Abbott Elementary Season 6 Review: Brilliant Fan-Favorite Sitcom Makes The Grade Yet Again

Since its 2021 debut, Abbott Elementary has arguably become the gold standard of modern TV comedy. A stellar cast, a modern but not desperate comedic sensibility, and a higher episode count per season that leaves plenty of room for experimentation and character exploration? This show really does have everything you could want out of a sitcom. Now in its sixth season, series creator and star Quinta Brunson and her team are clearly not losing steam and are as committed to delivering top-tier comedic storytelling as they’ve ever been. Though please keep in mind that this only applies to the first three episodes, as that was what was made available to me at time of writing.

What is Abbott Elementary Season 6 about?

Credit: Disney/Gilles Mingasson

Following on from Abbott’s near closure at the end of Season 5, everyone’s favorite lovable band of struggling but compassionate teachers, and their scammer with a heart of gold principal Ava, are back in the classroom ready to begin the school year in earnest. But with a new year comes new changes to our beloved crew. Melissa, played by Lisa Ann Walter, is now a representative for the teacher’s union. Gregory, played by Tyler James Williams, is now assistant principal in addition to his teaching duties. However, none of this stops the Abbott gang from going above and beyond for their students and getting into plenty of shenanigans along the way.

Abbott Elementary Season 6 Review

Credit: Disney/Gilles Mingasson

I’ll be honest, trying to review Abbott Elementary in its sixth season feels like trying to review ice cream. We all know it’s wonderful, we all know exactly why it’s wonderful, and we’ve known what those reasons are for a very long time. What else is there to say at this point? I could probably just tell you they haven’t messed with what’s made the show great and nothing has gotten stale and just end the review now with you knowing everything you really need to know.

But since I am a professional, I will elaborate. Abbott Elementary works because it knows its characters well and knows how to most effectively use them. Quinta Brunson’s Janine is an eternal optimist that can bring joy to any situation, which means pairing her up with a down-to-earth realist and arguable cynic like Gregory makes for a great back-and-forth, especially with how deep the two now are into their romance.

Credit: Disney/Gilles Mingasson

Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Barbara remains the perfect mix of wise and naive that gives the actress the perfect avenue to show off her comedy chops, be it in scenes with students or the other teachers. The odd couple dynamic between the street-smart Melissa and Chris Perfetti’s bookish yet socially conscious Jacob remains unmatched. And William Stanford Davis’ Mr. Johnson, alongside Janelle James’ Principal Ava, add just the right amount of chaos to keep the formula from getting too predictable.

Not that the show needs much help with that since; despite following a fairly rigid overarching structure and well-established character dynamics, Abbott Elementary never feels like its treading old ground even this far into the show’s run. Each episode feels like it does something special, like it moves the characters forward in their journey, and even ones that share vague similarities in plot to ones in previous seasons explore those ideas from new and engaging angles.

Credit: Disney/Gilles Mingasson

Most importantly, the show remains quite possibly the funniest thing currently airing on TV. Both the writers and actors clearly know how to commit to the bit, every actor has exquisite delivery, and every episode got multiple, genuine, belly laughs out of me. That’s a difficult thing to get out of someone who quite literally watches TV for a living, but Abbott Elementary consistently makes it look easy.

Is Abbott Elementary Season 6 worth watching?

Credit: Disney/Gilles Mingasson

The question posed by the above sub-heading is basically already answered by Abbott Elementary Season 6’s own existence. If you enjoyed the previous seasons, and if you keep up with sitcoms and have even an iota of taste, you did, then you’ll enjoy this one. The cast continues to be firing on all cylinders, the scenarios continue to be inventive while staying true to the show’s core, and it’s still hilarious as all get out. It’s an absolute delight to watch and I for one cannot wait for more.

Abbott Elementary Season 6 airs Wednesdays at 8:30PM on ABC, with new episodes streaming next day on Hulu. Three out of twenty-two episodes reviewed.

Abbott Elementary Season 6 Review: Brilliant Fan-Favorite Sitcom Makes The Grade Yet Again