AlthoughAbbott Elementary’s Christmas special looked set to stumble into two festive sitcom clichés, the hit series instead avoided both of these tired tropes.Abbott Elementary’s cast of charactersare hilariously lovable, but this isn’t the only thing that keeps viewers coming back to the series. AlthoughAbbott Elementary’s mockumentary formatis a throwback to the ‘00s and ‘10s, the show’s subversive approach to sitcom clichés feels reliably fresh and original.Abbott Elementaryrarely settles on using a sitcom trope when the show can instead revitalize overly familiar clichés by offering viewers something new.
10 Most Heartwarming Moments In Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary’s most heartwarming moments prove that the workplace sitcom is good for more than just laughs thanks to its sweet characters.
For example, Gregory Eddie wanting to become Abbott’s principal when he began working in the school seemed like a story with an obvious ending. Principal Ava only got the job in the first place because she was blackmailing the superintendent, and she was dangerously incompetent, so her losing her job and Gregory taking over as principal seemed almost inevitable. However,Abbott Elementary’s Principal Avainstead became the show’s equivalent ofThe Office’s Michael Scott, proving herself to be surprisingly competent and a great leader despite her obvious shortcomings.Abbott Elementary’s Christmas episode featured a similarly smart subversion of expectations.
Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 7 Avoided “War On Christmas” Clichés
Abbott Elementary Season 4’s Christmas Special Featured A Sweet Winter Concert
When season 4, episode 7, “Winter Show,” began, it seemed like the special’s plot would be easy to predict. Barbara’s non-Christian student being unable to partake in the Christmas show would result in endless gags about the so-called “War on Christmas,” and Barbara’s attempts to fix this issue would result in another case of sitcom Christmas specials using the format as an excuse to show off the cast’s singing skills. However, “Winter Show” was a delightfully fresh surprise precisely because the special didn’t play into either of these tired, overused gags.
“Winter Show” didn’t rely on Christmas special clichés that viewers had seen a million times before and instead let the children shine during their eponymous pageant.
No one objected to Barbara taking Christmas references out of the show to make things more inclusive, meaning the conflict instead stemmed from Barbara once again taking on more than she could manage. Meanwhile,Abbott Elementary’s new romance blossomedas Ava and O’Sean the IT guy once again crossed paths. “Winter Show” didn’t rely on Christmas special clichés that viewers had seen a million times before and instead let the children shine during their eponymous pageant, eventually paying off an early promise with a hilarious misdirection that proved how cannyAbbott Elementary’s writing is.
Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 7 Didn’t Rely On The Cast’s Singing
Barbara’s Big Solo Was A Hilarious Misdirection
Series star Sheryl Lee Ralph originally rose to prominence on Broadway and the sitcom has utilized her considerable singing abilities on more than one occasion. Ralph’s singing is always a welcome surprise in an average episode, but the revelation that she would sing the Christmas show’s song when her class didn’t have time to learn the lyrics was too predictable. As such, it was a hilarious surprise when she got up onstage and didn’t end up singing at all, since Barbara had lost her voice during the chaotic days of rehearsal, revision, and rewriting her carol.
“Winter Show” cleverlybrought back anAbbott Elementarysupporting staras Tariq stepped in to provide a truly ear-splitting beat and the children uproariously sang the tasteless alternative carol they wrote themselves. The result was anarchic, absurd, and perfectly fitting for anAbbott ElementaryChristmas special.Abbott’s Wintershow was about the children instead of their teacher, which meant that missing out on Ralph’s voice was worth it this time for the sake of the welcome festive surprise. Like the lack of a predictable “War on Christmas” patter, this choice proved just how much the show knows how to navigate sitcom clichés.
Abbott Elementary Season 4’s Christmas Special Highlights Its Strength
The Hit Sitcom Quietly Subverts The Genre’s Well-Worn Clichés
While most sitcoms hope to cleverly deconstruct the genre’s tropes, it can be tempting for shows to simply indulge in these when it comes to holiday specials.Abbott Elementary’s casting for Melissa’s motherwas ingenious, and the chaotic family dinner of episode 8, “Winter Break,” avoided feeling tired since the show is usually a workplace comedy. However, this storyline could easily have become overly familiar ifAbbott Elementarywere a family sitcom likeModern FamilyorThe Conners, where Yuletide family reunions that end in chaos are more commonplace and, thus, more predictable.
Chris Perfetti
Jacob Hill
Instead, both “Winter Show” and “Winter Break” highlighted just how muchAbbott Elementaryknows its way around a sitcom trope. There is no denying that the series engages in familiar clichés on occasion, and these are a welcome nod to the history of sitcoms that the show borrows from. However, whileJanine and Gregory’sAbbott Elementaryromancewas a joy precisely because of its debt to shows likeThe Office,Brooklyn Nine-Nine,New Girl, andThe Mindy Project,Abbott Elementary’s season 4 Christmas special proves the sitcom is also ready to reinvent the format one cliché at a time.
