ABSTRACT
Mockumentary on television may predate The Office, but transit of the series from the UK to the US kicked off a spate of series that used it as a template. Combined with the rise in reality se-ries, the similar lack of distance within the mockumentary subgenre (the constant camera and talking heads) can be used to make the characters seem more ordinary and real, while simultaneously serving as inherently reflexive: the characters are aware of—and behave accordingly to—being watched, even if it is not clear who is filming, or why. While less common in the 2020s, Abbott Elementary uses a similar premise to The Office in some subtly different ways. That is, it leans into the form’s inherent meta-ness to “teach” the audience about the intricacies of the education system in the United States and those who operate within and around it, using the format to analyze, interrogate, and perhaps persuade. Further, by staying close to the reality of teaching gives Abbott an extra political dimension by humanizing its teachers, and immersing both characters and audiences in Abbott’s reality to teach its audience about the challenges of 21st century public education.
