[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Abbott Elementary, Season 4 Episode 9, “Volunteers,” streaming on Hulu.]
The TV crossover is one in all tv’s most fascinating and humorous traditions. It doesn’t essentially result in Emmy-winning content material, but it surely does create an occasion that additionally treats followers of 1 or each reveals concerned to an entire new perspective on their favorites. And that’s precisely what we obtained when The Gang from It’s At all times Sunny in Philadelphia paid a go to to Abbott Elementary within the episode “Volunteers.”
The genesis for the thought got here from Sunny creator Rob McElhenney and Abbott creator Quinta Brunson connecting on the Emmys just a few years in the past; an concept enabled by the truth that each reveals are set within the metropolis of Philadelphia, whereas additionally capturing in Los Angeles. Sunny additionally occurred to be in manufacturing on its upcoming seventeenth season from October to December 2024, which means the forged was already assembled and able to pay a visit to Janine and Ava’s neighborhood.
The looks of The Gang will not be a single-scene cameo, like Bradley Cooper popping by for a chilly open final season; all the episode may be very a lot constructed round Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Candy Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) hanging out with the workers for a complete week, working as volunteers to make the college higher. (That their volunteer work is court-ordered, resulting from offscreen shenanigans, hardly comes as a shock.)
As Abbott usually does, the episode splits into a number of storylines, because the casts from each reveals pair off: Ava (Janelle James) claims Mac as her private gopher, Frank groups up with Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) to struggle off raccoons within the backyard, and Dennis does his finest to keep away from the documentary cameras as a lot as attainable. In the meantime, Dee and Janine (Brunson) hit it off till Dee begins to lust after Gregory, and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) train Charlie to learn at a kindergarten stage.
Practically doubling the scale of the present’s typical ensemble signifies that there’s lots happening, and all of it occurs fairly quick. The deepest storyline most likely belongs to Charlie’s newly-attained literacy, if solely as a result of it affirms that the workers of Abbott Elementary are the truest form of academics, incapable of standing by after they see somebody battle to be taught.
For these aware of Sunny, watching The Gang’s antics by way of a broadcast TV lens was fairly fascinating — for newcomers to the FX comedy collection, it is perhaps a bit extra complicated. The episode operates beneath the idea that you just already know who the Sunny characters are, dropping in each apparent in addition to deep-cut references to the long-running however nonetheless area of interest collection.
On the whole, crossovers fluctuate in impressiveness based mostly on the disparity between the reveals concerned. For instance, when characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer confirmed up on Angel, that wasn’t essentially an enormous deal, as a result of Angel was a derivative that includes characters initially launched on Buffy. And at this level, it’s virtually commonplace when NBC’s household of Chicago collection semi-regularly discover a option to deliver collectively the firefighters and cops and medical doctors who all stay in the identical metropolis.
By comparability, Abbott and Sunny would possibly happen in several cities however are fairly totally different reveals — produced for various networks (albeit throughout the identical company household) and with very totally different vibes, to not point out meant audiences.
It’s a pairing that’s been a bit brain-melting because it was first introduced — although to be clear, the Abbott/Sunny crossover is not probably the most ridiculous crossover in trendy TV historical past. That honor stays firmly devoted to the time that characters from the Fox collection Sleepy Hole, a supernatural drama, paid a go to to the very non-supernatural crime-solvers on Bones. A minimum of Abbott and Sunny technically each belong to the identical style, you realize?
“Volunteers” will not be an ideal meshing of the 2 collection, but it surely works fairly properly. For one factor, crossing over with Abbott brings out some latent sweetness from the Sunny gang — nevertheless short-lived it is perhaps. In the meantime, we uncover that Abbott, as a lot because it’s beloved for its good coronary heart and charming characters, isn’t as pure-of-heart as one would possibly assume. It was definitely slightly weird to look at these characters meet, however the proprietors of Paddy’s Pub introduced out extra of this present’s interior dirtbag, as these characters related past superficial bonds like “Have you ever ever gotten right into a struggle at an Eagles sport?”
Sure, Melissa may need known as out Paddy’s for being trash, but it surely’s simple to think about her slinging again just a few beers there — and Ava’s lack of scruples prove to mesh properly with Mac’s personal amorality. Who is aware of? If Dee had pushed her a lot additional, it’s simple to think about Janine’s interior wildcat popping out to guard her relationship. All of it factors to the wealthy layers which have made Abbott such a comedy powerhouse, one which continues to evolve season by season.
What’s most enjoyable is that that is simply half one of many enjoyable: The occasions of “Volunteers” will likely be seen from a distinct perspective in an episode of the upcoming season of Sunny, set to premiere someday in 2025. Whereas Brunson instructed Rolling Stone that she’s discouraging Abbott followers who don’t already watch Sunny from tuning in, that episode will notably function the Abbott characters exterior of the confines of the mockumentary format. Which implies, theoretically, we get to see Barbara reduce unfastened.
It seems like been too lengthy since two reveals have tried a stunt as enjoyably daring as this, and hopefully we see extra of it down the road. TV may be so many issues, however one thing we’d like proper now’s enjoyable.
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays on ABC and is streaming on Hulu — as is It’s At all times Sunny in Philadelphia.
