The Abbott Elementary crew is back and getting the party started.
In a brand new, DECIDER exclusive promo for the ABC comedy’s upcoming fifth season, all of your favorite Abbott educators are working together to make it another memorable year for the students, a goal they are sure to accomplish. While the teaser is less than 30 seconds long, it ends with someone falling through the ceiling and into the teachers’ lounge, much to the shock and horror of Janine (Quinta Brunson), Gregory (Tyler James Williams), Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Ava (Janelle James), and Jacob (Chris Perfetti).
Elsewhere, the promo — set to The Black Eyed Peas’ hit “Let’s Get it Started” — sees the teachers taking the time to ask the important questions like “What’s the worst that could happen,” “What ever happened to community,” and “Who am I?” Clearly, there’s going to be a lot of confusion this season, a.k.a., a breeding ground for comedy!
We also know that after Season 4’s rollercoaster with Ava and the district, the process of losing her job and then coming back, thanks to the teachers, has not shaken her personality one bit. At another point in the new video, Janine attempts to make Ava feel at ease over something happening at the school, telling her, “There’s not going to be any drama.” Ever the reality television star just waiting to be discovered, Ava responds, “There better be.”
You can check out the full Season 5 promo in the player above.
As for what else is happening this season, it’s going to be another school year with lots to look forward to, with one episode being filmed at a Philadelphia Phillies game and a holiday episode that is going to be a “game changer,” Brunson has revealed.
At the 2025 Emmys in mid-September, DECIDER spoke with William Stanford Davis, the actor who plays Mr. Johnson, the quirky and beloved janitor at Abbott, who said that the Christmas episode is going to change “everything.” He otherwise remained tight-lipped but said it’s going to be a good year. “It’s going to be a lot of fun, it’s going to be very Christmas-y, and things are going to change dramatically,” he teased.
Additionally, joining the cast for Season 5 as a new teacher is Shrinking star Luke Tennie, who will be playing Dominic, a new teacher at Abbott for the upcoming school year. Tennie will be a recurring guest star throughout Season 5.
While Abbott Elementary wrapped up its fourth season on ABC in April, the teachers were much more recently seen on the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia side of the crossover, which hit FX and Hulu in July. The Abbott half aired earlier this year and featured the entire Paddy’s Pub gang visiting the Philly school for volunteer hours, while the newer version ended with Janine and the rest of the staff stopping by Paddy’s for a beer. We can only hope that these two shows cross paths again in Season 5 or beyond.
Abbott Elementary Season 5 debuts on ABC on Wednesday, October 1 at 8:30 p.m. EST. New episodes stream the next day on Hulu. You can also catch up on the first four seasons, streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.
If you’re new to Hulu, you can get started with a 30-day free trial on the streamer’s basic (with ads) plan. After the trial period, you’ll pay $9.99/month. If you want to upgrade to Hulu ad-free, it costs $18.99/month.
If you want to stream even more and save a few bucks a month while you’re at it, we recommend subscribing to one of the Disney+ Bundles, all of which include Hulu. These bundles start at $10.99/month for ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu and goes up to $29.99/month for Disney+, Hulu, and Max, all ad-free.