In 4 seasons of the massively popular, mockumentary school series “Abbott Elementary”, the teachers and students have went through some extremely funny and outrageous situations, but Creator Quinta Brunson has usually managed to keep the vibe light. Season 4’s swan song focused on one melancholic aspect of elementary school life that happens every single year – graduation. Warning, there will be more light spoilers for “Abbott Elementary” season 4 episode 22 below.
In this case we get to see a handful of 8th graders who Chris Perfetti’s Jacob is not quite ready to say goodbye to yet…although the kids seem to have outgrown their teachers by the end of the episode. Goodbyes are aways a complicated affair and with the late season fake-out of the firing of Principal Ava, fans were happy to not have to say goodbye to the real stars of the show, the staff (we’re looking at you Mr. Johnson).
Season 4’s swan song focused on one melancholic aspect of elementary school life
that happens every single year – graduation.
The biggest critique we have of the episode is that Tariq could have been a chaperone, but we imagine there could have been a scheduling conflict and not for lack of trying as Tariq’s actor Zach Fox has managed to do a lot with a little screen time this season. The episode had some solid comedic moments, but after the parent fight episode, we are almost desensitized. The teachers doing their worst impersonations of each other was predictably funny, but the ‘goodbye’ overtones stopped the episode form being an all out laugh fest.
We’ve known since January that we’re getting a season 5, with will most lily air in October or late September, but we were given another treat recently with a promo teaser trailer for the other end of the ‘Always Sunny’ crossover that was started in Season 4 of ‘Abbott’. The first part of the crossover was well received by fans of both respective series and the footage teasing the ‘Sunny’ episode was sadly very short, but still seems to set up more possible comedic genius. Imagine the ‘Sunny’ gang recruiting for a boy band…the possibilities are endless.
“Abott Elementary” will hit the show’s 100th episode next season and a bigger question we’re wondering is: Are we close to jumping the shark? How many more seasons before the plotllnes start to seem recycled? As each year is a cycle in a school, the answer is tough to say. There is still room fro deeper backstory in to characters like Ava, Janine and the fan favorite janitor Mr. Johnson, but the strength of the show is the school setting so it’s really tough to say.
So far, the creator Quinta Brunson (who also stars as Janine Teagues) has not really missed a step with this sereis and has secured a ton of high profile cameos along the way. Could this be just the beginning? Or is all the heat already spent?
We’re going to have to wait until July 9th on FX when “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” premieres it’s 17th season (an accomplishment in itself) to see the gang at Abbott again, but when we do it’s prett much guaranteed to be must-see TV. “Abbott Elementary” is definitely 100% binge-worthy.
Did you see the finale episode? How do you think the crossover will work out? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
