‘Abbott Elementary’ teases a sixth season full of power, laughs, and drama
The Emmy-winning series set in a fictional Philadelphia public school is following up on the drama of the fifth season
The new season of Abbott Elementary is nearly back in session. And from the looks of it, there are some major changes coming up in the series’ characters.
In the season 6 trailer that dropped on Wednesday, it’s revealed that Tyler James Williams’ Gregory will now be the school’s assistant principal in addition to his regular teacher duties, and Lisa Ann Walter’s Melissa is now a teachers’ union representative.
Gregory’s new role will have him working more directly under Janelle James’ Ava, the hilariously self-absorbed principal of the fictional Philadelphia public school.
“It’s going to be the best year yet,” Ava says in the trailer.
Gregory, however, doesn’t appear as enthused. “I have two roles this year. Teacher me and assistant principal me … It’s going great,” he says.
Fresh into her union position, Melissa is at odds with another staff member over a break room chair. “You’re not aware of the hierarchy around here, but,” Melissa says before the staffer jumps in to respond, “I’m not going anywhere.”
The rest of the trailer, which opened with Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle,” foreshadows another season of laughs and chaos in and outside the classroom.
Chris Perfetti’s Jacob is seen leading a PTA meeting line dance; Ava curses out fellow staff; Gregory is startled by what appears to be an enraged parent; and the friction between Quinta Brunson’s Janine and her students looks to heat up.
Of course, there are homages to the city that serves as the series’ backdrop although the show is filmed in Los Angeles. Janine appears wearing a Penn sweater, Melissa dons a black Eagles sweat jacket, and Jacob tosses a basketball at two characters wearing Sixers jerseys.
The new season follows an eventful season five, which hints at a potential engagement between Janine and Gregory, an uptick in Abbott’s student intake due to multiple school closings, plus a power struggle between Ava and Gregory with his new role.
The season six premiere is set to air on ABC at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 7. And in the words of Janine, “anything can happen.”
