Throughout television history, it has always been obvious that the powerbrokers seem to learn the same lesson from every successful series. If a show becomes popular, the team behind the series almost always do everything they can to make sure that every season is more of the same. After all, there is a reason that people often say that if something isn't broke, you shouldn't try to fix it.
Unfortunately for the TV bosses who subscribe to that mentality, however, making each season of a show feel repetitive can quickly cause viewers to feel bored. Based on what has been revealed about the future of Abbott Elementary, however, it seems like the beloved and acclaimed sitcom won't fall victim to that television trend. As fans have been waiting to learn everything about Abbott Elementary season 5, the show's star, Quinta Brunson, revealed the show's return will mix things up.
Abbott Elementary season 5's new character will shake things up
In September 2025, it was revealed that Luke Tennie from the show Shrinking would be joining Abbott Elementary's cast in a recurring role, and that the series may be bringing on other new characters. That same month, Quinta Brunson talked to Deadline about how the influx of new Abbott Elementary characters will mix things up.
“Anytime you bring an outside character into the picture, feathers are ruffled, and we’re going to see some of that, whether it be for our characters or from our characters to them; we have a group of exciting characters that might make other people be like: ‘What the [expletive] is wrong with these people?’ But we’re excited for those moments.”
There will be a lot of interest in how the sitcom's main characters will be affected by those new additions. However, according to what Brunson told Deadline, it won't just be the new characters that will cause the sitcom's upcoming season to be different.
While speaking to the outlet, Brunson also teased that Abbott Elementary season 5 will result in the show's characters teaming up in new ways. The show's star stated that new situations will pop up that viewers haven't seen before. "New pairings of our characters, things you haven’t seen before." In fact, Quinta stated that the series stars will have to cope with something so important that it will cause "some significant shakeups" for the show.
""[The teachers will] tackle something really, really, really major — a big game-changer that could make or break them [with] some significant shakeups.""Quinta Brunson
Quinta's comments about how Abbott Elementary season 5 will change the show were incredibly fascinating and tantalizing. After all, Quinta didn't really give away any specific details about how the upcoming season will be so different from what came before it. Instead, Quinta simply revealed that unexpected things will happen, and she let fans imagine what that could mean. Now, I have to learn what Quinta's comments will mean for the show.
Abbott Elementary season 5 premieres Wednesday, October 1 on ABC.