Abbott Elementary School won the hearts of many.
The ABC mockumentary was created, co-written and executive produced by star Quinta Brunson. Since the series premiered in December 2021, Brunson’s creation has seemingly revived the network sitcom.
Abbott Elementary School follows the lives of a group of teachers, a questionable principal and other school staff – including a mysterious janitor – at a public school in Philadelphia. What do they have in common? All of them remain committed to helping their under-resourced students.
During the first three seasons of the show, viewers had the opportunity to witness shenanigans, life lessons and sometimes romantic moments between the cast.
Abbott Elementary School, which won four Emmys, will return for Season 4 on October 9, with this season promising a secret crossover that Brunson says will “change television as we know it.”
From workplace sitcoms and mockumentaries to heartwarming comedies, here are 12 shows to watch while you wait for the next season Abbott Elementary School.
Parks and recreation
Jordin Althaus/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty
If mockumentary-style comedies that follow workplace shenanigans and relationships are your thing, Parks and recreation brings the same lightweight content to the screen.
Amy Poehler plays do-gooder Leslie Knope, a government employee who just wants to improve her town of Pawnee, Indiana, just as Brunson’s character Janine Teagues wants to improve Willard R. Abbott Elementary School for all of her students.
Leslie is determined to succeed – all with a smile on her face – with or without the support of her friends and colleagues (but preferably with).
Watch Parks and recreation on the Peacock
Superstore
Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Courtesy of Everett
As Abbott Elementary School, NBC’s Superstore brings workplace comedy to the small screen. The sitcom follows the professional and personal lives of employees at a fictional megastore, Cloud 9. The series captures the sometimes mundane but often wacky moments of the store’s employees, including the ups and downs of their constantly evolving (and sometimes intertwined) lives. .
Watch Superstore on Hulu
AP Bio
Peacock
While Abbott Elementary School brings a healthier atmosphere to the school sitcom, AP Bio has a more cynical approach. The series follows Jack Griffin (Glenn Howerton), a disgraced former Harvard philosophy professor, who returns to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, after losing his dream job to his rival. Instead of teaching his high school students advanced placement biology, he wants revenge, especially on his rival.
Watch AP Bio on the Peacock
Office
Justin Lubin/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty
As Abbott Elementary School, NBC’s Office combines mockumentary with workplace comedy that had viewers laughing (and sometimes crying) every week. The fan-favorite series stars Steve Carell as the benevolent Michael Scott, regional manager of the Scranton branch of fictional paper company Dunder Mifflin. Over the course of the show’s nine seasons, fans can watch life unfold among the cast of characters, including unlikely friendships, romance, and children with some limited chaos in between.
Watch Office on the Peacock
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Cinematheque/Shutterstock
When I think about comedies in the workplace, The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a groundbreaking sitcom that helped popularize the subgenre. The series follows Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) as she moves to Minneapolis after her engagement breaks off. After landing a gig as an associate producer for the evening news at WJM-TV, she faces daily challenges in the workplace, including a grumpy but lovable boss, a pompous anchor, and a wisecrack writer.
Watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show on Hulu
Single parents
Scott Everett White/ABC
Similar to Abbott Elementary School, Single Parents they brought both heart and humor to the sitcom. The short-lived comedy follows a group of single parents who are just trying to do the best for their children. An unlikely group of friends band together to provide each other with much-needed emotional support, comic relief, and the occasional babysitting gig or two.
Watch Single parents on Hulu
Peelings
Dean Hendler/Nbc-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
Peelings is another sitcom hit that bit the workplace comedy itch. The show follows a group of employees at a fictional teaching hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital, as narrated by the show’s protagonist, John “JD” Dorian (Zach Braff). JD and his fellow interns (later residents and attending physicians) work to advance their careers, all while dealing with the often bizarre and strange hospital staff and patients.
Watch Peelings on Hulu
Kim’s convenience
CBC / courtesy of Everett
If you are in the mood for a humorous comedy like Abbott Elementary School, Kim’s convenience can fill that void. The family comedy follows a Korean-Canadian family that runs a grocery store in Toronto. In the store, the family deals with a wide range of customers, all while managing the sometimes strained relationships within the family.
Watch Kim’s convenience on Netflix
Ted Lasso
Apple TV+
Looking for more heartwarming (and sometimes misguided) optimism laced with some hard-learned life lessons? Ted Lasso delivers. Against all odds and his own struggles, Jason Sudeikis’ character, Ted Lasso, provides the same level of hope and heart as Janine. Ted Lasso follows Ted, a former American football coach, as he moves across the pond to coach an inexperienced major league football team after a major life change. Although he lacks experience in the sport, he manages to turn a downtrodden team into a group of winners on and off the field.
Watch Ted Lasso on Apple TV+
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
FOX Image Collection/Getty
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is another small screen addition for workplace comedy lovers. The series follows Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), a carefree detective who has to change when a new commander, Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher), comes to the station. Similar to Abbott Elementary School, a will-they-won’t-they romance develops between Jake and his competition at the station, Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), amidst the station’s endless mishaps.
Watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Netflix
Party Down
Colleen Hayes/Starz! Movie Channel/Everett/Shutterstock
As Abbott Elementary School, Party Down follows a group of co-workers who work for the same catering company based in Los Angeles. The group – including Henry Pollard (Adam Scott), Constance Carmell (Jane Lynch) and Lydia Dunfree (Megan Mullally) – is made up of current and former actors, writers and others waiting for their big break in Hollywood. The Starz 2023 revival comedy he even introduced Brunson as a guest.
Watch Party Down on Roku
30 Rock
Ali Goldstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty
It wouldn’t be a Tina Fey comedy without some shenanigans. Instead of following a group of elementary school teachers, 30 Rock follows the staff and stars of a live sketch comedy show in New York City as Liz Lemon (Fey) tries to balance her dreams with the complications of being a head writer amid a storm of online chaos. The hilarious ensemble includes Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowksi, Alec Baldwin and more.
Watch 30 Rock on Hulu
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education