Quinta Brunson: I did not revive the network sitcom with Abbott Elementary

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https://variety.com/2022/tv/features...tv-1235285395/

Brunson has been credited with leading a network sitcom comeback, with reviving the network sitcom and with creating a new model for network-sitcom success since her ABC teacher comedy premiered. Brunson tells Variety that while she's grateful for the praise, she isn't a fan of that particular compliment. “Network, all this time, has still been putting big comedies on the air,” she says. “CBS especially was banging out shows with super high ratings, like Young Sheldon. The Big Bang Theory was on the air forever. And ABC: The Conners, The Goldbergs, Black-ish. They’re holding their own.” In fact, Brunson says she was inspired by the "22-minute, pop-in, pop-out style comedy" that excels on network TV. Brunson admits that while she wasn't into The Big Bang Theory, she was enamored by its success. “People can say they didn’t like the show all they wanted, but Big Bang built an audience," she says. "It was a well-written show, and it knew what it was doing. I was not a fan, but my sister loves that show, and I love that my sister loves that show. It means that the show is capable of finding an audience that returns. I don’t think the Mona Lisa is all that tight — but there’s some people who see that painting and are moved to tears. I’m serious. It’s really that simple.” She adds: “And any person who’s working in TV will tell you that it’s actually harder to work in the constrictions of network comedy. You have to be a little bit more creative to not curse, and not show the blood and drama, but still get people enticed and engaged.”

ALSO:

• Quinta Brunson says Season 2 will show more glimpses of the teachers' home lives: "We'll be going a little bit outside of the school more," she says, explaining that the series will begin exploring the characters' homes. "I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but we didn't go to anyone's house in the first season and so for me it's really exciting that we'll be going to like Melissa's house and Janine's house."
• Chris Perfetti explains how cast members influence Abbott Elementary filming: "I mean, I’ll say that whatever ideas I typically have in the moment are going to pale in comparison to what our genius writing room and Quinta has come up with beforehand," he says. "But the vibe on the set is very much that. I mean, I think in order to accurately capture something that maybe lets you forget for a second that it’s a story and has some resemblance of documentary, we have to create an environment where anything can happen. And so, yeah, I would say most of the looks to camera and a lot of the talking heads, all of that is kind of a Frankenstein version of what was written for us and what we’re doing. You know? It’s part of the thing that attracted me to the project was this idea that cameras would just capture real life behavior. And God bless them. Our directors and our executive producers and Quinta, I think, really trust that we’ll come up with funny things on the day."
• Abbott Elementary cinematographer Mike Pepin says there is so much of The Office DNA on the ABC comedy: Pepin, who worked on The Office for its final episodes, says he learned the biggest secret to mockumentary filmmaking: there cannot be a camera where there wouldn’t be if we were shooting an actual documentary. “They sent me the pilot, he says, “and after it was over I just literally got up off my couch and just cheered. I couldn’t believe (director Randall Einhorn) brought it back, and by that I mean there is so much of The Office DNA in Abbott… and it had been missing from mockumentaries in television.”