THE STORY – A group of dedicated, passionate teachers—and a slightly tone-deaf principal—find themselves thrown together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life.
THE CAST – Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James, Tyler James William, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti & William Stanford Davis
THE TEAM – Quinta Brunson (Creator)
The modern TV landscape has led to several unfortunate trends. Shows with solid but not groundbreaking viewership frequently get canceled after one season. If they do get renewed, we are often forced to wait 2-3 years for a measly 8 episodes. In this strange age of television we’re in, getting renewed for six seasons is absurd. At least three of those seasons, with twenty-two episodes each, are practically unheard of. Yet what is perhaps most bizarre of all is that five seasons in, “Abbott Elementary” keeps finding new ways to top itself. Rather than let its delightful premise grow stale, season 5 chooses to dream even bigger about what this show can be. This feat is doubly impressive because, despite taking so many risks with the setting and character dynamics this season follows, it nevertheless retains the classic “Abbott Elementary” charm we all fell in love with in 2021.
“Abbott Elementary’s” fifth outing begins like any other season. The first day of school is approaching, and with it, new challenges and new teachers. The show gets off to an enjoyable, if familiar, start as it plays with a couple of new character dynamics while staying true to everyone’s personalities. On a baseline level, this show will always be a comforting watch because of how wonderful these characters’ relationships are and how entertaining it is to see their actors bounce off of one another. The scripts remain solid, and I have to admire the writers’ ability to come up with fresh ideas five seasons in. Not every episode stands out on its own, but each one nonetheless adds to a satisfying viewing experience.
Roughly a third of the way through the season, this clever show manages to pull the rug from under you. Many of “Abbott Elementary’s” best episodes have taken place in other locations, as the new environments for these lovable characters give the writers more freedom to toy with how they might behave. However, this shift is almost always confined to one episode, before we return to the school and resume business as usual. So to see “Abbott Elementary” commit to a change of scenery after a faulty furnace was both legitimately shocking and a well-needed departure from the formula we have come to love but also expect. The concept of an entire elementary school being forced to move to a mall is sheer genius, and I adore how the show exploits this setting for comedy while also finding ways to indict the public school funding system. Even though these episodes do not take place in the show’s titular building, the spirit of the show remains in this extended setting.
The other risk “Abbott Elementary” takes is in the relationship between Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams). Now, their will-they/won’t-they dynamic in the first three seasons was adorable, if a tad drawn out by the end. But in season 4 and especially season 5, the show explores the realities of their love story. When will they move in together? How will they split the bills? What does a future look like for two people on a teacher’s salary? Watching their relationship authentically strain and strengthen has been one of the highlights of a season that has been great all around.
I do have a few qualms with this season, however. While the cast remains delightful as a whole, I do think that the characters of Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter) have become a tad “flanderized.” The actresses are still fantastic in their roles, of course, but some of their material lacks the heart of their previous arcs and relies a bit too much on easy jokes about Barbara being out of touch and Melissa being street-smart. In a stark contrast to how much this season makes bold swings, these characters’ writing feels oddly safe. Yet there is nonetheless no joy quite like watching any of these characters banter with one another because of how near and dear they are to our hearts.
Sitcoms can live and die by a mastery of stasis. If the status quo changes too much, you might be left with a show that hardly resembles the initial story people fell for. But if nothing ever changes, you might be left watching your favorite characters in an endless loop that becomes painfully mind-numbing at some point. Thankfully, “Abbott Elementary” season 5 stays true to the characters we fell in love with five years ago without forcing them to stay the same. It puts these characters through unexpected new locations and situations to push new sides of them to the surface. Ultimately, this season sets the stage perfectly for what a potential final season for this brilliant sitcom could look like, while also proving that the show can keep going for as long as the cast and crew see fit.
THE GOOD – This season is quite adventurous with what the show can be while preserving the heart of this fundamentally wonderful show. The cast is fantastic as usual.
THE BAD – Some of the character humor errs on the safe side.
THE EMMY PROSPECTSÂ – Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
THE FINAL SCORE – 8/10
