‘Abbott Elementary’ Creator Quinta Brunson Was Asked to Do a School Shooting Episode and She Made Her Position ‘Very Clear’
This past year brought with it a lot of new and riveting TV shows. CBS’ Ghosts, Showtimes’ Yellowjackets, and HBO Max’s Hacks are just a few of the TV series that have successfully premiered.
However, few shows have held a candle to ABC‘s Abbott Elementary. The entertaining series and brilliant creator, Quinta Brunson, have rightfully received a lot of acknowledgement since the show aired in December 2021. With the spotlight on Brunson, she addressed a pressing and unfortunately relevant topic when it comes to the future episodes and storylines for Abbott Elementary.
A closer look at ‘Abbott Elementary’ and the show’s creator, Quinta Brunson
Vanity Fair‘s piece, How Abbott Elementary Became This Year’s Breakout Broadcast Comedy, says it all. Just about everyone loves the show. In the well-done piece, it becomes apparent that this was Brunson’s hope and intentions.
Growing up, like so many, Brunson watched reruns of beloved TV shows with her family. However, over the past few years, she noticed an absence of options that appeal to all ages and backgrounds. The Philadelphia native explained, “For a while, we just didn’t feel like we had things we could watch with each other. I think people’s minds automatically go to violence or sex, but I don’t think it’s always that — sometimes it’s just a sense of humor is so vastly different.”
For context, she threw out It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, one of the most successful and longest-running television comedies to date. Though the show is brilliant, fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia can likely see why it might not be a show that’s friendly for the whole family.
These were some of the aspects and thoughts involved with Brunson’s creative process. Using her hometown, Philly, and personal life for inspiration, the mockumentary show focuses on the teachers who work in the inner city school. Brunson plays Janine Teagues, a young, ambitious teacher with lots of ideas. Alongside her as beloved co-workers like Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, and Chris Perfetti.
Leading the pack as principal is the one-and-only Janelle James. All of the teachers and staff have different teaching styles and personalities, but their love for the students brings them together.
‘Abbott Elementary’ creator Quinta Brunson was asked to do a school shooting episode and made her position ‘very clear’
Abbott Elementary has received praise for accurately and comically depicting the struggles of the urban education system. From difficulties retaining teachers to the struggle of getting something as essential as a classroom rug, the ABC show does an excellent job of depicting the many different elements of the job.
The relevancy and realness has not gone unnoticed. On that note, Brunson has received some controversial requests when it comes to future plots. In light of the horrific and senseless school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Brunson received a shocking amount of appeals to write a school shooting episode.
Brunson took to Twitter to make her feelings on the matter clear. She wrote, “Wild how many people have asked for a school shooting episode of the show I write. people are that deeply removed from demanding more from the politicians they’ve elected and are instead demanding ‘entertainment.’ I can’t ask ‘are yall ok’ anymore because the answer is ‘no.'”
Other TV shows with school shootings in storylines
Brunson is far from interested in the possibility of airing an episode revolving around gun violence in schools. But that isn’t to say it hasn’t been done before.
Degrassi was one of the first TV shows to broach the hot topic. One Tree Hill was another popular show remembered for incorporating a school shooting into the series.
