How many Black Reel TV Awards nominations did Abbott Elementary bag? Every category, explored

ABC’s Abbott Elementary continues to be the belle of the award season. The Black Reel Television Awards announced their list of nominations for 2025, and the comedy series raked in an impressive 11 nominations. Shows such as Forever and Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist also led the nominations, along with Abbott Elementary.

Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary-style series that follows the daily lives of the staff and students at Philadelphia's fictional Willard R. Abbott Elementary School. The Black Reel Television Awards recognize Black excellence in television with 27 categories.

Abbott Elementary had won the 2024 Black Reel Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. This year, the hit series has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, along with Outstanding Lead Performance for Quinta Brunson and Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for Tyler James Williams, among others.

---

A look at the Black Reel TV Awards nominations for Abbott Elementary

Outstanding Comedy Series

ABC’s Abbott Elementary explores the challenges faced by public schools and how teachers navigate problems in their unique, humorous style. Since the show first premiered in 2021, it has been critically acclaimed for its brilliant performances and intelligent writing that explores relevant social issues.

The show has gone on to win Screen Actors Guild Awards and Golden Globes, among others. Abbott Elementary currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes critics rating of 99%.

Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Series – Quinta Brunson

Quinta Brunson as the second-grade teacher, Janine Teagues, is an optimistic and highly driven educator. Her brilliant acting especially comes across in the more vulnerable scenes where she explores the many realities of teaching in a public school. Her personal growth and relationships are among the many highlights of the series. Brunson is the creator and one of the executive producers of the show. For her performance, she has also won the Primetime Emmy Award.

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series - William Stanford Davis

William Stanford Davis plays the role of the janitor at the school, Mr. Johnson. His character has been widely praised by critics, thanks to his memorable satirical dialogues on the show. Even in the more dire situations, his character is known to provide the much-needed comedic relief and occasionally share his wisdom. Mr. Johnson was a recurring character in the first season, but due to his popularity, he was promoted to series regular.

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series - Janelle James

A fan favorite, Janelle James as Ava Coleman is the incompetent principal of Abbott Elementary, known for her eccentric style and questionable choices in management. While in the early seasons, Ava appears absolutely out of touch with reality, her character growth is one of the more remarkable developments on the show. James has been nominated for Emmy awards for the self-absorbed, yet surprisingly compassionate portrayal of Ava Coleman.

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series - Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph plays Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary. Barbara is an experienced kindergarten teacher who advocates for traditional teaching methods. Janine looks up to Barbara, and their relationship is one of the more heart-warming features in the series. As a respected figure at the school, Ralph as Barbara is exceptional. For her performance, Sheryl Lee Ralph won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series - Tyler James Williams

Gregory Eddie, portrayed by Tyler James Williams, is the first-grade teacher who was initially hired as a substitute teacher but becomes a regular as the seasons go on. His romantic relationship with Janine is one of the more important storylines in the series. Unlike other characters on the show, Gregory is more reserved and would slowly embrace his role as a full-time teacher at the school. For his portrayal of Gregory, Tyler James Williams has received much critical acclaim.

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series - Orlando Jones

Orlando Jones portrays the role of Martin Eddie, Gregory Eddie’s father. He shares a complex relationship with his son through the series as he was initially dismissive of Gregory taking on the teaching job instead of their landscaping business. Despite being a recurring character on the show, the immensely talented Orlando has garnered much praise for his role.

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series - Cree Summer

As Rosalyn Inez, the librarian at Abbott Elementary School, Cree Summer is quirky and fits right into the ensemble cast of the show. Miss Inez was first introduced in Season 3 and quickly became one of the more vital characters on the show. Summer is a well-known voice actor known for playing Susie Clifford in Rugrats and Celo in Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series - “Audit” (Ava Coleman)

Audit is the 18th episode in Abbott Elementary Season 4. In the episode, the auditors from the school district learn that the school is accepting bribes from a local course developer. To investigate the same, they will arrive at the school. Even though Ava tries to handle it with the teachers, they get caught, and Ava is fired from her job.

The episode not only explores a serious narrative involving bribery and blackmail, but also brings forth the perfect balance of humor and drama that the series is known for.

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series - “Karaoke” (Brittani Nichols)

The 17th episode in Season 4 of Abbott Elementary follows the teachers unwinding at a karaoke bar. The setting helps bring out the true personalities of the teachers and their insecurities. The episode is humorous and has some memorable heart-warming scenes that showcase the brilliant acting prowess of the ensemble cast.

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series - “The Science Fair”, Tyler James Williams

Actor Tyler James Williams took the director's seat for this special episode titled ‘The Science Fair.’ The 13th episode in Season 4 of Abbott Elementary follows the annual school science fair, where not just the students, but even the teachers get into a competitive spirit. With limited resources, teachers and students come together to put up their best work. One of the more entertaining episodes, The Science Fair checks every box for being funny, dramatic, and gratifying.

Abbott Elementary is available on Hulu.

ALSO READ: "Knew it would be for a reason": Here's how Abbott Elementary star Janelle James reacted to her character Ava being written off the show

---

For more stories on shows, follow SoapCentral