An Unsuspecting Network Sitcom Just Earned A Perfect Score On Rotten Tomatoes
It's not entirely uncommon for a specific season of a TV show to receive a 100% fresh rating on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, but that doesn't make the honor any less noteworthy. The website's list of every television season that has earned a 100% fresh score based on critical response is long, but it includes seasons of immensely well-loved series like "Breaking Bad," the Comedy Central classic "Broad City," and "Fleabag," among others. There may be many titles on that list, but all of them are ones you'd want to see your series mentioned in the same breath as.
Now that its inaugural season has wrapped up, there is a new series to add to the 100% fresh club, and it's one you might not expect. The list of the 100% fresh shows is largely dominated by streaming hits and acclaimed series from premium channels like HBO. But one new network sitcom has found a home among the mighty of the television industry, signaling a new series for both comedy fans and casual TV lovers alike to keep an eye on when it does eventually return for another season.
ABC's Abbott Elementary received universal praise from critics
Season 1 of ABC's "Abbott Elementary" has entered the 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic's score club, with the 36 critics who reviewed the show's first season giving a positive review. The sitcom follows the lives of hard-working public school teachers at Philadelphia's Willard R. Abbott Elementary School, and is presented in a mocumentary-style format similar to beloved 2000s network comedies like NBC's "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation." Clearly, the series has struck that familiar chord and delivered a new generation's workplace comedy. "Abbott Elementary" is proving wildly popular among general audiences, too; 91% of the Rotten Tomatoes users who have reviewed the series reported enjoying the new show.
"Abbott Elementary" is the brainchild of series star Quinta Brunson, who plays a second-grade teacher named Janine at the titular elementary school. ABC picked up the show for a second season in March, and The Hollywood Reporter noted that "Abbott Elementary" has been tied with the CBS show "Ghosts" for broadcast television's top comedy among viewers between the ages of 18 and 49.