The first season of the American television comedy Abbott Elementary created by Quinta Brunson, premiered in the United States on ABC on December 7, 2021, concluded on April 12, 2022, and consisted of thirteen episodes.

The season holds a 98% approval rating from critics and audiences alike on Rotten Tomatoes, gaining universal acclaim.

[30] In an interview, director and producer Randall Einhorn spoke about how the series works with the mockumentary format: "The thing that I was really clear upfront about when we started shooting the show is the rules.

[33][34] In addition to the main cast, the series sees William Stanford David and Zack Fox recur as Mr. Johnson and Tariq Temple respectively.

When asked about the relationship of Tariq and Janine, and why she wrote him the way she did, Brunson stated: We have these Black main characters, and I saw an opportunity to make sure that they were fleshed out and dimensional.

[36]The second episode of the season, "Light Bulb", features a short cameo from Philadelphia ABC Channel 6 Action News anchor Jim Gardner, who appears during the cold open; beloved by the staff of Abbott.

[44] Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter said the first episodes "[are] a willingness to deal with class head on, while also finding humor in the characters' situations", and concluded that Abbott Elementary is "crowd-pleasing.

[47][48] Including viewership recorded over a 35-day period through "linear and digital platforms" (known as MP35) after its original broadcast, the pilot episode on December 7, 2021, increased to a 2.4 demographic rating, with 7.1 million viewers.