Abbott Elementary Is ABC's Least-Watched Scripted Show (& That's So Frustrating)

Although Abbott Elementary has the makings of a major mainstream hit, its ratings have not yet reflected this fact in season 4. Abbott Elementary started strong when the ABC sitcom first debuted in 2021. Abbott Elementary’s cast of characters immediately won over critics, earning season 1 a superb 98% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The workplace mockumentary sitcom was a more modest success with audiences, with its premiere garnering a respectable viewership of 2.88 million. This number grew throughout season 1, peaking at 3.45 million. Throughout season 2, Abbott Elementary maintained a viewership of 2.5-3 million.

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Abbott Elementary made fun of the show’s outdated format in season 4, episode 5, and the sitcom ironically justified this setup in the process.

Season 3 saw the show’s fortunes improve as a post-Oscars timeslot earned episode 6, “Willard R. Abbott,” 6.9 million viewers. The rest of the season was a measured success, although the show’s viewership did get closer to 2 million than 3 for much of season 3. However, despite how great Abbott Elementary’s subversive Christmas special was, the outing was unable to fix season 4’s declining ratings. Season 4, episode 3, “Class Pet,” saw Abbott Elementary dip beneath 2 million with a viewership of only 1.91 million. The next episode, “Costume Contest,” earned only 1.89 million viewers.

Abbott Elementary Is ABC’s Least-Watched Scripted Show For 2024-2025

Abbott Elementary’s Stellar Reviews Haven’t Resulted In High Ratings

Unfortunately for Abbott Elementary, what looks like a mild decline for the sitcom stands out when compared to the rest of ABC’s scripted offerings. Per TVLine, High Potential’s viewership of 6.6 million makes it TV’s second-most watched new drama, while 9-1-1’s 6.5 million is an almost equally impressive showing. Doctor Odyssey managed to outdo Grey’s Anatomy with 5 million viewers compared to the older medical drama’s 4 million, but it is sadly hard to deny that Abbott Elementary is the loser of the season’s scripted releases for the network.

Scripted ABC Series (2024/2025 Season)

Total Viewership

High Potential

6.6 million

9-1-1

6.5 million

Doctor Odyssey

5 million

Grey’s Anatomy

4 million

Abbott Elementary

3.3 million

Abbott Elementary is the least-watched scripted ABC show of the season with a total viewership of 3.3 million. This is particularly concerning considering Grey’s Anatomy has reached season 21, meaning viewers could reasonably assume its ratings would be in decline compared to the critically acclaimed sitcom. High Potential and Doctor Odyssey arguably have novelty value temporarily inflating their ratings since both shows are new, but this wasn’t enough to garner Abbott Elementary similarly high ratings in its debut season. Even Abbott Elementary’s celebrity cameos haven’t been enough to help the show gain new viewers.

Abbott Elementary Season 4’s Ratings Don’t Reflect Its Quality

Abbott Elementary Season 4 Is A Step Up From 3 Already-Great Seasons

Although Abbott Elementary season 4 introduced a lot of new changes to the show’s earlier setup, many of these only improved its storytelling. The will they, won’t they relationship that Janine and Gregory shared finally became official in season 4’s premiere, and this has given the series more room to explore characters like Melissa and Principal Ava in the episodes that followed. Ava’s role in season 4 has been particularly intriguing, as she proved an increasingly competent principal without sacrificing the wackiness that made viewers love her in the first place.

ABC moving Abbott Elementary’s timeslot is almost certainly a factor in its dwindling ratings.

As Abbott Elementary explores Ava’s romance, Janine and Gregory’s newfound happiness, and supporting characters like Jacob and Barbara, it is hard to see where the show is going wrong. The writing remains as strong as ever, the characters are still unique, funny, and original, and the ensemble cast is among the best on network television. That said, ABC moving Abbott Elementary‘s timeslot is almost certainly a factor in its dwindling ratings. 9:30 pm is simply too late for a sitcom, as evidenced by ABC’s earlier hit mockumentary sitcom Modern Family consistently airing at 9 pm throughout its eleven seasons.

Why Abbott Elementary Deserves More Viewers

Abbott Elementary’s Critical Success Proves It Should Be A Bigger Hit

Given how lauded the series is by critics, there is no reason that Abbott Elementary season 4 should be struggling with ratings. The blame for this issue could be laid on the show’s new late time slot or its lack of effective promotion but, either way, the network needs to act fast. Abbott Elementary needs more and better promotion, and the show should be given more opportunities to find new viewers. Returning to its 9 pm time slot could be a good start in this regard.

As for the creators of Abbott Elementary, the most obvious answer may be somewhat disheartening. After season 3 featured a slew of big-name cameos from the likes of Bradley Cooper and Kevin Hart, the creators promised to tone down this element of the series in Abbott Elementary season 4. However, bringing back celebrity cameos might get Abbott Elementary the attention that the show deserves. These cameos ideally wouldn’t get in the way of the show’s main storylines but, if they allow Abbott Elementary to find new viewers, the trade-off could be worth it in the long run.

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes

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