In a much-anticipated crossover event, ABC’s Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia came together for two episodes that merge the worlds of both sitcoms. The first episode aired Wednesday night, featuring a comedic exchange between Abbott’s William Sanford Davis(The Blackening, Detroiters) who plays Mr. Johnson and Sunny’s Danny DeVito (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Renaissance Man) who plays Frank. While fans are excited for the cross-network collaboration, the show’s creators revealed that many ideas had to be cut due to time constraints.
In a recent interview with Indiewire, Abbott Elementary producers Justin Halpern (Shit My Dad Says, Animal Control) and Patrick Schumaker (The Muppets, Call Me Kat) shared that a major subplot involving a high school rivalry between Frank and Mr. Johnson had to be scrapped.
“We did at one point have a whole backstory between Frank and Mr. Johnson that they did know each other,” Schumaker explained. “They dated the same woman, Shadynasty, who’s a canonical character in Sunny.” Although this storyline was left on the cutting room floor, it highlights the range of creative ideas that the writers explored for the crossover event.
This potential love triangle between Frank, Mr. Johnson, and Shadynasty would have been a nod to a key episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, where Frank reflects on his youth and his complicated love life. However, time limitations on Abbott—which typically runs for about 21 minutes—meant that more elaborate storylines had to be trimmed.
“We were pretty judicious, but we still were able to put in some things that were maybe a little bit more out there for a typical ‘Abbott’ episode,” Schumaker added, referencing Frank’s chaotic scene, which involved him being trapped in pelts in IndieWire.
Despite the cuts, the crossover provided plenty of fan-pleasing moments, including Frank’s misadventures and Mr. Johnson’s peculiar interactions with Sunny characters. As the Abbott episode ended, Halpern teased that the Sunny team will offer their take on the events, filling in the gaps left behind.
“Their episode is what’s happening in between our episode in the scenes that we’re not showing,” Halpern explained. “It’s really clever the way that they piece together their episode” Halpern tells Indiewire.
As the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover event continues, fans can look forward to its premiere in Season 17 of the long-running series, which is expected to air early in 2025. Despite the success of this unique collaboration, both Halpern and Schumaker seem content to keep their respective shows separate.
“Maybe Ava will go on location at the White Lotus,” Halpern joked, leaving the door open for future crossovers, though not necessarily anytime soon Indiewire.
The Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover offered a mix of humor, nostalgia, and new twists, leaving fans eager for the next chapter. As both shows move forward, it’s clear the special event was a rare, but rewarding, intersection of two very distinct comedic worlds.