The Television Critics Association 2023 Winter Press Tour continues today with ABC next to outline the near future of their programming. One thing they confirmed live on stage is that their Emmy Award-winning comedy Abbott Elementary will keep its doors open for the foreseeable future. Quinta Brunson’s hit series has been renewed for a third season as Season 2 passes the halfway mark.
Abbott Elementary burst onto the scene last year as one of TV’s best shows despite being placed on a broadcast channel. It took home three Emmys for its efforts, including one for Brunson for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series which made her only the second Black woman to do so. More recently, the show has continued to have legs in the awards space, picking up three Golden Globes at this year’s show. Brunson especially was emphasized as a name to watch going forward both for her excellent performance as the dedicated Janine Teagues and as a writer.
So far, Season 2 has lived up to the lofty standards that its predecessor set and, with higher expectations and an established name, has actually managed to surpass Season 1 in ratings. In the key demographic of Adults 18-49, Abbott Elementary managed a 3.58 rating after 35 days of viewing across all platforms which marks a 31% increase over last year. In terms of general cross-platform ratings over that same period, the show has averaged 9.1 million total viewers, good for a 13% increase over last season. It’s now firmly cemented as the #1 show in ABC’s catalog this season and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon with the second season drawing the same rave reviews as before for blending the real world of the public school system with feel-good comedy.
A mockumentary-style comedy set in one of the most underfunded public schools in the country, Abbott Elementary tackles the everyday lives of the teachers dedicated enough to their profession and their students to stick around and make things better. With its latest episode, the show is set to tackle the all-too-common reality of schoolyard fights and damaged relationships. Titled “Fight,” the episode tests the teamwork of the Willard R. Abbott Elementary faculty as Janine tries to mend the friendship of two of her students who don’t get along. The faculty is also getting into a bit of a war over fantasy football as Ava (Janelle James) and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) join forces to take down Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis).
Aside from creating and starring, Brunson also serves as executive producer alongside Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker of Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, and Randall Einhorn. She assembled a massively talented cast for the series which also includes Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, and Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard alongside the aforementioned James, Walter, and Davis.
Abbott Elementary airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
