Class is back in session at Abbott Elementary! After a delay caused by last year’s lengthy work stoppages during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Season 3 of the hit show has finally premiered on ABC. The delay was due to the fact that the writers were on strike until September, and the actors stayed on the picket lines until November, pushing back production. As a result, Season 3 will consist of 14 episodes, focusing on the latter half of the school year.
The decision to start Season 3 later than expected posed a unique challenge for the show’s creators. Typically, returning series starting later in the broadcast season wouldn’t have to address why viewers were tuning in mid-way through the school year. However, the writers of Abbott Elementary wanted to find a way to incorporate the new first day of school vibes while still acknowledging the events that took place during the first half of the school year.
Executive producer Justin Halpern explained, “Last year we really went by the school schedule. When we were airing was when we wanted the show to be taking place, and we hit Halloween and Christmas and everything like that. So this year, it felt like it would have been very odd to say the first day of school was February 7. But we also wanted to get those new first day of school vibes and see what was happening with the show. So we were like ‘Alright, let’s see if we can do both.'”
The writers considered various options, including having the teachers at Abbott Elementary School also go on strike. However, they ultimately decided against it, as it felt too meta and they didn’t want to write about their own recent strike experience. Instead, they settled on the idea that the school year hadn’t stopped at all. The cameras just hadn’t been around because the documentary crew had their equipment stolen. It took them five months to save up enough money to buy new equipment.
EP Patrick Schumaker explained, “I think the notion of the camera equipment getting stolen felt too delicious to pass up, and it also felt like it’s something that very few mockumentaries could get away with but felt kind of in our world.”
This creative solution allowed the writers to address the residual feelings from the end of Season 2 while still moving the story forward. It also provided an opportunity to explore the relationship between Janine and Gregory, who shared a kiss before Janine decided to keep Gregory in the friend zone.
To ensure that the premiere episode was as satisfying as possible, the writers meticulously planned out the timelines and storylines. Schumaker joked that their whiteboard in the writers’ room looked like Kevin Feige giving an MCU presentation. Despite their initial concerns, they believe that the execution of the premiere episode effectively translates their vision to the screen.
Fans can catch Abbott Elementary on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. With its unique blend of humor and heart, Season 3 promises to be another entertaining and insightful look into the lives of the teachers and students at Abbott Elementary School.