Why Abbott Elementary’s Approach to Repetition and Realism Keeps Us Watching

Repetition with difference is a strategy that Abbott Elementary utilizes to keep fans entertained and coming back for more. The main theme of repetition across seasons is the natural conflict that Abbott Elementary faces as a poorly funded school in a low-income area.

In the first season the show introduces us to an array of characters with very different personalities, personal conflicts, and strategies for teaching kids with limited resources. In season one, episode nine we learn about the health of Ava’s grandma. The show seems to be following the common theme of Ava being an irresponsible principal, skipping out on her duties again. We discover that Ava is the main character for her grandma with dementia, and immediately this common repetition comes to a screeching halt. We now peel back this empathetic and caring side of Ava that we haven’t seen before. The viewer (and Janine) are caught in the all too familiar pattern of judging Ava for her continuous way of being irresponsible and poor at her job. Instead we see Ava as a reliable caretaker. Janine is forced to swallow her pride and apologize to Ava for misjudging her. It was a powerful shift from the normal Ava shenanigans. This is a moment for fans to have some empathy and compassion for Ava, which is out of the normal narrative of how the viewer would see her. 

Gregory is a slow burn character. It seems like we learn more and more about him as time goes on, you don’t get to figure him out right away. In season one, episode eighteen we see a glimpse of Gregory’s personal life. A facetime with his father, showing how his dad views his career as “not a real job.” At this point we have learned that Gregory has a sweet side that deeply cares for his students and the well-being of Abbott. In fact it seems like this is what he admires the most about Janine, her love for the kids. Another
plotline that has repetition but also grows overtime is their friends-to-lovers trope. We often see these dramatic moments followed by a comedic moment to make everything a little less serious. In season two, episode twelve the conflict with Gregory’s father returns, displaying that this may become a common battle that he faces and maybe some foreshadowing into his career moves in the future. 

Janine is a character that we see build overtime as well. For example in season two when Janine breaks up with her boyfriend and experiences some financial trouble. This is a dramatic and serious topic that Janine casually jokes off. She often uses her sense of humor and people pleaser attitude to dismiss any issues she has. She is definitely a glass half full type of girl until she hits a certain breaking point. This is a theme that continues and shows repetition throughout the series. 

In Vanity Fair’s article; How Abbott Elementary Became This Year’s Breakout Broadcast Comedy they state: “From the pilot, Abbott delivers a perfect blend of tone that marries the comedic mockumentary format seen in Modern Family and The Office

with the more heartfelt moments as the teachers try to do right by their students within a system of tight budgets and low resources.” Which I think is a completely accurate description of what the show achieves and aims to accomplish. Quinta Brunson stars as Janine, the main character. However she does play a lot of other roles in the creation of the show. Channing Dungey the former President of ABC Entertainment noted, “I like the fact that Quinta is the star of the show, she’s the writer, the executive producer, and she’s in front of the camera—the fact that we are able to give her voice, this platform, is really important to me.”

Brunson also commented on how essential she believed it was for the show to be picked up by ABC and featured on network TV. “Despite the sexiness of streamers, Brunson says she always hoped her comedy series would be on network TV. ‘Although we’ve gone so far with streaming and streaming shows can be the most popular shows in the world, I felt like I hadn’t quite seen sitcoms really thrive in those spaces yet,” she tells Vanity Fair. “When you want to create something that inspires family viewing, but is still funny, is still fresh, it’s still moving the needle a little bit, but something that’s just enjoyable to watch, I thought that network was still the best place.’ ”

The themes we are so used to seeing in season one continue overtime but evolve as we go; under-funding and insufficient resources for students and teachers, misappropriation of school funding (cough cough Ava), and of course the persistence in the face of opposition and embracing the possibility of positive change. The “possibility of positive change” theme is demonstrated by Janine’s go-getterness early on in season one, but as the show progresses it seems like she is able to get her co-workers more on board. She is able to drag along Gregory, Barbara, and even Ava at times to achieve what she believes will help the students the most. We watch how the most unlikely bunch of people can work together and create meaningful bonds and friendships along the way.

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