‘Abbott Elementary’: 9 Secrets We Learned From the Season 3 Set Visit

After nearly a year off the air, Quinta Brunson’s Emmy-winning mockumentary Abbott Elementary returned to ABC with a supersized Season 3 premiere full of jaw-dropping reveals, new characters and twists, and the show’s signature blend of comedy and heart. In the midst of another wildly successful run, Decider got a behind-the-scenes look at Abbott Elementary‘s set and the future of the series at the Television Critics Association’s Winter 2024 Tour.

Following an in-person Season 4 renewal announcement from Abbott‘s very own Mr. Johnson, aka William Stanford Davis, Decider attended the Warner Bros. Television Group Studio Day in Burbank, California for a Q&A with creator/writer/EP/star Quinta Brunson, showrunners and EPs Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, and director and EP Randall Einhorn.

The creatives engaged in lively discussions about the making of the mockumentary, the success of the series, what Season 3 has in store, and more. Then, Decider walked the Abbott halls and explored a portion of the set that included Janine (Brunson), Gregory (Tyler James Williams), Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), and Melissa’s (Lisa Ann Walter) classrooms; the Abbott library; and more.

Here are the biggest takeaways from our fun field trip to school.

1. Another Field Trip May Be In Abbott‘s Future

   The camera crew followed Abbott Elementary students and chaperones to the Philadelphia Zoo in the Season 1 finale, and Season 2’s final episode showed an overnight trip to the Franklin Institute. So will the field trips continue in Season 3? We’ve got our fingers crossed.

   When asked if fans would see more outings this season, Brunson said, “I would love to. We keep talking about it. We went to Philly last year which was really exciting. I don’t know if we’ll get to get there this year.”

   “I was just going to say, without spoiling anything, we do delve into some of Philadelphia’s history and its landmarks in an upcoming episode,” Schumacker added.

   During the set tour, Decider noticed a classroom bulletin board displaying the February calendar that included boxes marked No School, President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Field Trip at the bottom. Are we getting a February field trip? Or another finale one? And where are the kids headed? Perhaps the hallway bulletin board shown above, which includes the Philadelphia Art Museum, Robert Indiana’s Love Sculpture, the 76ers “Beyond the Court” mural, The Liberty Bell, and more hints at the Philadelphia history and landmarks still to be explored on the show.

2. The Philly Pride Runs Deep

   Abbott Elementary‘s set may be physically located in Los Angeles, but from field trips and local storylines to guest stars like Flyers mascot Gritty and Eagles players Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham, and Jason Kelce there’s no doubt the show is proudly set in Philadelphia. While walking through the classrooms and taking a closer look at carefully-curated set details, we realized Abbott’s Philly pride runs even deeper than viewers might see.

   Among an abundance of kid-created schoolwork, which adds added layers of warmth and authenticity to the set, we spotted “Philly Style” place value lessons that make learning more fun using football and popular game day foods. On a bulletin board in Janine’s classroom, we also noticed tickets from local Philly events including Phillies vs. San Francisco Giants games, a Phillies vs. San Diego Padres game, a trip to the Philadelphia zoo, and what appears to be this 2019 Worst-Case Scenario exhibit at the Franklin Institute. Now that’s dedication!

3. Drop Everything And Read These Abbott-Approved Children’s Books

   We’ve gotten glimpses of the Abbott Elementary library, which is fully stocked with books separated by grade and subject, in a number of episodes throughout the first three seasons, but during our set tour, Decider got a closer look at select books the show actively puts out on display. If you’re a teacher looking for classroom library inspiration, a parent looking to recommendations, or a fan of the show who wants to know which children’s books are Abbott Elementary approved, here’s a selection of books prominently featured in the Abbott library and Barbara’s classroom.

   In addition to classic like Curious George and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, you’ll also see more modern titles like John Lithgow’s The Remarkable Farkle McBride, George Foreman’s Let George Do It!, Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted, and more.

4. Abbott‘s Set Proudly Celebrates Black History Month

   Abbott Elementary made its triumphant return to ABC on February 7, 2024, and due to delays from 2023’s long-running WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Season 3 didn’t kick off with the start of a new school year. Instead, a perfectly-executed five-month time jump reunited viewers all their favorite characters in February, aka Black History Month.

   As we learned in the Season 2 episode, “Valentine’s Day,” which showed Ava overseeing Jacob’s Black History lessons, Abbott’s students learn about Black historical figures all year long. That said, Decider’s February set visit showed just how crucial Black History Month is on the show. Related school work and lessons on display in each classroom feature kid-created tributes to Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Madam C. J. Walker, Bessie Coleman, Frederick Douglass, and more Black historical figures and present-day changemakers. The small details may not always be fully visible on screen, but they have a massive impact on set and add to the school’s authenticity.

5. Randall Einhorn, Mockumentary “Godfather,” Shares A Thoughtful Creative Decision in Abbott Elementary

   During the Q&A portion of the set visit, Decider asked director/EP Randall Einhorn a question related to another famous mockumentary he worked on: The Office.

   Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s Office Ladies podcast revealed that Einhorn suggested adding another layer in The Office‘s talking heads so that every character who had a future outside of Dunder Mifflin was filmed in front of a window. When asked about any hidden creative decisions like that in Abbott, Einhorn explained, “Not in talking heads so much, but certainly when we see Gregory and Janine together, we tend to back up, get longer on the lens, let them have a private moment. Not only are you allowing the characters to have a private moment, but you’re also framing it in such a way that the viewer feels like they’re a little bit privileged when they can see this.”

