‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 3 Has Arrived—Here’s Everything We Know

Less than 24 hours after Abbott Elementary won the 2023 Golden Globe for Best Television Series (Comedy or Musical), ABC made the best possible announcement: Abbott Elementary is returning for season three.

In case you're unfamiliar with the plot, the sitcom follows the staff of an underfunded Philadelphia elementary school as they deal with problems in and outside of the classroom. Per Deadline, Channing Dungey, the chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group, admitted the series renewal was "richly deserved." He said in a statement, “Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving, and I look forward to many more magnificent episodes of this brilliant, authentic, and just plain funny series.”

While the show was expected to return in September as part of ABC’s fall lineup, the third season was delayed due to the simultaneous WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. But now that both strikes have been resolved, we finally have a premiere date for season three: February 7, 2024. Plus, Deadline recently confirmed that three new faces are joining the cast.

So, what can fans expect from this new season and who will be returning to Abbott? Keep reading for all the details on Abbott Elementary season three.

1. What Is Abbott Elementary Season Three About?

ABC/Gilles Mingasson

Abbott Elementary season two left off with Janine and Gregory finally addressing their feelings for each other, although it didn't play out as fans expected. So, where will they go from there?

Showrunner Patrick Schumacker told Decider, “They’re not on the same page exactly, but Gregory’s accepted reluctantly what the determination was at the end, and I think that’s gonna keep up some of the dramatic tension in season three.”

As for the bigger theme, fans can expect to see something that's rarely addressed on TV. Fellow showrunner Justin Halpern said, “You’ve sort of noticed that each season has a bit of a theme of public education and the things that teachers go through. The second season ended up talking about charter schools and the push and pull of those, and the first season was sort of about the challenges of being woefully underfunded,” he said. “And so I think we have an idea, we’ve talked with Quinta, and I think there’s a larger overarching idea that we’ve sort of landed on for season three that I think is really interesting and I’ve never seen it on TV before.” (As you might have noticed, Halpern neglected to mention the theme, leaving us in total suspense.)

2. Who Is in the Cast of Abbott Elementary Season Three?

ABC/Gilles Mingasson

The full cast for season three hasn't been confirmed yet. However, fans can expect to see the main cast return, including:

• Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues

• Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie

• Janelle James as Ava Coleman

• Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti

• Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard

• Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill

• William Stanford Davis as Mr. Johnson

There's also a good chance that recurring characters will return as well, including Tariq (Zack Fox), Zach (Larry Owens), Kristen Schemmenti (Lauren Weedman), Maurice (Vince Staples), Ayesha Teagues (Ayo Edebiri) and Vanetta Teagues (Taraji P. Henson).

3. Are There New Cast Members?

Mike Pont/WireImage & Rick Kern/Getty Images

According to Deadline, Abbott Elementary season three will feature three new cast members: Josh Segarra (The Other Two, The Big Door Prize), Kimia Behpoornia (Hacks, Good on Paper) and Benjamin Norris (Never Have I Ever, Superstore). The trio will portray Philadelphia school district representatives who are determined to bring fresh ideas to the elementary school.

4. Is There a Trailer for Abbott Elementary Season Three?

There is! The trailer gives a fun glimpse into what we can expect to see this season from our favorite characters.

Also, season three will feature 14 new episodes. This number was revealed by Deadline, thanks to a report from close sources. (Normally, the season would've featured 22 episodes, but it was cut down due to the strikes.)

5. When Is the Release Date for Abbott Elementary Season Three?

ABC

Season three of Abbott returns on February 7, 2024 at 9 p.m. EST, with a special hour-long episode, as part of ABC’s midseason lineup.

The comedy’s return follows the sixth season premiere of The Conners at 8 p.m. EST and the second season premiere of Not Dead Yet at 8:30 p.m. EST.

In the past, new episodes of Abbott Elementary premiered weekly on Wednesdays, so we can expect the show to follow the same schedule for season three.

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