Warning: This articles contains SPOILERS for Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 11, “Strike.”
With season 4, episode 11, “Strike,”Abbott Elementaryreminded viewers why the show is one of the best sitcoms on network television in 2025.Abbott Elementary’s cast of charactersmight be funny, but the show’s ensemble isn’t the only thing that makes it stand out in the crowded world of network sitcoms.Abbott Elementary’s workplace setting and mockumentary style both harken back to nostalgic sitcom hits from the ‘00s likeThe OfficeandParks and Recreation,but its biting social satire is fresh and original despite the familiar format.
Arguably the most impressive thing aboutAbbott Elementaryis the show’s ability to meld a traditional sitcom structure with thoroughly contemporary themes and stories. AlthoughABC movingAbbott Elementary’s time slotcaused chaos to its ratings early in season 4, the series still held on to its superb critical reputation. The reason for this universal acclaim can be found in outings like episode 11, “Strike,” which uses the ensemble cast ofAbbott Elementaryto tackle a multifaceted real-life issue in a way that is both funny and thought-provoking.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 11 Tackles Different Real-Life Plots Realistically
The School’s Struggles To Support The Strike Were Multi-Faceted
As teased at the end of the preceding episode, “Testing,” “Strike” opened with the news that the Philadelphia Transit Authority was on strike. This meant that a great many of the titular institution’s students couldn’t attend school since they relied on public transport to get to and from school. As the teachers dedicated their time and expertise to navigating the strike,Abbott Elementaryseason 4 used the opportunity to address one real-life issue the show never had a chance to tackle earlier. SinceAbbott Elementarydebuted in 2021, the show barely mentioned COVID-related teaching problems.
Abbott Elementary finally got to address the complications teachers faced during the pandemic,
Barbara, Jacob, Janine, and Gregory were technically forced to tackle remote learning due to the bus strike, but the impact was still reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on schools. This meantAbbott Elementarygot to address the complications teachers worldwide faced during the pandemic, with Janine struggling to keep her kids engaged, Jacob and Barbara coping with distracted pupils, and Gregory eventually placing a student’s remote learning iPad face down on the desk in frustration. These believable, relatable events were absent from earlier seasons and called back to a uniquely challenging time for teachers.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 11 Highlights How It’s Able To Be Funny But Still Be Relevant
Abbott Elementary Season 4’s Strike Addressed More Than Just COVID-Era Issues
However, while jokes about remote learning could not help but remind viewers of COVID-19,Abbott Elementary’s strike episode took on numerous issues at once. Janine’s internal conflict between watching her students fall behind and standing firm on not crossing picket lines was particularly compelling, and not something a straightforward pandemic episode could illustrate.Janine’s perfectionism is theAbbott Elementaryheroine’s greatestflaw, and Melissa had a point when she warned Janine that crossing the picket line would hurt some of the city’s most overworked and underpaid workers.
Abbott Elementary didn’t simply end the strike before the episode ended to conveniently bring the show’s status quo back to normal.
That said, Melissa wasn’t offering anything in the way of solutions, and Janine’s inability to let the problem solve itself proved helpful in this outing. Janine using Ava’s party bus to get the children to school without crossing the picket line was absurd enough to fit the show’s live-action cartoon atmosphere, but it didn’t ruin the real-life relevance of the strike plot line. Unlike most sitcoms,Abbott Elementarydidn’t simply end the strike before the episode ended to conveniently bring the show’s status quo back to normal.
Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 11 Utilizes Its Whole Ensemble Effectively
The Hit Sitcom Can Comment On Various Issues At Once
Instead,“Strike” highlightedAbbott Elementary’s entire ensemble by addressing everyone’s reactions to the strikeand its fallout. From Jacob biking to school to Melissa celebrating negotiations falling apart to Janine trying to drive a party bus to school herself, Abbott Elementary’s entire faculty found their own unique way of coping with the strike. WhileAbbott Elementary’sIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiacrossoverwas a lot of fun, “Strike” was solid proof that the show doesn’t need gimmicks or guest characters to succeed.
Abbott Elementary Season 4’s Character Return Had An Unexpected Significance
Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 6 brought back a major supporting star from season 3, but they were playing a very different role this time.
Instead, the simplicity of the episode’s plot worked in its favor. Melissa’s hard-headed obstinacy has pitted her against Janine before, and it was believable that Janine’s idealism would lead her to quietly consider undermining the strikers if it meant she could get her class’s performance to improve. Barbara’s laidback certainty that things would work themselves out was equally fitting for her character, as was Gregory’s stoic attempts to weather the strike without changing his usual classroom setup. WhileAbbott Elementary’s cast of characters couldn’t be more different, the show managed to blend their personalities perfectly in this plot.
Why Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 11 Showcases The Sitcom’s True Strength
Abbott Elementary’s Real-Life Relevance Strengthens Its Storytelling
AfterAbbott Elementary’sIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiacrossoveroffered viewers a zanier, more over-the-top comeback from the school’s staff, “Strike" paid homage to the real-life struggles teachers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, outside the episode’s depiction of remote learning, “Strike” also explored the ways lower-income areas are disproportionately reliant on public transport. Although public transport employees are often underpaid, the communities they serve can be underserved and reliant on institutions like the Philadelphia Transit Authority. As such, “Strike” needed to find a balance between explaining why the teachers support the strike and how it impacts their lives.
Chris Perfetti
Jacob Hill
Fortunately,Abbott Elementaryis great at breaking down complex topics into simple, funny stories. In season 4, episode 1, “Back To School,”Abbott Elementarypointed out how gentrification impacted the school’s students but also mixed this with a story about how developers snuck around regulations. Since the faculty at Abbott turned a blind eye to the golf course developers using non-union staff, the developers offered them a donation of new computer equipment.Abbott Elementary’s Avamight often rely on this sort of quid pro quo, but the show didn’t hide the fact that the choice ultimately aided the developer.
WhileAbbott Elementary’s slow-burn romance is a good hook, as are other individual character arcs, the sitcom truly shines when it mixes grounded, relevant storytelling with smart humor. Storylines about important issues like gentrification or the importance of supporting striking workers could easily feel dull and didactic, butAbbott Elementary’s characters bring these plots to life and ensure there is never a boring moment in the eponymous school for viewers or the show’s heroes.
