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‘Abbott Elementary’s 10 Best Side Characters, Ranked Find help us

Abbott Elementary continues to be one of the best sitcoms on television. With each new season, the show further develops the characters, discovering new opportunities for comedy and growth. And while the main cast is fantastic, there’s a deep roster of side characters that help make Abbott Elementary a fan-favorite.

Abbott Elementary is outstanding at finding unique ways to introduce new personalities for everyone’s favorite teachers to fight with, fall in love with, or rely on for support. In celebration of all the interesting and hilarious people who walk through the halls of Abbott, we’ve made a report card for the best Abbott Elementary side characters.

10

O’Shon

Played by Matthew Law

Image via ABC

The newest side character to appear in Abbott Elementary is also one of the most intriguing. The typical representation of anyone from the school district is inept or clueless, but O’Shon’s (Matthew Law) IT technician is not the typical district employee. With a keen eye for detail, he quickly figured out that the computers he was called in to work on were too nice to be from the district, but he showed equal compassion by keeping the staff’s secret so they could keep them. By having the teachers agree to have him exclusively work on them, audiences are sure to see more of the IT expert in the future.

With so many large personalities at Abbott Elementary, it’s nice to have someone like O’Shon around to offer a reasonable perspective. O’Shon’s presence was immediately felt by both the audience and the teachers, and whether she’s ready to admit it yet or not, he and Ava (Janelle James) have an undeniable chemistry. A relationship between Ava and O’Shon would offer fantastic growth potential for Ava as well as being a personality mismatch that could yield some laughs.

9

Elizabeth Washington

Played by June Diane Raphael

June Diane Raphael as Elizabeth Washington talks to  Tyler James Williams as Gregory in Abbott Elementary
Image via ABC

As great as it is to have characters who support the teachers of Abbott Elementary, it’s also very funny to have characters who represent the uncaring bureaucracy of public school systems. Elizabeth Washington (June Diane Raphael), the Philadelphia Chief Education Officer, works very hard to convey that she cares about the community, and audiences can tell how exhausting it is for her. Elizabeth only made brief appearances on Abbott Elementary, but they were memorable moments to which Raphael contributed her considerable talents.

Rafael is a comedy veteran who has left her mark on cult comedy classics like Party Down and The Bachelor parody, Burning Love, so she has much to offer in a comedy ensemble. As Ava experiences personal growth that helps her become a better principal and an all-around nicer character (for Ava), it’s going to be vital to have characters like Elizabeth who can introduce conflict while still being funny. Elizabeth could serve an important role as an outsider that Abbott struggles with, and hopefully she can be incorporated into future episodes.

8

Krystal

Played by Raven Goodwin

Krystal talks to Barbara in Abbott Elementary.
Image via ABC

Dressed in provocative clothing and sporting the word bitch proudly tattooed on her chest, Krystal‘s (Raven Goodwin) initial appearance was to challenge Barbara’s (Sheryl Lee Ralph) conceptions of appearances versus the person underneath. Krystal has since shown herself to be one of the more rationally minded, caring parents of a student at Abbott Elementary. She appeared as help to Tariq (Zack Fox) at a PTA meeting, and she was one of the first parents to sign the petition to keep Abbott a public school when the teachers were low on support.

The teachers at Abbott Elementary will spend the majority of their time talking to their peers or their students, but having a returning parent would be a useful dynamic on the show. Goodwin made a strong impression with very little screen time, and she would excel in an expanded role on the sitcom if the PTA committee became a more visible entity the teachers interact with. Given a little more screen time, Krystal could become a sleeper fan favorite with her intelligence and strong sense of self.

7

Manny

Played by Josh Segarra

Josh Segarra as Manny laughs in an office doorway with another costar in Abbott Elementary.
Image via ABC

Always seen with a reassuring smile and an encouraging attitude, Manny (Josh Segarra), proves that not all the people from the district are uncaring ladder climbers. Manny is one of the most positive characters on the show, which is saying something when he has to compete with the can-do spirit of Janine (Quinta Brunson). Manny’s one of the rare allies for the staff of Abbott Elementary, and that alone is enough to make him a stand-out character.

Although Manny is typically warm, he can also pull rank when needed, as he did when Ava was not preparing her speech to his liking. Manny is so nice that there was an initial concern about how authentic he was, but so far, his time as a district employee has not revealed another side to his personality. It’s for the best a romantic relationship didn’t form between him and Janine because there wasn’t the chemistry there to support it, but there are so many other possibilities for what Manny can do with the cast in the future.

6

Kristin Marie

Played by Lauren Weedman

Lauren Weedman as Kristin Marie talks to her sister Melissa in Abbott Elementary.
Image via ABC

As Melissa’s (Lisa Ann Walter) sister, who works as a teacher at the nearby charter school, Kristin Marie (Laura Weedman) has come a long way since she was first introduced. Throughout the series, Melissa has referenced her family or mysterious connections so often that audiences were ready to peek into the feisty teacher’s personal life. So far, the family has lived up to their reputation, with Kristen filling the role as the representative of the extended Schemmenti clan for reliable laughs.

