The 'Abbott Elementary' and 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' Crossover Revives Event TV
On what the Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover could mean for TV
This newsletter now has a paid subscription available. If you enjoy my writing and want to support this newsletter, please consider becoming a paid subscriber for $5/month.
As a fan of network TV, this week’s line-up included a true treasure — the Abbott Elementary crossover episode with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
While Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 9, “Volunteers,” brings the Gang to the elementary school, the It’s Always Sunny Season 17 counterpart will bring Abbott’s staff to Paddy’s Pub sometime in 2025. I love that the chances are that Rob McElhenney will reveal the date on Instagram (or Twitter) before ABC and FXX can announce it because that’s how the crossover was revealed in the first place.
In July 2024, the Abbott Elementary cast went to San Diego Comic-Con to promote the fourth season. Creator, executive producer, and star Quinta Brunson broke the news that the show would have “an interesting crossover” in Season 4. Speculation only grew when Brunson added, “I’m not gonna tell you with who, or with what, or where, or when, but it’s really exciting and I think it’ll change television as we know it.”
I started thinking about other ABC shows that were geographically close to the Philadelphia school or ones that would mean fun trips for the Abbott staff. I knew to think outside the box after 9-1-1’s Season 7 crossover wound up being with The Bachelor instead of The Rookie like I initially guessed. Still, despite being set in Philly, Sunny never crossed my mind. In October 2024, Rob McElhenney and Quinta Brunson posted the same photo on social media, confirming the Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny crossover and igniting the internet.
But then (and I really do love this so much), McElhenney posted a behind-the-scenes photo of both casts on set, on which Brunson commented, “Rob I’ma get you.” By December 2024, ABC and FXX were using McElhenney’s (wonderful) tendency to spoil things as a promotional tool, which cleverly amplified anticipation for the TV event. Because that’s what the crossover episode quickly became — an occasion that hasn’t existed in the same magnitude in years.