Latest news with #AbbottElementary
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All the ‘Abbott Elementary' Season 4 Emmy predictions, including those ‘Sunny' guest stars
Abbott Elementary Season 4 has received straight A's from TV critics, earning a 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. But will that perfect score translate to the 2025 Emmys? To date, ABC's school-set mockumentary has been nominated for 24 Emmys and won four: Best Comedy Actress for Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues (2023), Best Comedy Supporting Actress for Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard (2022), Best Comedy Writing for Brunson for the pilot (2022), and Best Comedy Casting (2022). It's still waiting on that coveted victory for Best Comedy Series, for which it has been nominated for each of its first three seasons. Let's take a look at Abbott's strongest Emmy chances for Season 4, category by category. More from GoldDerby Ryan Murphy and the JFK Jr.-Carolyn Bessette controversy, explained: Why 'American Love Story' Instagram post got so much hate Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2 'The Daily Show' leads Best Talk Series Emmy odds amid outrage over the low number of available slots As usual, there will be eight slots for this series race, and Abbott Elementary is sitting pretty in fifth place. (Hacks, The Studio, Only Murders in the Building, and The Bear are above it.) The fact that Abbott is one of the funniest shows in contention should work in its benefit, especially given the backlash that a certain kitchen dramedy has received over the years. It's a comedy category, after all. However, Abbott has something going against it that may not be recoverable: it airs on broadcast. Emmy voters have notoriously shunned the Big Four networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) in recent years, and instead have embraced shiny new streamers and reliable pay-cable channels. It has been more than a decade since ABC's Modern Family completed its five-year comedy series streak in 2014, and Fox's 24 was the last drama series to prevail, way back in 2006. Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images Quinta Brunson won this award in 2023, the year that Hacks was on hiatus. That's important to note because the other two times she was nominated for Best Comedy Actress, in 2022 and 2024, she was beaten by Hacks star Jean Smart. Smart is back again this year and is Gold Derby's frontrunner to prevail, while Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) sits in second place, and Brunson rounds out the top three. There will only be five slots in this category, due to a lower-than-usual number of submissions. One of the throughlines of Season 4 was the romantic relationship between Janine and Tyler James Williams' Gregory Eddie, but it never came at the expense of other characters. "Quinta never wanted this to be the Gregory and Janine show," co-showrunner and executive producer Justin Halpern told Gold Derby "She wanted that to be, certainly, a storyline in it, and maybe it's even a reason why some people are watching it, but it wasn't the center that the show rotated around." Gold Derby predicts that Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle James (Ava Coleman) will reap nominations for the fourth time in a row, as they both rank within the seven expected nomination slots. A third supporting actress, Lisa Ann Walter (Melissa Schemmenti), is in 30th place. Ralph surprisingly won this category in 2022, despite the potential vote-split from her costar, and memorably sang "Endangered Species" during her acceptance speech. Her storylines in Season 4 included putting on a Christmas pageant, teaching Charlie Day's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia character how to read, and stressing out about growing old. As for James, Season 4 was undeniably "the season of Ava," co-showrunner and executive producer Patrick Schumacker told Gold Derby. The feisty principal fell on the sword for the rest of the school following an audit, and was fired from her position. "They kind of threw everything at me this season and I feel like I delivered," the actress proudly told us. In addition, Ava experienced a mature romance with IT guy O'Shon (Matthew Law), and reunited with her estranged father, Frank (Keith David). If voters are watching, James is undoubtedly an Emmy threat in her Best Comedy Supporting Actress category. Tyler James Williams is in fifth place for an Emmy nomination, which would be his fourth overall. He won the Golden Globe in 2023 and declared at the podium, "I pray that this is a win for Gregory Eddie [and] that we may understand that his story is just as important as all of the other stories that have to be told." One of the actor's most memorable moments in Season 4 was stepping behind the camera as a director for "The Science Fair" episode. "I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity," Williams told Gold Derby. "There was just something about this show that was different. It feels very close to me, like family." Elsewhere in the Best Comedy