As Abbott Elementary Enters Its Second Season, Will Viewers Give the Beloved Comedy Room to Grow?

I was, shall we say, an early adopter of Abbott Elementary.

When you’ve been writing about television as long as I have, the list of shows that immediately stand out as special is small. Because let’s be honest, most shows are neither really, really good nor really, really bad. Most new series fall into the dreaded “eh, it’s fine” category.

But sometimes there’s that magical moment when you realize you are watching something truly exceptional amid the slog of new shows. It’s happened to me with The O.C. and The Good Wife and Lost and Ted Lasso. When you’re lucky, the shows you think are extraordinary are ones that bigger audiences like, too. I still lament the cancellation of Fox’s 2010 series Lone Star which was canceled after only airing two episodes. (As I’ve discussed in the past, that show should have made James Wolk a huge star.)

Last December, that special moment happened to me with ABC’s Abbott Elementary. From the moment I watched the pilot, I knew the show was much more than the typical network sitcom drudgery (lame punchline, tinny laugh track, repeat). There was a grounded sweetness to the show. It was neither saccharine nor sardonic. We were introduced to the teachers of Philadelphia public school: the earnest Janine (series creator Quinta Brunson), veteran teachers Melissa (Lisa Ann Water) and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), as well as reluctant substitute Gregory (Tyler James Williams), the socially inept Jacob (Chris Perfetti), and the self-centered and clueless principal Ava (Janelle James). As a group, they immediately clicked; their combined comedic beats were perfect. The pilot was hilarious but also moving, all while shedding light on the underfunded public school system without being patronizing or exploitative.

When I wrote my 5 New Shows You Can’t Miss column for that month, I called Abbott “The best new network show of the season.” That pull quote was everywhere. I was so delighted to see the show become an almost overnight success and that its quality remained consistently fabulous. That’s no easy feat. And I have been so amused by the “everything old is new again” reaction to a network show getting this much love. What’s that you say? You have to wait an entire week between episodes. They are going to 22 episodes in a single season!? We only have to wait three months between seasons. This is amazing!

The critical response to the comedy has been equally remarkable. Earlier this month, it won three of the seven Emmys it was nominated for: one for Brunson for writing the stellar pilot, one for Wendy O’Brien for the pitch-perfect casting of the show, and one for Ralph for Outstanding Supporting Actress (Ralph’s joyous acceptance speech was instantly iconic). The Television Critics Association (of which I am a member) handed the show four awards in August, including Outstanding Achievement In Comedy, Outstanding New Program, and the prestigious Program Of The Year Award. It beat out shows including Better Call Saul, Squid Game, and Succession for that honor. Brunson signed an overall multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Outlets ran stories with headlines like How Abbott Elementary Reinvigorated the Network Sitcom.

I’ve seen the first two episodes of the new season, and they are everything you would want and expect the show to be. Warm, hilarious, relatable, and damn if the end of the second season premiere didn’t make me cry. But, I’m not going to lie, I’m worried about the show. Well actually not the show, but viewers’ reaction to the show.