The ABC series hasn’t missed a single beat, kicking off with an hour that’s funny, sweet, and exactly what TV needs right now.

We give Quinta Brunson a lot of credit for not standing on her laurels for Abbott Elementary‘s third season. Even though she’s shaken things up a little bit, the show still seems to be at the top of its game, and we hope that continues through Season 3.

Abbott Elementary's two-part third-season premiere adapts to strike-related interruptions with a cleverly structured episode that subverts sitcom convention. A new character with a lot of potential and a big career change for Janine provide room for the already excellent show to continue to grow.

The series remains just as witty and fun as it’s always been.

Based on this supersized premiere, we’re certainly in for another intriguing and funny season in our dearest school on television.

Pacing aside, what Abbott Elementary Season 3 continues to prove is that a perfect cast counts for a huge portion of a comedy report card.

One of “Abbott”’s struggles is that, for a sitcom, it’s a lot more interested in warming the heart than busting the gut. Granted, the show’s appeal is still in its cast of characters, Brunson and the writers working hard to make them likable and endearing even in their quirks.