Abbott Elementary Scores Season 4 Renewal

School is back in session for "Abbott Elementary." After debuting in early December 2021, the sitcom quickly became one of the most popular television offerings from ABC. The series, which follows the personal and professional lives of the staff at the Philadelphia-based Abbott Elementary School, emerged as a ratings juggernaut and won two Emmys.After a critically acclaimed sophomore season, "Abbott Elementary" returned to ABC in early February 2024 with a two-part Season 3 debut. 

Now, Variety confirms that "Abbott Elementary" has already been renewed for a 4th season. William Stanford Davis, who plays the brilliant, job-switching janitor, Mr. Johnson, revealed the good news during ABC's presentation at the Television Critics Association's winter 2023 press tour. A renewal this early into the game shouldn't be surprising, as Season 3 has continued posting strong ratings for the series.  

Beyond its strong viewership receipts, "Abbott Elementary" has been a breath of fresh air for the sitcom genre. The series has been praised for highlighting America's public school education system and for its diverse cast. As "Abbott Elementary" has grown in popularity, real-life educators have shared how the series authentically highlights the wonders of teaching in public schools, shedding light on both the highs and lows of being an educator. 

Because of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, Season 3 of "Abbott Elementary" will only consist of 14 episodes total. This is definitely a bummer after the massive 22-episode count the series received for its 2nd season. For Brunson, having the shorter episode count was an opportunity to take the sitcom in a new direction. "Honestly, I liked having this 14-episode count because it made me think that we needed to be more creative with the time we had," the series creator told Business Insider, adding that her team got "very comfortable" with Season 2's length. 

Fans will agree that Brunson got very creative with Season 3, as she's cooked up an interesting arc for her character Janine. In the Season 3 premiere, the show cuts five months into the school year, revealing that Janine has taken up a job with the Philidelphia school district, trading in her chalk and board for a cushy, though impactful, bureaucratic role. This career switch-up also forces her to see Gregory (Tyler James Williams) a lot less, which is a huge bummer for the "will-they-won't-they" crowd. 

For Brunson, plucking Janine out of the classroom was an idea she always had, but didn't know when to do. With the shorter episode count and five-month time jump, Brunson found the perfect way to switch up Season 3. "Her hair is different. She's dressing different. We see immediately what kind of growth has happened for her in the past five months," she told Variety. Now that Season 4 is confirmed, it will be fascinating to see how this twist impacts the show's future. 

"Abbott Elementary" airs Wednesday nights on ABC.