-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email “ Abbott Elementary ”'s strength rests in its insistent comfort, which its creator and star, Quinta Brunson , has understood as core to the broadcast sitcom’s mission. Calling the show comfortable four seasons in isn’t the pejorative it might be if we referred to, say, “ The Bear ” in a similar fashion. Yes, that namedrop is intentional, and not merely because in arguments about what is and is not a TV comedy, “Abbott” tends to be cited as the classic half-hour standard bearer, down to its mockumentary format, because of its overt hilarity.
Through her second-grade teacher Janine Teagues, Brunson is capturing the essence of that one unforgettable instructor who made a difference in our lives. (Her fictional school is named for her favorite grade school teacher.) She’s a dauntless stand-in for the tireless souls who refuse to be deterred from inspiring young minds.
And while FX’s critical darling sustained some backlash in its third season for offering up some version of “more of the same,” the “Abbott” writers parlay its broadcast comedy predictability into an asset. That matters as the show resumes with another school year at Willard R. Abbott Elementary.
Four seasons in, Janine is no longer the awkward newbie, but not quite the equal of veteran Abbott teachers Melissa Schemmenti ( Lisa Ann Walter ) and Barbara Howard ( Sheryl Lee Ralph ). Thanks to her detour into the underbelly of the educational administr.