Supporting Actor category, Chris Perfetti (Jacob Hill) is in 15th place, and William Stanford Davis (Mr. Johnson) is in 33nd place; both are looking for their first career nominations. As Davis revealed to Gold Derby, "What I really love about [Mr. Johnson] is his mystery. You don't know what he's going to do next, and you don't know what his experiences are. ... He feels like he's the smartest guy there." One opportunity for Abbott Elementary to experience an Emmy boost would be in the guest categories. To date, the only day player to receive a bid was Taraji P. Henson as Vanetta Teagues, Janine's estranged mother, in 2023. Henson was predicted to win, but lost to Judith Light (Poker Face). Disney/Gilles Mingasson Season 4 guest stars in contention for Emmys this year are Keith David as Frank Coleman for "The Science Fair," Talia Shire as Melissa's mother, Teresa Schemmenti, for "Winter Break," plus four It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast members for the cross-over "Volunteers" episode: Charlie Day as Charlie, Danny DeVito as Frank, Rob McElhenney as Mac, and Kaitlin Olson as Dee. (Glenn Howerton as Dennis also appeared, but was not submitted for Emmy consideration.) Olson currently enjoys the strongest Emmy odds, in 15th place for Best Comedy Guest Actress, while Day is in 20th place for Best Comedy Guest Actor. Abbott Elementary submitted three directors on this year's Emmy ballot: Jennifer Celotta for "Strike," Jaime Eliezer Karas for "Audit," and Randall Einhorn for "Please Touch Museum," the Season 4 finale. "As directors, all we're ever doing is serving the scripts," Einhorn shared with Gold Derby. He said that the mockumentary comedy has "maintained a consistent style," though he always tries to "find new and interesting ways to tell our story." Einhorn received the only directing nomination so far for Abbott, for "Party" in 2024, which lost to The Bear's "Fishes." The show has received two Emmy nominations for writing, both for Brunson: "Pilot" (which won in 2022) and "Career Day" (which lost to Hacks' "Bulletproof" in 2024). This year, it's only on the ballot once for writing, for the Season 4 premiere, "Back to School," written by — who else? — Brunson. It's a savvy strategy to only submit one episode for contention, so as not to split the vote. Abbott Elementary is a collaborative effort and that's reflected in its Emmy submissions, where artisans are eligible in 10 below-the-line races: casting, cinematography ("Karaoke"), costumes ("Costume Contest"), hairstyling ("100th Day of School"), makeup ("Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift"), music supervision ("Karaoke"), picture editing ("Karaoke" and "Ringworm"), production design ("Karaoke"), sound editing ("Please Touch Museum"), and sound mixing ("Please Touch Museum"). Besides its casting victory in 2002, the comedy has also been nominated for casting in 2023 and 2024, plus hairstyling in 2023 and 2024. There's no reason to think Abbott won't be adding more craft bids to its tally in 2025, particularly after fans and critics agreed that Season 4 schooled the competition. SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2 Adam Brody, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actor interviews Kristen Bell, Tina Fey, Bridget Everett, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actress interviews Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘He feels like he's the smartest guy there': ‘Abbott Elementary's' William Stanford Davis on Mr. Johnson's ‘veneer' of ‘mystery'
William Stanford Davis is "just surprised at how far they'll go sometimes" as you are when it comes to the unexpected details of his Abbott Elementary character Mr. Johnson's life that the writers feature in every script. In Season 4, for example, Mr. Johnson showed up to school dressed as "Emo Jimmy Butler" for Halloween and busted out singing the Oscar-winning "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" at faculty karaoke night. "What I really love about him is his mystery. You don't know what he's going to do next, and you don't know what his experiences are," Davis tells Gold Derby. More from GoldDerby Roy Wood Jr. on how 'Lonely Flowers' became his most personal special to date 'The Shining' at 45: How Stanley Kubrick's Stephen King adaptation became the Razzies biggest regret 'The Bear' star Abby Elliott used her own birth experience to inform the standout Season 3 episode 'Ice Chips' Four season into Abbott Elementary, Davis has plenty of thoughts as to why Mr. Johnson continues to love his job as the reliable — and reliably unpredictable — janitor. "He keeps the school spick and span. I went to a school that was like that, and I saw how these guys worked hard to make sure that we had a place that we could be proud of and a place that was comfortable," the actor says. "That's what I try to base this man on, that he loves his job, he cares for the kids, and he loves needling the teachers and the principal. He loves giving them a hard time because he feels like he's the smartest guy there. He's been all over the world. He's had more experiences than them." In