show continues to capitalize on this to be both funny and focused. From the frank conversations in the staff lounge to the typical mockumentary interview asides that provide comedic interjections, it all remains sharp while still being plenty silly. Though Abbott Elementary is grounded in the lived experiences of teachers going about their day, there is a simultaneous universality to the working class experience that it also captures without ever losing its specificity. This is no easy feat, yet Brunson and company make it look like it is, executing all the great comedic moments with such precise timing of jokes that hit one after another. One moment where the characters are asked if any of them drive a specific car sneaks up on viewers in the silently funny gesture of them all raising their hands. Although some moments can feel a bit dated in trying to make pop culture references that have since faded from our memories, the more subtle jokes and gags have a timelessness to them that makes up for any missteps.
What needs to be said in all of this, and this cannot be stressed enough, is that Abbott Elementary is not meant to be entirely serious, even as it touches on enduring truths in its scenarios. The honesty is what makes the humor work so well, though it also is wrapped up in a rather sweet sensibility that keeps things light. Last season saw a strange undercurrent of viewers expressing a desire for the show to touch on current events, or the more horrifying realities of what it means to be a teacher. While there is certainly a place for that important conversation, this show is not meant to solve all the problems of the world outside it. Above all else, it is a comedy show and a very funny one at that. Abbott Elementary certainly doesn’t pull any punches at getting some jabs in at the broken system the characters are operating in, but it also makes sure to balance that with a profound sense of playfulness. Their work, with all its challenges, can also be ridiculous. Even more significant is that these characters aren’t defined by their jobs, and the show makes sure to explore some of these scenarios in refreshingly silly ways as well.
A great example of this is a recurring joke about one character always mistaking famous actors, which gets introduced in the second episode. Not only is it one of the show's best, but it works beyond just the scenario of the school. It ends up revealing the generational divide and how the connections between coworkers can lead to fun in-jokes to break up the difficulties of the day. This is something that Abbott Elementary is great at drawing out as well, ensuring we get to know the multidimensional aspects of both the characters and the comedic identity of the show itself. While there is much more ahead in this season that will determine if it can keep this up, the opening thus far is a promising start and a welcome return for all involved.
Rating: A-
You can watch the first episode of Abbott Elementary starting September 21 on ABC and next day on Hulu, with subsequent episodes released weekly.