"Abbot Elementary Season 1" Bring Back the Sitcom

 


    I'm going to be honest with you, I barely watch sitcoms. I mean one of my favourite shows of all time is without a doubt Community but other than that and Brooklyn-99 my toes have hardly been dipped. However, what I have watched is countless shows and "mini-series" that have on hour episodes and 8 episodes to a season that takes 3 years to produce. Like really? This is what we're doing? Don't get me wrong, it isn't always bad, I loved Wednesday and Umbrella Academy, but sometimes you just want a twenty minute per episode show that's easily consumable when you have the time and itches that light hearted spot in your heart. Abbot Elementary did that for me, and while it's only 13 episodes, the first season warmed my heart like you could never imagine.

    I think part of it is me watching all those painfully mediocre Disney+ shows. Look, I love that creatives are getting big budgets are being ambitious with their projects, but the reality is I feel like more of them would be successful if they didn't take themselves so seriously. Take for example She-Hulk I have not finished it, and I don't think I will at least for now. With 10 episodes that are 40 minutes long, it's a bit on the lengthy side, especially when the writers are attempting to give it  whole "lighthearted weekly sitcom" vibe that I'm looking for. It's simply too long, it doesn't work, the episodes need to be shorter, and then perhaps I would have enjoyed it more.

    Now personally, I was never the biggest fan of mockumentaries, it's a genre that could be done well  but I feel like especially in Abbott Elementary when they try to convince you they just happen to be doing a documentary in a school, it's a bit much. Luckily, you learn to suspend your disbelief fairly quickly, and you just learn to enjoy the characters, and frankly that's all I'm there for.

    I'm going to be honest with you, I remember Quinta Brunson from her Buzzfeed days, and never did I think she would be able to make a sitcom that not only touches upon heavier subjects, but also has a general light hearted feel that you'd hope for in a sitcom set in an elementary school. I think what really stood out to me with her writing was the ability for characters to project their situations in other scenarios, so that the lesson learned doesn't feel as forced, and while it can get a bit heavy handed at times, it works. I mean if I had to choose my favourite character would have to be Jacob, but at the same time I could see myself in him so that's part of why.

    If you're going into this thinking you're going to love all of the characters though, you'll be sorely disappointed. I mean I remember watching the gifted episode of this show because I saw that it had created a discussion on Twitter, and frankly I could care less for what was happening between Barbara and Melissa, and Jacob was an afterthought to me. But, after watching the first 5 episodes, and rewatching it again, I was surprisingly emotionally invested. I mean it's not like Community where the characters are all supposed to be deeply flawed bad people, these are all teachers, they're good people (mostly) trying their best with what they have, it's perfect feel good candy for a quick and simple punch.

Final Score: 78/100

    Look this won't be a magnum opus, you won't view teachers in a significantly different light after this show, but at the very least I hope it makes you smile. It's not very complex, and you don't have to overanalyze anything, but it just works, it feels good and I am absolutely giddy after watching the final episode, hoping that the second season reaches Disney+ in Canada ASAP. What more need I say, it's only 13 episodes and 20 minutes each, just go out there and watch it already.

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