Season 4, Davis shared the screen with three big guest stars. In 'Volunteers,' the crossover of Abbott and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mr. Johnson and Danny DeVito's Frank spar over how to handle rodents terrorizing Gregory's (Tyler James Williams) garden. The actor recalls of working with the screen legend, 'To have Danny DeVito on the show, that's an icon. That's like having royalty on the show, and he was just so cool. He was so easy to work with and he gave a lot of advice. … There's one scene where he's in a cage, he was there before we even got on set, he was in the cage in the mud.' SEE Janelle James on Ava's challenging year on 'Abbott Elementary': 'They kind of threw everything at me this season' A subsequent installment, 'Testing,' introduced Eric André as Cedric, a janitor in training sent to Abbott Elementary by the district to potentially replace Mr. Johnson, though the novice quickly comes to realize he could never do so. While the scenes of Mr. Johnson displaying his unparalleled expertise are hilarious, the episode also has a moment of sincerity between Mr. Johnson and the depressed science teacher, Mr. Morton, played by Jerry Minor. Davis appreciates the moments where he gets to showcase his character's depth. "I love those moments. I'd love to see them more, but Mr. Johnson still has to have that veneer, so they'll give me one in each season, but I love those. I love that you get to see that he's not a caricature or a cartoon, he is a 360-degree, three-dimensional human being like we all are." One of the final episodes of the season features actress and musician Jill Scott, playing herself as the entertainer at this year's school fundraiser. When Gold Derby recently interviewed director Randall Einhorn, he shared that the entire sequence of Scott's performance, which features Davis, had to be reconfigured due to torrential rain that shifted the concert from outside to the narrow halls of the elementary school. "Randall's a genius, man. He is such an amazing director,' Davis says of how the director adapted the scene on the fly. He says he and Williams decided to "keep the rhythm and support" Scott during her performance, adding, "She came out strong, but it was important that we not only kept up with her, but made her feel like we're a group, we're in this together." Disney/Gilles Mingasson The episode, titled 'Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift,' ends with Mr. Johnson admitting to Scott that he is a super-fan, frightening the musician because of how many concerts he has attended and the personal items of hers that he has swiped. Davis initially felt trepidatious about the scene. "I didn't want to stalk her,' he confesses, before asking himself, "How do I make this honest?" His answer: "I just became this over-enthused fan, someone that was just so in love with what she does, and that's who I am in real life. I love Jill Scott. I think I have every one of her recordings." SEE 'Abbott Elementary' bosses on subverting finale expectations, 'the season of Ava,' and their dream crossover Perched behind Davis during our interview is his SAG Award trophy from 2023, when Abbott Elementary took home the honor for comedy ensemble. Reflecting on that victory and Quinta Brunson's acceptance speech, the actor shares, "I think it was the most incredible moment I've had since I've been on the show. To win with them and to be recognized by our peers, by other actors, it just meant so much to everyone." He also comments on how it speaks to the series' legacy: "I think the show's going to go down in history as one of the best shows in television. I like the fact that it shines a light on what we need in our school system. I think that teachers are just as important as doctors, and Abbott in a very comedic way shines a light on how important it is, and I think that overall, that's what I love about the show more than anything." Abbott Elementary begins production on Season 5 shortly. Davis shares that he would most like to see a glimpse of Mr. Johnson's personal life in the next batch of episodes. "We've seen Janine (Brunson) in her home, we've seen Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) in their homes, and we've seen most of the personal lives of the other characters, and I think Mr. Johnson is due for that." He suggests that perhaps Mr. Johnson's mother could still be alive, riffing, "Maybe she's the only person that he bows to, and he's a little kid around her." Davis' dream suggestion for who could play his mother? Five-time Emmy nominee Marla Gibbs. "I've even spoken to her about that when I've seen her at the events," shares the actor with a smile. SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Inside 'The Daily Show': The team behind the satirical news series on politics, puppies, punchlines — and staying sane Dakota Fanning said 'yes' to 'The Perfect Couple' the moment she heard Nicole Kidman was involved, without knowing anything else about the show 'Slow Horses' star Rosalind Eleazar gets real about her MI5 outcast Louisa Guy: 'She's really not OK' Click here to read the full article.
