ABBOTT ELEMENTARY is back for its third season with a super-sized premiere. I didn’t realize how much I had missed this outstanding sitcom with its excellent story-telling and fine cast of characters and actors.
There are some changes going on at the school. Five months is the key to its timeline. The acknowledgment to the shaken camera following the staff around was priceless. The ensemble is growing in its depth and teaching experiences. The writing invited viewers to become an integral part of the teachers’ public and private lives. As a former teacher, it was often difficult to keep them separate even though society expects us to do so. Life is messy. Teachers are real human beings with the same wants and needs as anyone else. Kudos for showing those hidden shadows that are not always just black or white.
The reference to “accepting the things we cannot change” was perfect. This is a teacher’s mantra, but we never stop trying or dreaming. Amen. I must also praise the theme of women overseeing their own destinies. What a powerful message this sends out into the universe. Ava, Barbara, Melissa, and Janine are all strong women. They represent diversity in all the best ways while they are portraying their authentic selves, and audiences can “put a period” after that thought.
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY gave a voice to those we often don’t see clearly even when we pass each other daily. There were so many small, heart-warming moments that all added up to more than a “$2” raise. The “Celtic” zoom was just the icing. ABBOTT ELEMENTARY is clever, creative, and thoroughly entertaining, must-see TV. It is available on ABC and HULU.
