'Abbott Elementary' review: Mockumentary-style show could be a 2021 winner

WHAT IT'S ABOUT Abbott Elementary in West Philly has lots of problems, but a new teacher (Quinta Brunson) is determined to meet them head-on. There will be, in fact, headwinds. The school is chronically underfunded, and the principal, Ms. Ava Coleman (Janelle James, "Black Monday") essentially got the job via blackmail. Meanwhile, the other teachers — Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter), Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti), Barbara Howard (Uniondale native Sheryl Lee Ralph) and another new teacher, Greg Eddie (Tyler James Williams) and — know the odds are against them too, but this new teacher just might be able to overcome them. At least the camera crew that's following her around will bring some needed attention to Abbott.

MY SAY While familiar — a bit more on that below — what's so special about "Abbott" is the creator and star. Brunson is a versatile comedian and true child of the digital generation, who rose to internet fame on the basis of a popular Instagram series called "Girl Who's Never Been on a Nice Date." Meme-style, she flashes through various characters who have never been on nice dates, but who do get excited when they learn the date has money. It was a hit, or she was, along with the various memes "Nice Date" did in fact spawn. A book followed ("She Memes Well," published this past summer) while Brunson has since landed in mainstream series ("A Black Lady Sketch Show").

Now about "Abbott Elementary," which is living proof that some genres never die — especially if the genre was once confined to a single series ("The Office") that lasted 201 episodes, and itself birthed countless memes and still thrives on some streaming service somewhere where it will forever be new to someone.

This might seem incongruous for an original talent like Brunson, except when you stop to realize that mainstream commercial TV really is all about familiarity, which is itself just an extension (or manifestation) of nostalgia. "Abbott'' is that and more.

In at least one sense, "Abbott '' is well-matched to Brunson's pedigree. "The Office'' was a running joke (the mockumentary) that was resistant to self-parody because it was self-parody. The more aware characters (Pam and Jim, for example) saw the absurdity of camera crew charting their workaday lives, while the least aware (Michael) saw the glory in it. Between both extremes was the comedy — the countless side glances, eye-rolls and petty humiliations, each perfectly reducible to a meme for what would become the age of memes.

Likewise, Brunson's Janine Teagues is the wide-eyed do-gooder who believes in teaching and the real possibility that she can make a difference in her student's lives. ("I was called, I answered, I can get this job done.") And far from an annoyance or intrusion, she hopes that an omnipresent camera crew could possibly be the witness to this miracle and even inspire future teachers. Naturally, it doesn't work out that way (never does).

As the proxy for the viewer — for us — Janine is critical to the conceit. If she doesn't care, we don't care either, and "Abbott" sinks without a trace under the weight of a running joke that has neither a point nor punchline.

So yes, "Abbott" is familiar but the early episodes also have charm, potentially meme-able moments and what ultimately may matter most — heart.

BOTTOM LINE The year is new but we may have an early winner.