India Today
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Top 7 workplace comedies on OTT
Top 7 workplace comedies on OTT June 13, 2025 Credit: Peacock Here's a list of 7 best workplace comedies available on various OTT platforms — perfect for a fun, light-hearted binge. Credit: IMDb It is a mockumentary-style sitcom set in the mundane yet hilarious world of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Credit: Instagram/Peacock The Office (US) - Netflix The supremely famous show follows the antics of a group of detectives in a Brooklyn police precinct. Look out for the witty banter, lovable characters, and endless laughs. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Netflix Set in the Parks Department of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Amy Poehler shines in the show and the satire on local government is gold. Parks and Recreation - Prime Video A mockumentary-style comedy set in an underfunded public school in Philadelphia. It is fresh, wholesome and socially relevant with big laughs. Abbott Elementary - Hotstar A quirky bunch of employees navigate life while working at the Cloud 9 megastore in this smart commentary on capitalism. Superstore - Netflix The popular show follows a group of working mothers as they juggle work. It is relatable, real, and funny - with heart. Workin' Moms - Netflix The show is a witty workplace comedy that follows a sharp, ambitious executive navigating the chaotic world of sports management. Running Point
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TV's Hottest Club Is Philadelphia — Why This American City Is a Perfect Playground for New Shows
On May 29, 'Abbott Elementary' creator and star Quinta Brunson received the key to the city of Philadelphia. As a Philly native, Brunson never planned to set her series elsewhere. 'Abbott' is based on her own elementary school and her mother's experience as a teacher, and the show's Philadelphia setting is part of its unforgettable charm. More from IndieWire How 'A Man on the Inside' Crafted a 'True Rom-Com' Ending Without the Typical Romance Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi on 'Beatles '64,' the Fab Four's Influence on Cinema, and David Lynch at Their First U.S. Concert 'Quinta loves Philadelphia, loves it so deeply that she pores over every little detail that is Philly specific in the show, down to what's in the vending machines in the school,' showrunner Justin Halpern told IndieWire. 'She has a deep, deep love for the city, and because of that she wants the show to feel as authentic as possible.' TV fans may have noticed that Philadelphia is having a moment; from 'Abbott' to the ongoing 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' (and their unlikely but seamless crossover) and 'Deli Boys' in the comedy world to dramatic projects like Peacock's 'Long Bright River' and 'Dope Thief' starring Brian Tyree Henry. It stands out from the popularity of other cities on TV (especially New York or Los Angeles) by embodying 'an energy and a specific vibe.' 'So often when you're creating shows or taking pitches out, you're like, 'Where should we set this?,'' Halpern said. 'Sometimes it doesn't really matter. You can set it anywhere — but you're making a real choice when you set something in Philly.' When 'Deli Boys' creator Abdullah Saeed first wrote the sample script that would become his Hulu series, it was set in New York. Despite the notes of 'Succession' in 'Deli Boys,' he wanted it to be fun, but remembered New York as 'stressful and anxiety-inducing.' 'I want to love it,' he said of 'Deli Boys.' 'So I wanted it to be set in Philadelphia.' In Philly, the Dar brothers (Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali) made sense as 'low-rent moguls' in an environment less cutthroat (and less policed) than New York. 'I do think of Philadelphia, especially south Philadelphia, as a somewhat lawless place, where as a young college student I would get wild with my friends and it seemed there was no consequences,' Saeed said. 'College kids are the least of the Philly Police Department's problems, right? It felt like a place to be very free.' While 'Deli Boys' takes a humorous and 'explosive' approach to local crime, 'Long Bright River' stays true to the serious takeaways of Liz Moore's eponymous novel. The limited series is based on her experiences growing up and volunteering in the Kensington area, which became a 'North Star' for production, according to showrunner Nikki Toscano. 