Obsessed With ‘Abbott Elementary’? Watch These 7 Other Shows
Abbott Elementary has quickly become America’s most beloved network sitcom. There’s something about this group of dedicated teachers that keeps audiences coming back each week for more. Why?
Is it for the slow-burn romance between Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams)? Did you painstakingly watch every stolen glance and deeply sigh at every missed moment like the rest of us? Really, making fans wait over a season and a half for them to kiss was just cruel.
Or is it for the powerful storylines? Watching teachers who work at an underfunded public school in Philadelphia as they make a positive impact on their student’s lives is empowering. Even though it’s a comedy, it’s hard not feel hopeful for a better future when watching how passionate these teachers are.
There are a million different reasons why fans keep coming back to watch Abbott Elementary, but only one that stands out the most: They’re simply obsessed! If you fall into this category, you’re in luck, because we’ve found the perfect shows for you to watch next. Scroll down to check them out.
Ted Lasso
The teachers at Abbott Elementary all have one thing in common: They want to make a positive impact on their students’ lives. The ability to do so drives them to want to be the best teacher that they can be.
This same desire to make a positive change can be found on Ted Lasso. The comedy-drama television series follows Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), an American football coach who is hired to coach AFC Richmond, an English soccer team, with the hope that his lack of experience will lead to the team’s failure. But Ted beats the odds and begins to win people over with his positive outlook and warmhearted approach to coaching. He even hangs a sign in the locker room that says “Believe,” so that the players remember to believe in themselves. Just like the teachers on Abbott Elementary, Ted wants to make a positive impact on the lives of the people around him, specifically the athletes on the AFC Richmond team. So, if you enjoy Abbott Elementary for the impact the teachers have on the students, Ted Lasso is the show for you.
Parks and Recreation
Working at an underfunded Philadelphia public school definitely has its challenges, but the teachers at Abbott Elementary continue to do it every day because they want their students to succeed. These teachers don’t work simply for the money, but instead because they care.
The same can be said for the government employees working in the Parks and Recreation department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. The comedy Parks and Recreation follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), the deputy director of the department, and her attempt to make the city a better place to live. She often has to fight to create the change she wants to see around her but does so anyway because she genuinely cares about Pawnee. Just like the teachers on Abbott Elementary, Knope works not just for the money, but because she cares. So, if you enjoy Abbott Elementary because the characters love the work they do, Parks and Recreation is the show for you.
Superstore
The teachers at Abbott Elementary are more than just colleagues — they’re family. They may fight sometimes, but at the end of the day, they are always there for each other.
The same “work family” trope can be found on comedy Superstore. This show follows a group of employees working at Cloud 9, a fictional megastore located in St. Louis, Missouri. It follows the story of Amy Sosa (America Ferrera), the floor supervisor, and the staff’s day-to-day experiences while working at the store. There’s Cheyenne Lee (Nichole Bloom), who is pregnant at 17-years-old, and there’s Jonah Simms (Ben Feldman), who looks for the “moments of beauty” each day. Each character is so different, and yet together make one big work family. If you enjoy watching Abbott Elementary because of the “work family” trope, then you’ll enjoy Superstore.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
There’s no denying that there’s chemistry between Janine and Gregory on Abbott Elementary. Even in the workplace, it was clearly evident that the two belong together. And if you jumped out of your seat and started clapping when they finally kissed like we did, then we have the perfect show for you.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy about the detectives working at the NYPD’s 99th Precinct. The show revolves around Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and the police work executed by him and his colleagues. From the very first episode, you can tell that there is something more going on between Jake and Detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) than they would like to admit. What starts out as competitive rivalry turns into friendship, and eventually becomes romantic. So, if you watch Abbott Elementary for the storyline of dating the people you work with, add Brooklyn Nine-Nine to your watch list.
Community
When watching Abbott Elementary, it’s easy to feel like you’ve been transported back to school. The classrooms, the hallways, the desks — it can all feel so vaguely familiar.
If you enjoy watching Abbott Elementary because of its school setting, then add Community to your watchlist. In this comedy, Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) has to attend community college after his law firm discovers that he faked his Bachelor’s degree. This show follows the story of the students in the Spanish study group that Winger creates. Because of its setting, watching Community, similarly to Abbott Elementary, can feel like you’ve been transported back to school (except in this case, you feel like you’ve been transported back to college, not elementary school).
New Girl
Part of the reason why fans keeping watching Abbott Elementary week after week is because of loveable main character Janine. She is optimistic, caring, and just a bit quirky.
The same can be said for Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) on New Girl. After breaking up with her long term boyfriend, Jessica moves into a loft with three single men. The comedy follows these roommates as they become good friends and form romantic relationships. Jessica marches to the beat of her own drum, and that’s why fans love her. She isn’t afraid to be authentically herself. These same qualities can be found in Janine. So, if you enjoy watching Abbott Elementary because of the loveable and sweet main character, New Girl is the show for you.
Never Have I Ever
On Abbott Elementary, each storyline is about the teachers. Will Janine and Gregory end up together? Can the teachers stop Abbott from becoming a charter school?
But what about the storylines for the students? If you are looking for a show that follows their point of view instead, then Never Have I Ever is just that. After having lost her father, Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), an Indian-American high school student, is ready to have a sophomore year that she will never forget. This Netflix comedy-drama follows Devi and her quest to get a boyfriend. Throughout the series, viewers get to watch the point of view of 16-year-old Devi instead of an adult’s. If you enjoy watching Abbott Elementary but want to watch a show from the student’s point of view, add Never Have I Ever to your watch list.
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