Abbott Elementary: The Complete Third Season - DVD Review

[Michael Scott]

Abbott Elementary: The Complete Third Season



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:



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Movie
With so many sitcoms on the market these days (heck, not just sitcoms, there’s so much TV on the market that it’s mind-boggling), ABC’s Abbott Elementary sort of slipped by me the last couple of years. I watched the 2nd season when I reviewed it last year, but with so much on my plate, I never actually ended up watching the 3rd season live, even though I was more than entertained by the first two seasons (had to binge watch the first season to prep for season 2 last year). So naturally, I was pleased to see Warner’s DVD release of the 3rd season show up on my doorstep a few weeks back. Digging in, I’m still enjoying the series as it changes things up a bit, and digging the mockumentary style film making.

Abbott Elementary focuses on an elementary school in Philadelphia, using a mockumentary style filming that imitates The Office or Parks and Rec, following an oblivious principal and the underpaid teachers who try to do their best in an underfunded school district. This season, Janine (Quinta Brunson, creator and star of the show) is offered a fellowship at a more prestigious school in Philly. However, in a change of pace, Janine decides to start taking a break from teaching altogether, shocking not only her students but the audience as well. Not to mention Principal Ava Coleman going a bit overboard this year, up to and including taking bribes with school funds, leading to her inevitable termination from Willard R. Abbott Elementary.

Without giving away too much of the third season’s surprises, I have to say that it's very similar to the previous two seasons. Tons of humor with Janine doing her best to keep students' spirits up, while Principal Coleman runs havoc in the mostly black school. Janine and Gregory are still fostering their office romance, and of course, Jacob is finally being taken seriously after he introduces his boyfriend to the rest of the staff. But at the core of it all, I’d say that season 3 revolves around a spirit of change for everyone involved. Janine learns first hand how working for a better funded school doesn’t mean that the red tape and politics of working in the education system doesn’t ever change (and actually can become worse), while Ava has to learn to take her job as school principal more seriously (and of course ends up in hot water thanks to her love of money).

On the flip side, the show CAN be a little preachy at times when dealing with race relations. We’ve all seen the whole arguments over statues related to Confederate generals, or schools being named after men in the past who were open racists, discussed a thousand times in TV shows. And Abbott Elementary doesn’t really break any new ground there. It felt more like a re-run of already hashed out details rather than being a teaching moment or anything. The same can not be said for the episode where the teachers try to crack down on smoking and vaping, where the tables are turned and the teachers end up being more destructive than the actual students. But all in all, the show is solidly entertaining. Its only real negative is that it doesn’t break much new ground, and gets lost amidst a sea of other comedies out there.



Rating:

Not Rated by the MPAA




Video:

Abbott Elementary follows along the classic “rule of 4” for TV shows. That means we have good audio and good video, but nothing spectacular in the encodes. The bitrate remains high, and all 14 episodes get spread across two dual-layer DVDs. Colors are warm and rich, and while there’s some mild artifacting and banding in darker scenes, the show looks remarkably clean. Like most modern shows shot digitally, the series tends to look really clean and clear for the most part, with only said artifacting and some weird “cheap handheld” footage for a few shots to fit into the mockumentary motif. All in all, a solid encode.









Audio:

The 5.1 Dolby Digital track works quite well as well, despite the show's audio style not lending itself towards super duper amazing dynamics. The series is very much a front-heavy mix, with a strong focus on dialogue. Vocals are clean and clear as a bell, and the surrounds actually get used a decent amount thanks to the hubbub of the school yard, or the score accentuating a heartfelt scene. Bass is kind of "meh", but that's totally to be expected for a comedy like this. There are a few bumps and crashes throughout the season, but overall, this is a strong front-heavy mix that relies on good dialogue and moderate ambiance in the surrounds.












Extras:

•

Final Score: ​

Abbott Elementary has been a consistently fun show over the last 3 years, and season 3 is no different. It shakes things up a bit structurally, but keeps the tone and feel of the comedy consistent. I know she’s a nut job, but Principal Coleman is still my favorite character, and I hope to see her actually grow and flourish a bit more now that she’s had a bit of a reality check. The dual DVD set looks and sounds good, but sadly, there are ZERO extras to dig into. Making this kind of bare-bones release like the previous season.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter
Created by: Quinta Brunson
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 MPEG2
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English
Studio: Warner Bros
Rated: NR
Runtime: 302 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: April 1st, 2025

Recommendation: Solid Watch