A real phenomenon in the United States, this comedy series about a school in Philadelphia does a lot of good for morale while denouncing a school system that is out of breath. While the first episodes of season 2 ofAbbott Elementary land on Disney+, here are 5 reasons to catch up on this excellent comedy.
The Office Or Parks and Recreation do you miss? We too, and we have found her ideal replacement: the formidable Abbott Elementary. In this mockumentary, you will meet the team of teachers of a primary and kindergarten school in Philadelphia, faced with a cruel lack of resources. Say hello to Janine, who awkwardly tries to be the best, Amy-style in Brooklyn 99Gregory, a rather strict but tender-hearted newcomer, Melissa, who is afraid of nothing, Barbara, the ultra-religious dean or even the principal of the establishment, Ava, completely in the West.
The series brings an unexpected freshness to the yet ultra codified genre of humorous productions, thanks to a quality cast and a writing of a fine intelligence. Surprise success at the last Emmys, Abbott Elementary finally unveils its season 2, the first 10 episodes of which are now available on Disney+. The perfect opportunity to sing the praises of this comedy, which you won’t let go.
A resemblance to The Office, Parks and Recreation Or Modern Family
Interviews in front of the camera, loving glances captured at the corner of a shot, zooms to intensify the situations… No, you’re not in front The Office but ahead Abbott Elementary, which uses the same codes of the hilarious mockumentary. We thus happily find this realization a bit intrusive and this way of capturing, on the spot, situations that are sometimes embarrassing or adorable.
But the series, which began in 2021, does not claim to reinvent hot water or the standards of this serial genre. His ambition is elsewhere: to reclaim these references to better highlight African-American characters, too long sidelined from this type of production. We cannot repeat it enough, but the importance of representation is still as essential in 2023, and Abbott Elementary brilliantly proves it.
Actors and actresses who finally find the recognition they deserve
The series benefits from an exceptional cast, led by actors and actresses who have not always had the opportunity to shine at their fair value. Abbott Elementary was thus created by Quinta Brunson, seen in iZombie Or Miracle Workers. She wears multiple hats here: showrunnerscreenwriter (for which she won an Emmy in 2022), but also an actress, since she plays the kindly annoying character of Janine.
Quinta Brunson surrounds herself with an absolutely brilliant troupe, like Sheryl Lee Ralph, winner of the Emmy for best actress in a comedy supporting role at the age of… 66 years old! We also find Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris), Lisa Ann Walter (War of the Worlds) or Janelle James, who finally finds a role to match her comedic talent.
Simple but effective humor
It takes time before laughing frankly in front of Abbott Elementary, It’s true. The first episodes, in the form of a long introduction, can thus suggest a nice sitcom, but nothing more, which multiplies very specific references to American culture. But as the chapters progress, the subtle humor of the series unfolds to better bring us into this small community of teachers.
So, we grant you: some somewhat winded narrative arcs end up being embarrassing, like that of the main Ava who flirts with Gregory, a new teacher, in each sequence. But season 2 fortunately ends up focusing on new, much more interesting plots. And if the first season did not dwell on the major annual events, in these new episodes, Abbott’s teachers finally celebrate Halloween (episode 6) or Christmas (episode 10), according to rather well brought misadventures. And you can’t miss the awesome Melissa dressed as Wanda.
A plea for more resources in public schools
Whether Abbott Elementary seduced his audience in the United States as much as elsewhere, it is also thanks to his strong political convictions. Behind its sometimes somewhat simple jokes, the series does not hesitate to denounce racism, ordinary or not, or the lack of resources allocated to public schools. And in every episode. It was time to give a comedy series the means to tell the daily life of black people, in the way of Black-ishwhile demonstrating the cruel lack of school funding.
Abbott Elementary thus unfolds sometimes anecdotal stories, but which forcefully reveal the small details accumulating in the lives of teachers and which prevent them from carrying out their work. Janine, Barbara, Melissa or Gregory must therefore deploy mountains of ingenuity to compensate for the lack of resources they face every day, like thousands of American (and French) teachers.
A short format to chain the episodes
In the era of Peak-TVwhere more and more series adopt infinite lengths, the tiny 20 minutes ofAbbott Elementary serve as an exception. And, let’s say it: it’s a real pleasure to be able to enjoy a little episode again here and there, during a lunch break, a journey to work or at the end of the evening, before going to to sleep.
On Disney+, you will have access to all of season 1 and the first 10 episodes of season 2, which is still being broadcast in the United States, on the ABC channel. So that already gives you enough to occupy your days with a comedy full of cuteness. And don’t forget: go beyond season 1 above all. It takes time forAbbott Elementary installs its characters and that we truly become attached to them to the point of wanting to know their future. But once it’s done, we promise you: you won’t want to leave them.
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