School might already be back in session for students and teachers nationwide, but the school year doesn't officially start until we return to the hilariously chaotic halls of Abbott Elementary!
Fresh off their summer vacation, all of our favorite characters will soon be back for another school year on ABC's fall lineup in Abbott Elementary season 5. The Emmy Award-winning series promises another laugh-out-loud season, which featured a double-episode crossover with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and some great character development (and romantic progress!).
But with this new season of laughs coming soon, what can fans expect from the upcoming new episodes? Let's take a closer look at what we know so far about Abbott Elementary season 5!
When does Abbott Elementary return?
The new season of Abbott Elementary season 5 premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 8:30/7:30c on ABC following the Shifting Gears season 2 premiere. New episodes can also be watched Hulu the day after their televised airings on ABC. The comedy's fifth season leads into the new season of The Golden Bachelor at 9/8c and Shark Tank at 10/9c.
When is Abbott Elementary on?
Just in case you need an extra reminder, new episodes of Abbott Elementary air every Wednesday night on ABC, and that begins on Oct. 1. For those watching on Hulu, new episodes stream Thursdays, so make sure to check your watch list and set your reminders! On Wednesday nights, new episodes premiere at 8:30 p.m. ET, though there might be certain times during the 2025-2026 where ABC airs a rerun, preempts the show, or moves the show up, but for now, expect Abbott to maintain its 8:30/7:30c timeslot until further notice!
Where can you catch up on Abbott Elementary?
Thankfully, if you still need to binge-watch season 4 in order to be all caught up before season 5 premieres, there are multiple ways to do so. Firstly, all four seasons of Abbott Elementary are available to stream on Hulu. That’s main streaming home for the series and where new episodes are added throughout new seasons. (You can also watch Abbott's episode of It's Always Sunny on Hulu.)
In addition to streaming on Hulu, all four seasons of the comedy are also available to stream on HBO Max. However, new episodes aren’t available in-season on the streamer. HBO Max receives full seasons after they have completed airing on ABC. But that’s great news for fans looking to dive into a rewatch or just catch up on episodes they missed.
Who will be in the Abbott Elementary season 5 cast?
Unlike other popular shows this year, the ABC comedy isn’t losing any cast members in season 5. In fact, the main cast remains exactly the same as season 4. Here’s who’s starring in the main cast of Abbott Elementary season 5: Quinta Brunson (Jeanine Teagues), Tyler James Williams (Gregory Eddie), Janelle James (Ava Coleman), Lisa Ann Walter (Melissa Schemmenti), Chris Perfetti (Jacob Hill), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Barbara Howard), and William Stanford Davis (Mr. Johnson).
Beyond the main cast, the series also features a number of recurring character in the form of teachers, students, and family members that are sure to appear once again in season 5. It’s already been confirmed that Ava’s new boyfriend O’Shon (Matthew Law) will be back for the new season as he was seen in a photo from production. Shrinking star Luke Tennie has also joined the cast in a recurring role as a new teacher named Dominic. Tennie will make his first appearance in the season premiere.
Abbott Elementary filmed an episode at a Phillies game
If there’s one thing about creator, star, and writer Quinta Brunson that’s obvious in the comedy series, it’s that she takes her Philly pride seriously. The series has filmed episodes on-location in its Philadelphia setting before has also welcome star Eagles players as well as famous Philly native Bradley Cooper. But for the first time, Abbott Elementary filmed an episode, said to be a bottle episode, at an actual live event in Philadelphia sporting event with the whole cast in tow.
The cast filmed an episode during the Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Brunson previously teased at San Diego Comic-Con that the comedy would be filming an episode of season 5 at a live sporting event, and she made good on that promise for Phillies fans. Following the taping, Brunson shared photos from the game, including a cast photo with the team's mascot Phillie Phanatic. The game was historic, though it remains to be seen if that will make the Abbott episode.
What to expect from Abbott Elementary season 5
Ahead of the season 5 premiere, Brunson teased that there will be "more relationship milestones" for Jeanine and Gregory, who crossed the hurtle of meeting parents in the season 4 finale. We can expect for the couple to keep merging their lives and meeting more family members, and maybe even discussing moving in together. It's also been teased that season 5 will give us our first glimpse at Gregory's apartment, which haven't seen before in the series.
Brunson also revealed to Deadline that the season will bring "new pairings of our characters, things you haven’t seen before," but that's not even the most thrilling spoiler for the new season. Fans should prepare for something to really rock the boat at Abbott Elementary, as Brunson said season 5 will "tackle something really, really, really major — a big game-changer that could make or break them [with] some significant shakeups." What could that mean?!
Looking for even more teases for season 5? The school will be welcoming a group of new teachers, per TV Line's first-look at the season, and these newbies will have Jeanine questioning her place at the school as a more veteran teacher now. Plus, Barbara will be running the school's music class and Ava will continue to be "an agent of chaos." Finally, season 5 boasts another epic Christmas episode, and the festivities will be "consequential" for the school and its faculty.
Is there an Abbott Elementary season 5 trailer?
Yes! ABC has released a full official trailer for Abbott Elementary that gives us fans a taste of what's to come. A series of humorous clips reveals some of the storylines coming up in the first few episodes. Jeanine receives a class of 40 students, the ceiling collapses in the teacher's lounge, Melissa contends with older students who can talk back, Barbara's former student becomes a teacher, and Gregory teachers Mr. Johnson how to ride a bike. Check out the hilarious trailer in the video below: