The cast of ABC’s hit comedy Abbott Elementary reunited at a Deadline Contenders Television panel and shed light on their thoughts following the series’ success. The show has won over forty awards, including three Emmys, and has already been renewed for third season.
Quinta Brunson, who serves as the creator and protagonist, was present at the panel, alongside Sheryl Lee Ralph (Oliver & Company, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit), Lisa Ann Walter (The Parent Trap, Bruce Almighty), and Janelle James (Black Monday, Central Park).
Via Deadline, Brunson offered her insight into her motivation for developing the series: “I didn’t have it in mind as people think I did. I know that sounds bad, but a lot of people are like, ‘Wow, you did this thing to show how under appreciated teachers are, to change the world.’ Not really. I just wanted to make a comedy. I really just wanted to make a good workplace comedy, and I think the best workplace comedies exist out of places where people are doing their best.”
She mentioned similar shows Superstore and The Office as examples of workplace comedies that share the template for Abbott Elementary — “I’m very happy that through our storytelling that, you know, the mockumentary format is hyper realistic. We get to bring attention to teachers. I’m big on intention. So that’s why it’s important for me to say my intention was to make a workplace comedy. I’m very happy that through that, now people get to see what it is teachers go through and what they deserve.”
Later, the conversation shifts into what changed for season two. The goal, reportedly, was to shape the characters and give them multi-dimensional personalities.
Walter expressed her happiness at her character’s development during the season. She portrays Melissa, who is best described as sketchy. Season two has been diving into her softer side, however. Walter says, “Our business, in some ways, tends to pigeonhole characters and women, you become a trope.”
James plays Ava Coleman, the principal of Abbott. She discussed the support she has received for the role, specifically from Black women who feel they finally have a character they can relate to: “Other black women really love Ava and they really tell me that they feel seen, which is again reinforcing that this is a character that is really new for television, this type of a Black woman. So that makes me even more happy than the teachers [who have responded to the show], that Black women are seeing themselves in this new way through me. And what could have been a very one dimensional character that people love to hate is, even more in Season 2, so multi-layered. You find out she’s not only funny, she loves to learn, and she actually does love kids. And she actually is running the school in her own way. It’s not how people everyone might do it, but it’s pretty effective.”
The season two finale of Abbott Elementary will premiere this Wednesday, April 19, on ABC. All episodes are available on Hulu.