Abbott Elementary will return for a sixth season on American Broadcasting Company during the 2026–27 broadcast cycle, extending the run of the workplace comedy created by Quinta Brunson as its fifth season airs.
The network confirmed the renewal Wednesday, making the show the first ABC scripted series to secure a pickup for the upcoming season.
ABC publicized the announcement with a voicemail from Barbara Howard, the character portrayed by Sheryl Lee Ralph. In the recording, Howard says she is “too busy celebrating the good news” to answer the phone before confirming the series will return for Season 6.
The renewal comes as the show continues to dominate in key demographics. Season-to-date, “Abbott Elementary” ranks as television’s top comedy among adults aged 18–49 in multiplatform viewing measured over seven days, according to data from Nielsen.
The mockumentary-style sitcom follows teachers navigating an underfunded public school in Philadelphia. The ensemble cast includes Brunson, Ralph, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter and William Stanford Davis. Season 5 also added Luke Tennie to the lineup.
The current season has expanded the show’s scope with several location-driven storylines, including filming at a Philadelphia Phillies game and staging episodes in an abandoned mall while the fictional Abbott school undergoes construction.
ABC has yet to announce renewal decisions for other comedies on its schedule, including Shifting Gears and Scrubs. Among the dramas awaiting decisions are Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Nashville, The Rookie, High Potential, Will Trent and RJ Decker.
Leave a comment