Abbott Elementary cast of characters as Janine Teagues, a stubbornly optimistic second-grade teacher at the titular Willard R. Abbott Elementary School. Along with her coworkers— Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter), Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti), and Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams)— Janine fights for the students of Abbott Elementary, sometimes against and sometimes besides the endearingly unprofessional principal, Ava Coleman (Janelle James).

What could be a gritty reflection of underfunded schools or a slapstick sitcom about the comedy of errors most teachers face instead strikes a careful balance between amusement and sincerity thanks to Abbott Elementary’s grounded storytelling. The antagonists aren’t exaggerated supervillains, but they also aren’t brutally honest depictions that leave the ensemble cast without any hope. There’s an optimistic thread woven into the very heart of Abbott Elementary that makes even the most dire circumstances feel like hurdles instead of dead-ends. Of course, the tone of Abbott Elementary is irrefutably dictated by the camera crew in the building.

Abbott Elementary Is The Setting Of A Documentary About The Public School

The Cameras Offer A Limited Perspective

Unlike most comedies, the cameras in Abbott Elementary aren’t invisible observers. Rather, the camera crew is composed of real people who are there to film a documentary about underfunded public schools in Philadelphia. The documentary was briefly explained in the pilot episode of Abbott Elementary, and the camera crew have been present ever since. As such, there are scenes where the audience doesn’t get the full context because the viewers only see as much as the camera crew sees. This limited perspective offers Abbott Elementary a sense of nuance that most sitcoms can’t pull off due to their classic structure.

Aside from the hilarious moments of characters breaking the fourth wall by staring into the camera, the documentary crew adds an interesting twist to Abbott Elementary’s premise. There are many end of Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 18 wasn’t just a shocking moment for the ensemble cast; it was recorded proof that the district was out for vengeance.

How Abbott Elementary's Format Differs From Other Mockumentaries

The Camera Crew Impacts The Plot

In some cases, the camera crew itself affects the plot in Abbott Elementary. After Gregory turns to a camera to capture his reaction, a disgruntled parent takes notice and escalates the situation with a physical threat (Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 5, “Dad Fight”). In Abbott Elementary season 2, Draemond’s (Leslie Odom Jr.) scheme to turn Abbott into a charter school almost worked since everyone assumed the cameras there to record his smear campaign were actually the documentary crew. Abbott Elementary has never revealed the crew’s names or faces, but their presence is consequential enough.

Abbott Elementary is streaming on Hulu.

Beyond the narrative complexity, there’s a mission statement of sorts that the teachers adhere to because of the cameras. For the most part, the Abbott Elementary staff are on their best behavior, trying to show the best versions of themselves for the documentary. The performative aspect of the mockumentary is what made the Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover so entertaining— even the deplorable “gang” from the Fx hit was diluted for the episode. Abbott Elementary doesn’t exactly show the world through rose-colored glasses, but the diegetic purpose of the camera crew makes everything more interesting.

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