


On Wednesdays, we watch new episodes of Abbott Elementary — unless, of course, school’s not in session. In that case, we count down the days until ABC’s Emmy-winning comedy returns.
Abbott recently returned from a short hiatus to gift fans with two iconic, back-to-back holiday episodes. Season 4, Episode 7, “Winter Show” saw Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and her students put on a festive show for the school. Then after Jacob’s (Chris Perfetti) brother (Tyler Perez) graced us with his presence, Episode 8, “Winter Break,” saw our favorite fictional Philly educators celebrate Christmas Eve. Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) dressed as Santa, Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) hosted her mom (Talia Shire) and judgmental fam for the holidays, and Ava (Janelle James) bonded with Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams).
Unfortunately, after Abbott‘s charming holiday special premiered, Quinta Brunson’s beloved mockumentary embarked on another hiatus. We regret to inform you that this break is even longer than the last one.
So is Abbott Elementary on tonight, December 18? When does Abbott Elementary return with new episodes on ABC? How many episodes are in Abbott Elementary Season 4? And when does Abbott’s highly-anticipated It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover episode premiere? We’ve got answers!
Here’s everything to know about Abbott Elementary‘s Season 4 return date, time, streaming info, and more.
Sadly, no. A new episode of Abbott Elementary doesn’t air on Wednesday, December 18. Instead, the network is airing the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024 special from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, featuring performances by some of the year’s biggest musical artists. ‘Tis the season!

Abbott Elementary is currently on hiatus, which means fans have to wait until 2025 to reunite with their favorite fictional Philly educators. Mark your calendars for Abbott Elementary‘s return on Wednesday, January 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Though we’ll have to endure several weeks without our dearly beloved Abbott Elementary, the series comes back with a bang! When Abbott returns on Wednesday, January 8, it picks up with its highly-anticipated It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover episode. Talk about an iconic way to start the new year!
When teasing the sure-to-be-legendary episode earlier this year, Brunson told ABC News’ Robin Roberts, “You can expect something fun. If you watch Abbott and you are not aware of this other show, that’s OK. You’re just going to be seeing a regular Abbott episode of television, but if you happen to be a fan of this other show you’re going to be screaming your head off, I think… It’s exciting. It’s invigorating to do something cool like this on TV again… It’s gonna be cool.”
Since the crossover episodes was announced, Abbott and It’s Always Sunny cast members have shared behind-the-scenes group photos on Instagram, so be sure to scour the socials if you want to get even more hyped.
With eight episodes down after Abbott Elementary‘s exciting winter event, fans may be wondering how many episodes are left in Season 4. In response to delays and schedule shifts from the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Abbott Elementary Season 3 was an abbreviated 14-episode season, but fans will be happy to know Abbott Season 4 got a 22-episode order.
Want to watch Abbott Elementary Season 4 episodes live when the show returns in 2025? Of course you do! If you have a cable subscription that includes ABC, you can watch Abbott Elementary live by setting your TV to the proper channel a few minutes before new episodes air. You can also use your cable username and password to watch live ABC episodes live on ABC.com or with the ABC app. And if your cable package includes a DVR, you can always record live episodes for later viewing.
No cable? No worries! There are other live viewing options, like live TV skinny bundles, which give you access to networks without cable. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and fuboTV, all come with ABC. But if you don’t have cable or a live TV skinny bundle, you can stream episodes the following day on Hulu. Here’s how to watch Abbott Elementary online.
Want to rewatch or catch up on Abbott Elementary during the hiatus or want to know how to stream the show next-day when it returns? You’ll need to a Hulu subscriber in order to watch Abbott Elementary‘s four seasons online now and catch new episodes the day after they air on ABC. The good news is you’ll have access to the episode with any version of the streaming service.
The streamer’s least expensive ad-supported plan costs $7.99 a month (or $79.99 a year), while its ad-free option is $17.99 a month. If you choose to add Live TV to your plan you can select an ad-supported Hulu + Live TV now with Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle for $76.99 a month or go ad-free for $89.99 a month. So figure out which plan is right for you and get to school!