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Critic Reviews
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It has Parks and Recreation’s sense of community, Modern Family’s precision-tooling, Ted Lasso’s charm, but it is its own, hilarious thing. Despite – or, of course, because of – the truth its underlying tale of real-life deprivation tells.
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"No-frills" may not be a welcome descriptor for a public school, but it should be aspirational for TV comedy. Abbott does the most with the basics: a smart conceit, sharp writing, the right cast. Other sitcoms should be taking notes.
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There's much more heart in Abbott Elementary [than American Auto]. ... The ensemble is terrific. [17 - 30 Jan 2022, p.8]
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“Abbott Elementary” should be everyone’s new comedic obsession, with a cast that’s not only funny but who’ve already formed an honest, connective chemistry. Quinta Brunson’s sitcom always feels heartfelt, even when it’s criticizing a system that’s overworking teachers and letting down students.
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This is a sitcom, sure. But the world it builds rings with authenticity. There are occasionally some extremely local Philadelphia jokes, and those too hit with the pinpointed accuracy of a laser beam.
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“Abbott Elementary” reminds us how entertaining mockumentaries can be. It helps that the show is superbly cast.
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Every episode juggles these actualized anecdotes we've seen in newscasts, documentaries and read about in coverage of education disparities – and the great feat of "Abbott Elementary" is that it starts and stays funny through to the end credits.
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Delightful. ... Presented mockumentary style, the series feels fresh even as it mines the familiar. As much as the characters represent an agglomeration of types, they are well written and the actors invest them with life.
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Abbott Elementary is not only funny, but its pilot sets up a workplace family that can endure for multiple seasons.
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In the three nonconsecutive episodes sent to critics, Abbott Elementary already feels like a reliable source of laugh-out-loud moments, thanks to sharply drawn characters and a winning cast. ... I suspect that given time, Abbott Elementary could blossom into something truly special.
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Teachers have acted as “admin, social workers, therapists, second parents” for decades. That the series can find even light comedy in this sobering truth is a credit to its writers, and represents a solid start for this promising series.
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Sure, some of the characters are stereotypes – painfully woke, white teacher Jacob (Chris Perfetti); ziti-making Melissa “I know a guy” Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter, another scene-stealer) – but they’re all uniformly funny.
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A workplace comedy has to be more than awkward Jim Halpert glances to the camera and outsized office personalities. It also has to find humor in the day-to-day grind in a way that feels recognizably honest. Which “Abbott Elementary” absolutely does.
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So yes, "Abbott" is familiar but the early episodes also have charm, potentially meme-able moments and what ultimately may matter most — heart. The year is new but we may have an early winner.
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While Brunson has the format for a good series, she doesn’t have all the elements. Sometimes, the comedy is forced. ... This is a start but it's like Brunson's character -- a little naive. To be the show we need, "Abbott Elementary" needs to do more than dance around the obvious.
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Watching it will definitely give you some painful 1960s and 1970s whiplash.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 10 out of 16
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Mixed: 3 out of 16
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Negative: 3 out of 16
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Dec 8, 2021
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Feb 9, 2022This show is hilarious! It reminds me of The Office.
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Dec 20, 2021