“Abbott Elementary” received more of its well-deserved flowers at the African American Film Critics Association TV Honors on Aug. 20 in Beverly Hills, California.
The brainchild of rising creative Quinta Brunson, the show depicts the modern-day reality of being an optimistic young teacher in an inner-city setting. The production works, all the way from the cast’s chemistry to the comedic timing and details of witty one-liners in-between scenes. Its reviews often compare it to the dry humor that appears in comedic parodies like “The Office” and “Parks & Recreation.”
The writers’ room includes a number of comedians and other show veterans including “Atlanta” writer Jordan Temple and Brittani Nichols from “A Black Lady Sketch Show” among various other projects. After the AAFCA TV Honors, Temple and Nichols spoke to rolling out about what viewers should expect from the next seasons of both popular shows.
What should people expect from season two of “Abbott Elementary”?
Brittani Nichols: Expanding the world. We’re going to see a little bit more of the teachers’ home lives, more of their relationships, more of their family ties and really learn more about who they are as people and how that informs the decisions we see them making inside the school.
Jordan Temple: Seeing the outside life definitely changes how you see them differently in school. It’s a major part of the expansion. I think that’s very important and something really cool for the season. Most importantly, these laughs, we goin’ get off these jokes. We like these jokes. It’s all about these laughs. Life is hard. I need jokes as hard as my life is, and my life is hard. So we’re going to get off these jokes.
BN: [Viewers will see] diversity in the episodes because we’re doing 22 episodes this season, which is such a rarity in this day and age. So you’re going to get to see a lot of different textures in the sort of episodes that we’re putting forth. All the episodes, I think if you really pay attention, you can see a little bit of the writers in each of them in our distinct voices and the way we approach the show. You really get to see a wider breadth and a wider span of the sorts of comedies, it’s still a comedy, but it’s a lot of different voices … forming it.
What should people expect in the final season of “Atlanta”?
JT: The final season [is] going back to Atlanta. I think it would be something people would like because somehow that got lost.
“The show is not an idea, it’s a place! Why aren’t y’all here? What are y’all talking about? Where’s Paper Boi? I hate this. I hate Donald. I hate Black men.”
BN: Somehow this is going to get clipped to just “I hate Donald.”
JT: Yes, I mean … shout-out to the edit, but this season, I think people are going to obviously like more. It’s the bow out season … it’ll be nice, live-action, “Boondocks” at its finest.
