Abbott Elementary Season 1 Gets Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh Rating

By Timothy Adams

The first season of the hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary is Certified Fresh at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. ABC is known for producing fan-favorite comedies, but not many people expected a comedy featuring a Philadelphia school system to garner so much positive attention. But that's exactly what Abbott Elementary has done, with ABC renewing the sitcom for a second season in March. The series stars creator and executive producer Quinta Brunson, who based the show on her mother who was a public school teacher for many years. The name "Abbott Elementary" also comes from Brunson's former sixth-grade teacher.

Rotten Tomatoes added Abbott Elementary's freshman season to its list of series Certified Fresh at 100%. The critics consensus states, "Abbott Elementary earns top marks for its empathetic yet sidesplitting critique of the U.S. education system, plus some extra credit for a deftly handled will-they-won't-they dynamic." The first season of Abbott Elementary joins series such as 2021's 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything, 2018's America to Me, 2003's Arrested Development, 2017's Babylon Berlin, 2020's The Baby-Sitters Club, 2017's Back, and 2019's Back to Life to get the Certified Fresh rating.

Abbott Elementary announced its Season 2 renewal on social media with a note from Principal Ava Coleman's desk. "The camera crew I hired to showcase all that I've made happen at our beautiful school thinks I'm a star. I mean are we surprised? No, we're not," the note reads. "With that said, it is with great pleasure that I share they'll be returning for the 2022-2023 school year! That's right — Abbott Elementary Season Two is coming to a screen near you."

Star Tyler James Williams recently addressed the show's comparisons to The Office, another popular comedy that aired on NBC. "It's impossible for The Office not to be an influence. It's the golden standard of this style. And Randall Einhorn, who [was a cinematographer and director] on The Office is one of our executive producers, and directed [six] episodes of this season," he told Variety. "So there's gonna be a lot of things that feel that way. However, for me, unfortunately, I can no longer watch The Office. Because I don't want to bring things in that I'm not even cognizant of. I have to lose The Office in this process, so that we don't end up directly stealing anything here."

Williams continued: "It's like the comparison between [Michael] Jordan and the Bulls and LeBron [James] and – not the Lakers now, because, geez, we're not making playoffs ... but you know what I mean? The fact that this is even the conversation, particularly as a Season 1 show, is incredibly humbling. It's an honor. If that's the bar that we're being compared to, that's where I would like to reside. I like high stakes. So if it comes down to, 'Which one's better? The Office or Abbott?' I'll take that fight every day."

Starring Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James, and Chris Perfetti, the synopsis for Season 1 of Abbott Elementary reads: "A workplace comedy following a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal —as they navigate the Philadelphia public school system. Despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life, and though these incredible public servants may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don't love the school district's less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children."

Are you a fan of Abbott Elementary? Let us know your thoughts on the show in the comments!

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