What we know so far about the ‘Abbott Elementary’ and ‘It’s Always Sunny’ crossover episode
There's some flirting, some fights, and a lot of potential chaos
The biggest moment in Philly television arrives early in the new year with a crossover episode of Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia airing on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Fans are eagerly speculating about what high jinks will unravel as the gang from Sunny — Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) — visits the beloved West Philly elementary school. They will serve as volunteers sent by the school district, though it’s surprising that the hilariously unruly adults would even be allowed on school property at all.
A new teaser provides a few insights into the upcoming chaos, from flirting to property damage.
“Welcome to Abbott Elementary, the best elementary school in the universe,” says the always-peppy Janine (played by showrunner Quinta Brunson).
“Oh, is that what this is?” replies Dee, prompting some worried looks.
Mac, wearing a Fairmount Park T-shirt, also seems to make a pass at principal Ava (Janelle James): “Let me know if there’s anything you need — and I mean, anything.”
Unsurprisingly, not everyone gets along. The mysterious and unpredictable Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) calls out Frank in one moment, telling him, “You’re trash, you know that?”
“Coming from the sheriff of trash!” Frank retorts.
Photographs from the episode also hint at Dee potentially messing (or also flirting?) with Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and Charlie talking to Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), which might have to do with addressing Charlie’s literacy problems.
The crossover idea came from Brunson and McElhenney, who saw the potential for a great, if unexpected, combination of the two massively popular comedies set in their hometown.
“I’m just so pumped,” Brunson said of the collaboration in an October interview with Good Morning America. “We started talking and said, ‘Why don’t we … do this one day?’ … It has been the most fantastic experience working with them, not only in the writer’s room, but on set. We just had a ball with them. It’s gonna work better than people expect. The shows have two very different tones.”
“But it works,” she continued. “I think it’s because of Philadelphia. Philadelphia is this richly diverse, dirty, horrible city sometimes. And we can share all of our dirt with each other. I think that’s what you are gonna get in that episode. Sorry, Philly. There is probably a nicer way to say that.”
The “Abbott Elementary” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” crossover episode will air on ABC on Wednesday, Jan. 8, and will be available to stream on Hulu on Jan. 10.