While she was initially brought in as an almost arch-villain type character for Melissa to direct her ire towards, the two sisters have since slowly begun to mend their relationship and look out for one another. When Melissa hosted Christmas dinner, she still received barbed shots from Kristen, but now there’s also a familiar sense of camaraderie and mutual respect between the two. Kristin Marie is a perfect example of how even the recurring characters experience growth and change over time on Abbott Elementary.

5

Shanae

Played by Nikea Gamby-Turner

Nikea Gamby-Turner as Shanae holds trays full of lunches in Abbott Elementary.
Image via ABC

As one of the prominent members of the kitchen staff, Shanae (Nikea Gamby-Turner) is one of the best reasons to eat cafeteria food. Shanae has the ability to deliver off-the-wall lines while still appearing as the most grounded, sensible character in the room. She’s slowly become an emerging fan favorite who viewers hope they see more of each time one of the Abbott teachers has business in the cafeteria.

It’s a big enough school that having more face time with the kitchen staff of the cafeteria would allow the cast new interactions outside the teacher’s lounge. When Gregory (Tyler James Williams) is learning how to improve his communication skills, his back-and-forth with Shanae was a strong moment for both of them. Seeing him shoot the breeze with Shanae more often could be a nice way to continue his character arc of loosening up while giving Shanae more time to shine.

4

Zach

Played by Larry Owens

Chris Perfetti as Jacob and Larry Owens as Zach stand next to one another awkwardly in Abbott Elementary.
Image via ABC

As the loving, caring, and musically talented boyfriend to Jacob (Chris Perfetti), Zach (Larry Owens) was always a welcome presence when he appeared on Abbott Elementary. Although the couple are no longer together, they are at least back on good terms, with Zach forgiving Jacob for his attempts to manipulate a breakup. There are no signs of a reconciliation for the couple in the future, but maybe Zack could drop by occasionally to give Jacob singing lessons.

Owen‘s facial expressions as Zach were consistently hilarious, especially in the episode when Jacob had to work up the courage to end the relationship. It was impossible for Zach not to steal every scene he was in because his personality commanded attention. If the sitcom had spent more time outside the walls of the school, it would’ve been interesting to see how Zach and Jacob worked as a couple, but the brief glimpses of his smiling face made viewers happy he dropped by.

3

Ashley

Played by Keyla Monterroso Mejia

Keyla Monterroso Mejia as Ashley Garcia during a mockumentary interview for Abbott Elementary season 2.
Image via ABC

Energetic, jubilant, and wildly irresponsible, Ashley (Keyla Monterroso Mejia) was able to connect with the children because, maturity-wise, she didn’t seem that far removed. While Ashley’s appearances were limited, her time at Abbott was memorable. Although she possesses similar characteristics to Ava, Ashley brought a different energy to the show that gave all of her scene partners a lot to work with. Ashley might not have been the best teacher’s aide or guard of Halloween candy, but she was consistently funny.

What Abbott Elementary does so well is find ways to reincorporate characters from previous storylines in surprising ways. When Gregory received his award for educator of the year, it was a pleasant surprise to see Ashley show up to receive her award for teacher’s aide of the year. Even though there’s a slim chance Ashley will return to work for Abbott, there’s always hope she can find a new way to create havoc for the teachers.

2

Mr. Morton

Played by Jerry Minor

Jerry Minor as Mr. Morton talks to Melissa in the breakroom as Mr. Johnson looks on in Abbott Elementary.
Image via ABC

One of the funniest ongoing jokes is the simmering conflict between Jacob and the cranky science teacher, Mr. Morton (Jerry Minor). Morton’s deadpan delivery plays well against characters with higher energy, such as Jacob and Janine, and he can elicit a laugh with one well-timed irritated look. While his impending divorce caused Janine and Gregory to rethink their relationship, audiences were able to enjoy watching Morton argue for custody of his grill while he was supposed to be watching children on a field trip.

Mr. Morton isn’t quite an antagonist, but his presence typically introduces some form of irritation to either an unfortunate member of the staff or to his arch nemesis, Jacob. Mr. Morton is such a strong character that just having Jacob reference their rivalry without him even being in the room is still funny. Minor has strong comedy timing that has led to him appearing on countless sitcoms, such as Those Who Can’t and Community, and he fits nicely into the Abbott cast.

1

Tariq

Played by Zack Fox

Zack Fox as Tariq Temple in Abbott Elementary wearing a black F.A.D.E. cap and t-shirt.
Image via ABC

Originally introduced as Janine’s irresponsible musician boyfriend, Tariq (Zack Fox) was an unlikely candidate for fan favorite, but he’s become one of the funniest people on the show. Fox’s comic timing and line delivery are superb, using his skills to sell the most ridiculous joke without making Tariq look like a cartoon character. Tariq’s involvement as the head of the PTA without actually having a child in the school is endlessly funny while also being a great way to keep the character roaming Abbott’s halls.

Tariq is a role that could come off smug or irritating in the hands of the wrong actor, but it’s the performance from Fox that makes him so endearing. Tariq’s similar to Chris Pratt’s Andy Dwyer character on Parks and Recreation in that he grew from an inconsiderate boyfriend storyline into a comedic presence that works with every member of the cast. Of all the side characters in Abbott Elementary, Tariq is the one a large portion of the fan base would like to see more of.

Keep Reading: ‘Abbott Elementary:’ The 10 Most Underrated Episodes, Ranked

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