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Episode

"Pilot" is the pilot and first episode of the first season of the American mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary, starring and created by Quinta Brunson. Directed by Randall Einhorn, and written by Brunson, the episode was first aired on December 7, 2021 on ABC. Quinta Brunson received several nominations for writing "Pilot", including at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards category for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 2022.

A group of passionate teachers–and a slightly tone-deaf principal–are determined to help their students succeed at a Philadelphia public school.

Description[]

A documentary crew is recording the lives of teachers working in underfunded schools. One of the places they have decided to document is Philadelphia's Willard R. Abbott Elementary School. Conditions at the school are harsh and most teachers do not last more than two years. Second grade teacher Janine Teagues and history teacher Jacob Hill are two of three teachers in a group of twenty to make it past one year. They work with experienced kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard, second grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti, and school principal Ava Coleman. When a teacher is fired for kicking a student, she is replaced by substitute teacher Gregory Eddie. Gregory wants to become the school principal, a role Ava acquired by blackmailing the superintendent. The school sends a request for more money to purchase supplies, including rugs which Janine needs for her class. The request is granted but Ava wastes the money on a new sign. Janine files a complaint to the superintendent but the email is redirected to Ava, who disrespects Janine in front of the entire staff. Barbara, Jacob, and Melissa stand up for Janine. Later, a friend of Melissa's steals several rugs and gives them to the school, pleasing Janine.

Plot[]

The episode opens with an exterior shot of Willard R. Abbott Elementary School and the audience is introduced to teacher Janine Teagues. As she introduces herself, Janine reveals that she has been teaching at Abbott Elementary for a year and, although she is proud to have survived the Philadelphia school system, her main problem is the school's lack of money and the city saying there's no money, even though they're doing a multimillion-dollar renovation on Eagles' Stadium. When Janine's student Jamal pees on the classroom rug, Janine is forced to remove the rug, which is a problem for her since, in her words, it's "like a huge Xanax for kids to sit on".

Kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard walks in Janine's classroom to ask her to turn down the music as it is distracting her kindergartners. Janine tries to get her students to sit down to no avail, until Barbara, a senior teacher at Abbott, gets them to sit down easily. Barbara introduces herself to the camera crew as "woman of God". "I do my work, I go home. I get my nails done every week, and... I love teaching," she says. An impressed Janine tells she can't wait to get on that level of teaching. On her way to the teachers' lounge, Janine meets with Jacob Hill, who says that Rachel Maddow just retweeted him. Jacob introduces himself as a history teacher who came to Abbott with Janine and other teachers last year, but only he, Janine, and one other teacher survived the school system. Second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti is also introduced and believes the camera crew are working with the cops.

In the teachers' lounge, Janine tells them that she needs a rug, and it turns out that both Jacob and Melissa need one too. The school's principal, Ava Coleman, walks in and asks the teachers what they think about the camera crew she brought into the school, to which Melissa replies that it's "distracting" and makes the job harder. Janine says Ava has a unique take on her job, but Melissa thinks that Ava is just bad at it. Tina Schwartz approaches Ava and asks for an aide since she is outnumbered and the kids "are crazy." Ava denies her request because otherwise her salary will be split with somebody else. Janine insists on the rugs and Ava again refuses and uses Ms. Howard as an example since she is the most senior teacher and never complains. Janine tries to encourage Tina, but she leaves without saying a word. Janine then turns to the other teachers telling them to be supportive and it might help them get the things they need. Barbara responds by saying that being supportive won't help and that, instead, they need to be resourceful, like Melissa who always has "a guy" for everything. Barbara adds that the younger teachers need to be more capable so they can last more than two years in their jobs.

A little while later, a student goes to Janine and reports that Tina had kicked a student in the hallway, and everybody there was "going crazy." This incident results in Tina getting fired. Ava has Mr. Johnson, the janitor, take over Tina's social studies class. Jacob suggests that they alert the school district due to a child being harmed and Janine agrees. Ava brushes it off and refuses to alert them and instead says that she'll make a small emergency budget request to hire teaching aides and to buy their supply requests. She tells them to e-mail those in and Janine decides to send her request for the rugs.

Later that day, a substitute teacher named Gregory Eddie, arrives to sub for Ms. Schwartz. He applied for principal and was supposedly hired but something happened, and his employment didn't push through. Ava then reveals that she goes to the same church as the Superintendent and that she caught him cheating on his wife with the deaconess and subsequently blackmailed him for the job as Principal.

In Janine's classroom, a student throws up and Janine takes her to the bathroom to get cleaned up. There she sees Gregory holding a student's pants and calls for security. He calms her down, explaining that he's the sub for Ms. Schwartz and that he's there to help a student who peed himself. He adds that the toilet's flush suddenly shot back up and that now he's wet. She asks Gregory to watch her student while she helps with his student as she has extra pants for him in her classroom.

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Ava shows the teachers the sign which she bought from the emergency budget she requested.

The following day, Janine goes to Barbara for her opinion on the rug request email she composed for Ava. Barbara insists that she shouldn't expect anything and to just do her job. Ava then makes an announcement via PA system about some improvements to the school. However, it is revealed that Ava had used the requested budget for a new school sign instead of hiring the much-needed aides and the requested rugs. Janine is indignant and decides to e-mail the superintendent about what Ava has done. However, Barbara and Melissa inform her that the superintendent never receives any of their e-mails and that these are bounced back to the person in charge of where they came from, which is Ava.

Just then, Ava makes another announcement calling all teachers to a "trust workshop" because one of the teachers had disrespected her. There, she singles out Janine and starts telling her annoying things about her. The other teachers refuse to take part in it, so she calls one of Janine's students. Ava coaxes the student to say something mean about Janine but before that happens, Janine tells everyone that she was the one who disrespected Ava and apologizes to everyone for missing lunch. Before she walks out, she explains that she did it because of Ava spending the money on a sign and because she cared about the students. The other teachers follow her out.

Janine goes to her classroom and the others follow her. She shows them one of her students who is napping on the classroom floor. He liked sleeping on the rug as it was softer that his bed at home. Barbara and Melissa commend her dedication to her students and tell her that teachers like them do it because it is their calling. Barbara suggests that they chip in for a new rug, but Janine tells her that they don't have the money for it, but she knows a guy who knows a guy who can get them new rugs.

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Janine shows her students their new rug.

Shortly after, Melissa's "guy" brings them some Philidelphia Eagles rugs from the stadium rebuild nearby and the teachers take their new rugs. Janine lays out the new rug in her classroom and her students cheer. Janine is happy that even without help from the higher-ups, she is still able to help her students and the school.

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Reception[]

Ratings[]

The "Pilot" was watched by 2.876 million viewers, earning a 0.63 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale.[1]

Accolades[]

Year Award Category Notes Result Ref
2022 Black Reel Television Awards Outstanding Writing, Comedy Series Quinta Brunson (for "Pilot") Won [2]
Humanitas Prize Comedy Teleplay Nominated [3]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Won [4]

Media[]

Episode stills[]

Behind the scenes[]

References[]

  1. Metcalf, Mitch (December 8, 2021). ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.7.2021 Updated. ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved on December 12, 2022.
  2. Complex, Valerie (June 16, 2022). 6th Annual Black Reel Television Awards Nominations Announced. Deadline. Retrieved on June 28, 2022.
  3. Schneider, Michael (June 27, 2022). Abbott Elementary, Pachinko Among Nominees for 46th Humanitas Prizes. Variety. Retrieved on June 27, 2022.
  4. Hipes, Patrick (July 12, 2022). Emmy Nominations: The Complete List. Deadline. Retrieved on December 12, 2022.

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