ABC Hit Sitcom Gets Great News for Season Two

07/28/2022 05:53 pm EDT

The new school year will be much longer at Abbott Elementary than the first one. The critically acclaimed ABC comedy was rewarded for its stunning success at the Emmy nominations with a full season order for Season 2. Abbott Elementary was the only network show nominated in either top series category on Tuesday.

The new season will run 22 episodes, Deadline reports. Quinta Brunson, who created and stars in the series, hinted at the full season during the show's San Diego Comic-Con panel. "We spent a lot of the first season showing what this show is capable of. Now we get to have some fun," Brunson said in a remote appearance at the convention. "We've done all the building, and now we get to have some of these fun bottle episodes."

Executive producer Patrick Schumacker chimed in that Season 2 will include "more episodes" than Season 1. "Can we say that?" Brunson asked. Schumacker shrugged, which Brunston took as an affirmative. "OK, there you go. We have more episodes this season than in the first," she said.

Season 1 only included 13 episodes. The pilot aired on Dec. 7, 2021, then ABC aired the remaining 12 between January and April. It scored a Season 2 renewal in March, but this was only for 13 episodes since it was considered a midseason replacement show. Sources told Deadline that ABC always planned to give the show a full 22-episode second season, but the final decision came after the show's strong showing at the Emmy nominations. The show was also ABC's top-rated comedy in the 18-49 demographic last season.

Abbott Elementary scored seven Primetime Emmy nominations. The show was the only network sitcom nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series and Brunson was the only star of a network show nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy. Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, and Sheryl Lee Ralph were also nominated for their supporting performances. Brunson also scored a nomination for writing the pilot. Wendy O'Brien earned a Creative Arts Emmy nomination for Outstanding Casting. Brunson made history as the first Black woman to be nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, Lead Actress, and Writing in the same year. She is also the youngest Black woman ever nominated in the Lead Actress comedy category at 32.

Abbott Elementary is set at a fictional underfunded public elementary school in Philadelphia, Brunson's hometown. Brunson places second-grade teacher Janine Teagues, who is way more upbeat than her colleagues. Williams places Gregory Eddie, a substitute teacher who should be the principal, while James plays the inept and self-centered Ava Coleman, who is the principal. Ralph stars as Barbara Howard, a veteran teacher Janine looks up to, while Lisa Ann Walter plays Melissa Schemmenti, a teacher with some odd underworld connections. Chris Perfetti plays history teacher Jacob Hill and William Stanford Davis plays the custodian, Mr. Johnson. The entire first season is available to stream on Hulu. 

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