Although ABC came close to killing Abbott Elementary’s cast of characters are one of the funniest lineups on TV, so it is no surprise that the series has earned so much critical acclaim throughout its first three seasons. Abbott Elementary season 1’s Rotten Tomatoes critical score was a near-perfect 98%, while seasons 2 and 3 managed to improve on this with a flawless 100% score.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 5 Mocked Its Strangest Quirk With A Hilarious Consequence
Abbott Elementary made fun of the show's outdated format in season 4, episode 5, and the sitcom ironically justified this setup in the process.
While this praise may sound excessive, it isn’t. Abbott Elementary has revived the mockumentary workplace sitcom format popularized by The Office and Parks and Recreation throughout the 2010s and added a layer of social commentary via the show’s canny depiction of real-life issues facing modern educators. This is why it was so worrying to see Abbott Elementary season 4’s ratings were among the lowest of ABC’s scripted offerings in the 2024-2025 season. Abbott Elementary might be critically adored, but even a show this funny could not succeed in the wrong time slot.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Part 1's Late Timeslot Negatively Affected Its Ratings
Abbott Elementary Should Never Have Aired At 9:30 pm
Inexplicably, ABC moved Abbott Elementary’s time slot so season 4’s early episodes aired at 9:30 pm in 2024, which proved too late for a comedy premiere. The fact that ABC’s iconic sitcom hit Modern Family aired at 9 pm throughout its 11-season run should have been enough to prove this, while Abbott Elementary’s own ratings success in earlier seasons should have reinforced the idea. However, the network still went through with the change and, despite reliably stellar reviews, the ratings of Abbott Elementary season 4 part 1 inevitably suffered as a result.
Abbott Elementary’s ratings dropped from a season 3 low of 2.24 million to a season 4 low of 1.89 million for season 4, episode 4, “Costume Contest.” Luckily, y’s It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover turned things around for the series. Season 4, episode 9, “Volunteers,” benefited from the popularity of the long-running FX sitcom It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, pulling in an impressive 3.76 million viewers. This was the second-biggest success in the show’s history after season 3, episode 6, “Willard R. Abbott.” That outing earned an astounding 6.9 million viewers, but this was skewed.
ABC Moves Abbott Elementary Season 4, Part 2 To An Earlier Time Slot
Abbott Elementary Season 4’s Second Half Airs A Full Hour Earlier
“Willard R. Abbott” aired directly after the Academy Awards, which always results in outsized ratings for whatever series is lucky enough to follow the awards show. Luckily, the success of Abbott Elementary’s It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover is much more organic, and, in an even more reassuring piece of news, TVLine reports that ABC has moved Abbott Elementary’s time slot for season 4, part 2. The remaining episodes of Abbott Elementary season 4 will now air at 8:30 pm, which is a far more fitting time slot for the largely family-friendly sitcom.
It would be understandable for viewers unfamiliar with the series to assume Abbott Elementary was aimed at a more mature audience, judging by its 9:30 pm time slot.
This is great news for a variety of reasons. While Abbott Elementary’s positive critical reception was undeniably impressive, it did little to improve the show’s ratings throughout season 4 part 1. It would be understandable for viewers unfamiliar with the series to assume Abbott Elementary was aimed at a more mature audience, judging by its 9:30 pm time slot. Prospective viewers might have reasonably guessed that the show was set in a school but suitable only for adult viewers, like Hulu’s Brian Jordan Alvarez hit English Teacher. However, this would be a mistake.
Why An Earlier Timeslot Could Help Abbott Elementary Season 4's Viewership
Abbott Elementary Season 4 Now Has Less Competition And A Better Lead-In
Abbott Elementary is as family-friendly as the likes of Modern Family and The Office, and its new time slot reflects this. Abbott Elementary season 4 part 2 has a much more appropriate time slot, and this change arrived at a perfect time for the series. Abbott Elementary’s It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover will inevitably attract new viewers, something the show needs for two reasons. For one thing, the average viewership of most shows typically declines as they continue, and this trend has historically proven particularly strong with network sitcoms.
Scripted ABC Series (2024/2025 Season) |
Total Viewership |
|---|---|
High Potential |
6.6 million |
9-1-1 |
6.5 million |
Doctor Odyssey |
5 million |
Grey’s Anatomy |
4 million |
Abbott Elementary |
3.3 million |
Furthermore, season 4 part 1’s unfortunate time slot did real damage to the show’s ratings, taking them below 2 million for the first time in 4 years. Luckily, Abbott Elementary’s new lead-in is the sitcom Shifting Gears, which should earn a sizable audience thanks to star Tim Allen. Furthermore, the show doesn’t face too much stiff scripted sitcom competition, with Fox airing The Masked Singer and NBC airing Chicago Med in the same time slot. This means that Abbott Elementary season 4 can now gain back its popularity with viewers after continuing to impress critics even in the wrong time slot.
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 8:30pm on ABC.
Source: TVLine
- Network
- ABC
- Cast
- Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, Janelle James, Josh Segarra, Mason Renfro, Jerry Minor, Larry Owens, Nate' Jones, Lela Hoffmeister, Vince Staples, Kimia Behpoornia, Dillion Blake Allen, Reggie Conquest, Kate Peterman, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, Benjamin Norris, Aayden William, Ben Onyx Dowdy
- Showrunner
- Quinta Brunson
- Writers
- Quinta Brunson
- Creator(s)
- Quinta Brunson
- Seasons
- 4
- Streaming Service(s)
- MAX
- Where To Watch
- Hulu
