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Why there's no episode of ‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 5 tonight on ABC and when to expect new release

In what comes as good news, ABC had announced 'Abbott Elementary's renewal as Season 5 entered its final weeks.

With the summer just about setting in, networks across the country are seeing their 2025-2026 TV cycle shows coming to an end. One of them is ABC's hit sitcom, 'Abbott Elementary'. Like the other scripted shows, the slice-of-life drama ended its run last week, so there will be no new episodes this week. April 22's double offering — 'Ava & Fest' and 'Miami', served as the season finale, ending Quinta Brunson's critically acclaimed series. With the show officially in summer break, all eyes turn to an already renewed Season 6. While the wait continues, there will be reruns of the show for some of the off-weeks in the calendar. Per reports, the latest installment averaged 6.16 million total viewers per episode in January, following a seven-day cross-platform viewership.

In what comes as good news, the network announced the show's renewal as it entered its final weeks. With ABC yet to confirm the 2026-27 TV slate, the official release date has yet to be announced. The previous timeline has seen 'Abbott Elementary' premiere between mid-September and mid-October. This suggests that Season 6 may premiere around the same window. From a storyline point of view, there is a fair idea of what is in store. The focus will be on Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams). At the time of writing, there are two possible ways the show can begin Season 6. One will see an off-screen marriage between the two after the latter contemplates a proposal. Or, the season starts with a wholesome on-screen wedding to kickstart proceedings.

In related news, Williams teased what to expect from his character in the upcoming season. "I think Season 6 is very interesting, because Gregory is definitely a man who wants his house in order, and I think we’re going to see a lot of him trying to get his house in order," he told Deadline. "It just gives you a nice tease. How is he going to figure this out? How is he going to figure out how to be with her in a way that we all know that it works, but that works in his head? It just gives me something else to prepare for going into the next season." This will be an interesting arc for Williams, whose storyline has seen tremendous growth in the previous seasons. In the meantime, fans can catch all episodes of Season 5 of 'Abbott Elementary' on Hulu while they wait.