'Because of Liz's close ties and presence in that community, I think that there was an openness to help us portray it accurately, as well as an investment in educating the cast and crew on what it felt like to live there,' she told IndieWire. 'When you're carefully coordinating with the people that work there and live there, with your production design departments, with your music departments, with casting and everything, it enriches what it is you're trying to accomplish.' 'Long Bright River' filmed in New York, but brought in a number of Kensington locals to educate those working on the show about life in the neighborhood and especially dealing with substance abuse, a central theme of the show. Many of the smaller speaking and background roles were played by Philadelphia actors, and Philly graffiti artists came out to tag the sets and leave their mark on the visuals. Toscano said that the city has been underrepresented, which is part of the allure drawing storytellers there. 'I do think that there is a spirit to the community in Philadelphia that people are trying to represent and use as a metaphor for their series, and I think that we are no exception to that,' she said. During a Zoom meeting to write out the 'Abbott' and 'Always Sunny' crossover, Brunson and Rob McElhaney got very excited about 'some in-the-weeds Philly thing,' Halpern recalled. 'For like two minutes they were in a fugue state where they were just talking about Philly shit that was so deep in the weeds that even some of the Philly people were like, 'We don't really know what you're talking about,'' he said. 'When you meet somebody who has that same kind of love for your town, it feels connective.' Saeed found that kinship with 'Deli Boys' showrunner Michelle Nader, who was born and raised in South Philly and once appeared in a Geno's Steaks commercial. Though the show filmed in Chicago, Saeed doesn't feel that it compromised the city's spirit at all. 'In an ideal world, we would have our exact same crew that we had in Chicago, and shoot in Philly,' he said. 'But that doesn't make any sense, so… the actors are all playing characters Chicago's playing Philly.' From the college culture to the diehard sports fans, Halpern said that Philly pride is infectious — and once you're in, you stay in. 'If there's a group of friends and one friend everybody shits on, but then somebody outside of that group tries to shit on them, they'll be like, 'Hey, nobody talks shit about our friend except for us,'' he said. 'Abbott' films on-location roughly once a season, this time for the Season 4 finale episode. Co-showrunner Patrick Schumaker recalled the surreal experience of that journey, 'he looks on people's faces as they entered the plane as other passengers on the plane as they started to do the math.' 'They'd notice one cast member, then ping pong to another, then another, then another, and the looks of like joyful recognition and wonder about what they're all doing on this plane was really cool,' he said. 'It was really indicative of just how meaningful the show is to Philadelphians.' One day on set, the mayor showed up; another day it was representatives from the Philadelphia Eagles, including offensive tackle Jordan Mailata and the actual Lombardi trophy. The show's casting department receives constant requests for guest spots, but Philly gets the priority (and even then it can be tricky to organically write into the story, like Bradley Cooper as himself). Schumaker said Philadelphia represents a perfect microcosm of the country, on its best days and its worst. And when Hollywood gets too high on its bullshit, Philly is the perfect chaser. 'You can act like an asshole in LA you can act like an asshole in New York — and you might even be champion for it in both those places,' Schumaker said. 'But you can't be a bullshit phony in Philly and get away with it. I really do feel like that's the best of America: Philly is not going to buy your bullshit.' Best of IndieWire 2023 Emmy Predictions: Who Will Win at the Primetime Emmy Awards? 2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special 2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Los Angeles Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Janelle James on ‘Ava's season' of ‘Abbott'; Aaron Pierre breaks down the action of ‘Rebel Ridge'
In the latest episode of 'The Envelope' video podcast, Janelle James discusses her character's arc on 'Abbott Elementary,' and Aaron Pierre details the training required to master the 'seamless' action of 'Rebel Ridge.'
