Solé Scott- Features Editor
TV was dull and dry before “Abbott Elementary” premiered. I was watching old sitcoms such as “Moesha,” “Girlfriends,” “Martin” and “Family Matters” to satisfy my entertainment needs.
“Abbott Elementary” is a comedy show on ABC that shows every Wednesday at 8 p.m.
The show follows five teachers, the principal and their hilarious janitor. The characters are Janine Teagues, Barbara Howard, Gregory Eddie, Melissa Schemmenti, Jacob Hill, Ava Coleman and Mr. Johnson.
Quinta Brunson, who was a famous personality on Buzzfeed, created the show because her mother was a teacher for over forty years. Barbara Howard is loosely based off her mother.
I love that the school is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and serves mainly black and brown students. Shows are always based in Los Angeles, New York City and Atlanta, so it is refreshing to see a new location.
Abbott touches on the realistic events that school employees have to go through such as managing discussions of drugs and drinking, being underfunded, overworked and students being shy amongst other things.
Abbott is quite similar to “The Office” as both shows are mockumentaries that follow a working staff.
Since season one, the comedy has racked up numerous awards such as Primetime Emmys, Screen Actors Guild awards, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awards, Peabody awards and Critics Choice awards all in the span of two years.
Not only is Abbott bringing back comedic mockumentaries but they are also bringing back 20 plus episode long seasons, which is a rarity now but used to be the norm back in television history.
I have to give credit where credit due, and that is to the casting director who chose all the seasoned actors.
For example, the casting of Queen Sheryl Lee Ralph who is known for playing the original Deena Jones in the Broadway musical “DreamGirls” and Dee Mitchell on “Moesha” is amazing.
Tyler James Williams is most known for playing the younger version of Chris Rock on “Everybody Hates Chris” as well as Cyrus on Disney Channel’s original movie “Let it Shine.”
Lisa Ann Walter played beloved character Chessy in “Parent Trap.”
Jannelle Evans is a comedian and staff writer and was the opening act for Chris Rock’s 2017 comedy tour.
Chris Perfetti has starred in numerous TV shows and films. He is also a renowned actor in theatre, as he received the Theatre World Award for Best Debut Performance.
William Stanford Davis has had minor roles in TV shows such as “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Lincoln Heights” and “Ray Donovan.”
The ratings for the show have skyrocketed to numbers TV does not see quote as often for prime-time viewership.
Season one viewership was 3.8 million while season 2 averaged 3.9 million viewers.
“Abbott Elementary” is a show that is not only filled with nostalgia but also a show that all family members can watch and actually enjoy.
If you have not watched “Abbott Elementary” yet, please watch it every Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ABC network or catch up on Hulu if you have a subscription.
