Abbott Elementary Scores Season 6 Renewal at ABC

Class is still in session. ABC has renewed Abbott Elementary for Season 6, and the next batch of episodes will air during the 2026–2027 TV season. That order pushes the series past the 100-episode mark, which is network speak for: this show is not going anywhere.

The renewal, the timing, the numbers

The pickup lands midway through Abbott Elementary Season 5 and, notably, it is ABC's first scripted renewal of the year. The show keeps pulling impressive weight on both fronts: it performs on linear broadcast and keeps building audiences on Disney+ and Hulu. Among adults 18–49 this season, it is the top comedy on TV, and it averages around 6 million viewers per episode after one week of cross-platform viewing. The viewership has grown season over season, the reviews remain strong, and at this point Abbott is basically the crown jewel of ABC's comedy block.

Still waiting on news about the network's two other half-hour comedies: Shifting Gears (starring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings) and the revival of Scrubs. No decisions announced there yet.

What keeps Abbott clicking

Created by Quinta Brunson, who also stars, Abbott Elementary is a single-camera mockumentary about teachers at an underfunded Philadelphia public school. It balances the day-to-day grind, the staff's personal chaos, and a steady stream of small victories. The show debuted December 7, 2021 as a midseason replacement and immediately caught on with critics and audiences. It has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys every year since it launched. In its first season, Sheryl Lee Ralph won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and Brunson took home Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.

How ABC has played the long game

• Before the Season 1 finale aired, ABC had already locked in a second season.
• Another renewal arrived in January 2023, shortly after a winter hiatus, but the following season's rollout was delayed by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
• On February 10, 2024, three days after Season 3 premiered, ABC renewed the show for Season 4.
• Season 5 was officially announced while Season 4 was airing in 2025.
• The Season 6 renewal lined up with the series' return on March 4, 2026, after a month-long break.

Network comedy is having a moment (again)

2021 ended up being a stealthily strong year for broadcast sitcoms. Alongside Abbott's December debut on ABC, CBS launched Ghosts on October 7, 2021. Ghosts was renewed for Seasons 5 and 6 back in February 2025, so it will also be back for the 2026–2027 season. One big reason both shows keep thriving: they generally deliver full, 20-plus-episode seasons (strike years aside) on a weekly schedule. No two-year waits. No vanishing acts. Just steady, funny TV that shows up. Comforting, right?

Given how these numbers look, do not be surprised if Abbott Elementary sticks around for many more homeroom bells.