A hit ever since its debut earlier this year, Abbott Elementary has cemented itself as one of the best comedies of the year, earning critical acclaim for its phenomenal cast and writing. Led by Quinta Brunson, and set in the fictional Philadelphia-based Willard R. Abbott Elementary School, the sitcom has been renewed for a 22 episode second season since March.
The series stars Brunson as the cheerful and idealistic Janine Teagues, a second-grade teacher who is genuinely interested in the wellbeing of the school, her students, and her fellow members of staff. Rounding out the dynamic cast of teachers are Tyler James Williams as the deadpan Gregory Eddie, Lisa Ann Walters as the tough Melissa Schemmenti, Chris Perfetti as the charming Jacob Hill, Sheryl Lee Ralph as the motherly Barbara Howard, and Janelle James as the incompetent principal Ava Coleman.
At the 74th Emmys, the series picked up three awards from six nominations, including Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Ralph.
Season two of Abbot Elementary will kick off on Sept. 21, and the first 13 episodes will air weekly until Jan. 18 in 2023. For some awesome comedies to fill in the time while you wait for newer episodes to air, here are some similar shows to indulge in for some serious laughs.
Teachers
Before Andrew Lincoln was slaying zombies in The Walking Dead, he starred as the less-than charismatic teacher Simon Casey in this British comedy-drama. Teachers is similar to Abbot Elementary in that both shows offer glimpses into the personal lives of the teachers more than the students. While there’s no teacher as self-motivated and optimistic as Janine, Simon and his colleagues still manage to get the job done, and offer viewers more than a couple of laughs along the way.
Mr. Iglesias
Comedian Gabriel Iglesias stars as the very affectionate and kindhearted titular teacher in this short-lived Netflix sitcom. Teaching history at his alma mater, Mr. Iglesias strives to achieve the best results out of his misfit students, and juggles school life politics with an eccentric principal who is more interested in expelling students. There’s hearty laughs, a determined protagonist, and excellent writing, ensuring that Abbott fans feel right at home.
Bad Education
A charming British comedy that never takes itself too seriously, Bad Education lasted for three seasons and centered around the incompetent Alfie Wickers, a history teacher at the fictional Abbey Grove Secondary School. Desperately clinging to his youth, and always on a mission to impress his students and colleagues, Alfie goes to extreme lengths to remain relevant, often resulting in disaster. Worse yet, his rebellious students are constantly roped into his shenanigans. Alfie and Abbott’s Janine do share a very important quality — they love their students so much, but he’s more like Principal Ava when it comes to being severely unqualified to work with children.
A.P. Bio
A hilarious comedy also set in school, A.P. Bio. follows Jack Griffin, a former professor at Harvard, who is fired and ends up teaching AP biology at a high school level. Determined to enact revenge on those that wronged him, particularly his rival Miles Leonard, Griffin enlists his less-than-interested, but extremely brilliant students, slowly softening up towards them as the series progresses.
Superstore
Moving away from the classroom, Superstore is very similar to Abbott Elementary, as the two sitcoms follow the lives of under-appreciated members of the workforce. While Abbott centers around teachers, Superstore dives into the hilarious lives of retail workers at a megastore named Cloud 9. Led by America Ferrera, and with a supporting cast of hilarious talents, Superstore is widely considered one of the best comedies of the last decade. With so many wonderful moments spread across its six seasons, fans of Abbott will enjoy the relationships between coworkers, who find a way to become a unique family despite the less than ideal working standards.
Teachers (2016)
Not to be confused with the 2001 British comedy-drama starring Andrew Lincoln, Teachers debuted in 2016 and follows six elementary school teachers who try to succeed in their work while navigating their own topsy turvy personal lives in Chicago. There are some insanely inappropriate jokes and unrealistic situations, but the performances of the main cast are nothing short of wonderful, and it shows sometimes that not all teachers have hearts of gold, something many others can relate to in the school setting.
Community
While Community is set in a school, it follows the lives and mishaps of several adult students at community college, without focusing too much on the teachers. When successful lawyer Jeff Winger is disbarred and disgraced for not having a bachelor’s degree, he enrolls at Greendale Community College and begins a study group under false pretenses. His study group eventually gets filled with some very interesting students, and together, their hilarious misadventures draw them closer to one another, and a strong bond is formed between the characters.
Scrubs
Another hilarious and popular sitcom that didn’t take place in a school, Scrubs centers on another set of essential workers —medical professionals at the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital. Led by a hilarious ensemble cast, Scrubs was a hit throughout its run and brought a lighter and more comedic feel to a show about hospitals. There’s a wonderful dynamic between the characters in the series, one that Abbott fans will definitely appreciate.
The Big Bang Theory
One of the most popular sitcoms in recent memory, The Big Bang Theory was praised for its humor, writing, and wonderful ensemble cast. With one joke right on the back of another, the series won numerous awards throughout its impressive 12 season run. Filmed in front of a live audience, The Big Bang Theory followed the personal, and sometimes professional, lives of Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, a pair of scientists at Caltech, as well as their neighbor, aspiring actress Penny, and their friends and coworkers, Howard and Raj. Fans of Abbott will enjoy the unique relationships between the leads, and the brilliant writing.