   Brunson chimed in, reminding Einhorn that at the start of filming, “We were wanting to put the talking heads in the classrooms.  And you said, ‘These are teachers who are on the move.  They actually don’t have time to sit down and do a talking head in the classroom.’ And that’s where them doing it in the hallway with activity happening behind them came from.”

   “I think he put so much thought into it, he forgets sometimes how much thought,” Brunson laughed. Showrunner Justin Halpern weighed in on Einhorn’s expertise, saying, “Randall is the godfather of this form. When you watch mockumentaries from now until the next 40 years, what people are aping is Randall’s style…he’s had such a powerful influence on this style of comedy.”

6. We Have Quinta’s Mom To Thank For Season 1, Episode 9, “Step Class”

   Brunson has shared what an influential role her mom Norma Jean Brunson, who was a longtime Philadelphia kindergarten teacher, played in the inspiration for Abbott Elementary. When asked for a specific storyline born from her mother’s experiences, she told TCA members, “The step episode of the first season was directly pulled from my mom. She would teach dance classes after school.”

   Upon showing the beloved Season 1, Episode 9, “Step Class” to her mom for the first time, Brunson said, “She turned to me, and she was like, ‘You’re just gonna steal my whole life, huh?’ I didn’t even realize how much I had been influenced — I was in my mom’s dance class after school, but that was something that was really special to her. She didn’t realize how observant I had been. She didn’t know I knew the reason those after school clubs were important. They kept girls off the streets. It gave them somewhere to go, which is why my mom gave up more of her time than already teaching to do a club. So, that’s cool. And I just love that it led to Ava and Janine’s relationship getting better.”

7. Learning Lesser-Known Abbott Inspirations

   As expected, the Q&A included discussions of other popular mockumentary inspirations, like The Office and Parks & Rec, but TCA members also heard about some lesser-known influences behind the show and its characters.

   “One of my favorite ones that no one talks about is this show called Ja’mie. It was an Australian show. I wouldn’t recommend watching, it’s not aging well,” Brunson laughed. “But at the time, Ja’mie was more inspiration for me for Ava than anything. People think that it was Michael Scott, but Ja’mie is so horrible. By the end of the show, I’m like, ‘Oh man, I really want Ja’mie to get what she wants. I really believe in her.’ Or even The Real Housewives. The Housewives were a huge inspiration for Ava, too. So you pick and pull from different places.”

   Though it may surprise die-hard mockumentary fans, Brunson also shared that a lot of her influences for Abbott Elementary aren’t derived from the form. “I loved The Bob Newhart Show. Larry, Darryl, and Darryl — I was like, ‘I want to have something stupid like that in our world that’s dumb.’ And that kind of inspires Mr. Johnson. Or Kenneth from 30 Rock inspires Mr. Johnson a lot for me. And Mary Tyler Moore is a huge inspiration for Janine, while The Golden Girls kind of like bleed into the Melissa and Barbara world. I just pick all my favorite comedies, pick my favorite parts, and put them in the show,” she laughed.

8. Buckle Up For More Season 3 Guest Stars

   Since Abbott Elementary premiered in December 2021 the series has consistently delivered star-studded guest star lineups, with Season 3 setting the bar high right out of the gate. If you loved the premiere cameos from Philadelphia Eagles players Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham, and Jason Kelce, there are more high-profile surprises to come, including several guest stars that blew Brunson’s mind.

   “I have had pinch-me moments as someone who loves comedy, and loves TV, and loves making this show,” she told TCA members. “I’ve had two of them in the past week where I’ve had to pinch myself and be, like, ‘I cannot believe this person is on our show.’ It’s been incredible.”

   With a lengthy list of celebrities longing to appear on the beloved Emmy-winning comedy, Brunson assured us they ultimately write character-first and are not interested in stunt casting. Want to learn more about Abbott Elementary guest stars to come, dream casting, and the judicious approval process? Read Decider’s Season 3 interview with Halpern and Schumacker.

9. Everybody Loves Quinta

   It’s no secret that Brunson — the brains, humor, and heart behind Abbott Elementary — is beloved by fans of the show, but the set visit emphasized that her colleagues are well aware the creator, writer, and star is absolutely essential to the Emmy-winning series’ success.

   During the Abbott Q&A, showrunner and EP Patrick Schumacker took a moment to gush over the show’s “cast of just absolute heavy-hitters” who make it easy for the writers to mix and match characters. “One thing I want to say about her that I don’t think she gets enough credit for is that the reason that that’s possible is because of how gracious a performer and writer she is,” co-showrunner and EP Justin Halpern added. “Never once in this entire process has Quinta ever come and been like, ‘I need more this.’ In fact, most times, she’s like ‘I need less here or less there,’ and so the reason that you have this ensemble is because you have an egoless performer who’s leading the charge. This is not possible without that. You cannot make Abbott without the way that she operates in the writers’ room and on set, and I think that’s a thing that is not really touted a lot, but it is so integral to making great television, and it’s something she just intrinsically understands.”

   “Also, because she’s a great person, she is able to just put her ego wherever she needs to put it in order to make the best show possible,” Halpern continued. Schumacker added, “And every bit as much a writer as an actor.” And Einhorn echoed, “Hear, hear!”

   New episodes of Abbott Elementary Season 3 premiere Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.