Go to School

Time to go back to school. I recently binged all the available episodes of the first season of Abbott Elementary, a new ABC comedy (that’s streaming on Hulu) based on a perpetually underfunded Philadelphia public school and created by the ridiculously talented Quinta Brunson (previously of the ridiculously funny “Black Lady Sketch Show”). It’s a mockumentary ensemble workplace comedy, in the vein of “Parks & Recreation” and “The Office” and “Superstore,” but in school. But with so much more organic and welcome diversity.

I know you’re thinking, but is it gay? Well, it has a gay male teacher (the token woke white liberal man) and its writers room includes genderqueer comic Brittani Nichols (who you might recognize from “Transparent” and “Suicide Kale”). So I have hopes for some female and non-binary/trans representation as well.

Oh, and did I mention the show is partnering with Scholastic to provide free book fairs at some underfunded schools? Because they are. THEY ARE. I remember Scholastic book fairs are the absolute most exciting time when I was in elementary school. Like, omg, ALL THE NEW BOOKS. Seriously, this show just keeps on giving.

With so much horrible still happening all around us, Abbott offers simple yet deeply earned delights. It’s very funny and sweet and optimistic in a less caffeinated Leslie Knope way. Yet it’s also grounded in realistic framing of chronically underserved communities. That these often happen to be communities of color is no coincidence. Through laughter and empathy and more laughter and the utter absurdity of reality it makes you care deeply about things like school funding and teacher salaries and educational attainment in underrepresented communities. Also, did I mention it’s deeply funny?

Anyway, my TL;DR book report thesis is: Watch “Abbott Elementary.” The good news is you have a week to get caught up on the first nine episodes before the show comes back from a brief hiatus next Tuesday. (And yesterday it got renewed for a second season.) Yes, this is an assignment. But the extra credit is laughter and joy and more laughter.