New episodes ofAbbott Elementaryseason 4 debut Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with its new Halloween-themed installment airing on October 30. The series follows dedicated teachers and a “slightly tone-deaf” principal in Philadelphia, who consistently face chaotic scenarios with students, parents, and school board members. However, one ofAbbott’s funniest faculty workersis not among the daily teaching staff.
While he also served as a substitute, Mr. Johnson is the school’s witty janitor who always has a new surprise up his sleeve. The custodian is behindAbbott Elementary’sbest quotes, often sharing conspiracy theories and self-proclaimed facts that confuse his co-workers. William Stanford Davis portrays Mr. Johnson alongside Quinta Brunson as Janine, Tyler James Williams as Gregory, Janelle James as Ava, Chris Perfetti as Jacob, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa, and Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara.
Ava’s Surprising Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 3 Plot Perfectly Subverts A ’90s Classic Rom-Com
Abbot Elementary season 4, episode 3 gave its most underrated supporting star a love interest, and perfectly parodied a ’90s classic in the process.
Screen Rantinterviews Stanford Davis about how his grandma inspired hisAbbott Elementarycharacter, Mr. Johnson’s funniest pair-up, and working with Danny DeVito to film the upcomingIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacrossover episode.
Stanford Davis Believes Abbott Elementary Season 4 Is The Show’s Best
“I think everyone’s going to be surprised at some of the areas we cover in the character’s personal lives.”
What have you been enjoying about this new batch of episodes? How doesAbbott Elementaryseason 4 shake things up from previous years?
William Stanford Davis: All three seasons thus far have been very funny, but these first two episodes of season 4 are, I think, ranking in the top five funniest episodes of the show, and there have been some very funny ones. I think everyone’s going to be surprised at some of the areas we cover in the character’s personal lives. We started last season, but I think you’re going to see more and more of that. This might be the top of the rank. I think it will be the best season thus far.
I read that your grandma inspired your performance as Mr. Johnson, so I would love to hear more about that.
William Stanford Davis: I loved her so dearly. She was so funny. She did not let us slide in any kind of way, but she was a major conspiracy theorist. She spoke her mind about everything, and she would say, “Child, you know those people ain’t been to no moon.” Things like that. She didn’t believe in the moon landing, and she was nosy.
She was so nosy. She lived in a big brownstone on a major street in St. Louis, and she could see out on the street and everything, so anytime someone would walk past the house, she would have a comment, and the comment was usually something very hilarious. I try to get some of that for Mr. Johnson.
As we see in the season 4 premiere with Janine and Gregory, Mr. Johnson is always watching. Do you think he’s uncovered any of the other teachers' secrets?
William Stanford Davis: I think he’s uncovered quite a bit. Mr. Johnson has his eye on everything, and they will be unraveled as we go. You’ll hear more of what he knows. Don’t think he’s asleep at the wheel by any means. He sees it all.
We keep finding out the most hilariously random things about Mr. Johnson’s past. Do you have any secret theories about him?
William Stanford Davis: He’s worked over 400 jobs. That’s a lot of jobs for one human being. I’m sure he’s learned something everywhere, and he kind of keeps them stashed in his little bag, and he brings them out when he needs to use them, epecially when he needs to set the six teachers that he deals with in their place. He lets them know, “I’ve been all around the world. I know what I’m talking about. You don’t know anything.”
Mr. Johnson Will Interact With Danny DeVito’s Frank Reynolds In It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Crossover
“I did most of my scenes with Danny DeVito. Oh my God. He’s just an amazing man. Just so fun to watch, so much fun to work with.”
I saw a really exciting photo online. Is there anything you can tease about theIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacrossover episode or Mr. Johnson?
William Stanford Davis: We were trying not to let the cat out of the bag. I don’t know who did, but once it got out, it just blew up all over the internet and all over social media. Everyone knows now we’re doing a crossover episode with It’s Always Sunny. The picture’s out there now. It’s been so much fun. I did most of my scenes with Danny DeVito. Oh my God. He’s just an amazing man. Just so fun to watch, so much fun to work with. He gave me a lot of good advice, and I asked him a lot of questions, and he was just a real seasoned pro, as we all know.
On the topic ofIt’s Always Sunny, there’s an episode that’s told completely through Danny DeVito’s character’s perspective. What do you think it would look like ifAbbottdid an episode told completely through Mr. Johnson’s?
William Stanford Davis: It would be totally the opposite of what we see. I make them all just angels. I make them just the most time-considerate people you’ve ever met in your life. And then at the end, it would probably be me in a dream or something and I wake up. They all have their own quirks and their own insanity, which I love.
He always has the best one-liners. Do you have a favorite quote of his?
William Stanford Davis: My favorite of all was the very first one—“Illuminati, that’s who runs the world, kids.” Nothing is better or more insane than that, but he’s had some good ones. I love when he had—I want to call it a father-daughter talk with Janine. I love that whole segment because it showed a different side of who he is as a human being. He recognizes young romance, and he teases them about it, but he lets them know, “I’ve seen it, and he likes you as much as you like him, and everything’s going to be all right.”
Stanford Davis Loves Playing Off All The Abbott Elementary Characters
“Now that we are in our fourth season, I have the biggest fun working with Gregory and with Jacob. I still love teasing Janine.”
In terms of comedy, which character do you think plays the best off of Mr. Johnson? Who has the funniest back-and-forth?
William Stanford Davis: That’s a great question. I love working with Jacob, and I love working with Gregory. Gregory because of his expressions, and Jacob because of his physicality and the character is so smart, and he loves Afrocentricity. He loves the fact that he’s been to Africa, and he’s just pro the movement. So I love working with him, but I have fun with all of them. In the pilot, I had so much fun working with Ava.
We didn’t see a lot of it, but I had a lot of fun working with her. Now that we are in our fourth season, I have the biggest fun working with Gregory and with Jacob. I still love teasing Janine, even though my heart has changed a lot about her. You know what I’m saying? I’m not picking on her like I used to, but don’t think that’s changed either. I have a lot of fun with both of those guys.
Where would you like to see the class go on a field trip?
William Stanford Davis: There’ve been three field trips. There’s been the one to the zoo, one to the museum, and they went to the park. They didn’t take me on any of them. [Laughs] Wow, that’s a great question. Where would you want to see us go?
I could see a very chaotic adventure happening in New York.
William Stanford Davis: That would be great. I was thinking Mr. Johnson might take him on a fishing junket because he’s an avid fisherman and all the trouble that they could get in on a fishing boat with the kids and with the teachers. That might be a little fun, but New York would be great because there’s so much that you can get into and do—riding the subway, getting lost, dealing with wrangling a million kids. That might be fun too.
Is there a storyline that you would like to see explored for Mr. Johnson that the show hasn’t done yet?
William Stanford Davis: Several. I mention them to the writers, and they’re like, “Yeah, right.” [Laughs] But we’ve talked about maybe his family, what he’s like away from the school in his own personal world, and I pitched all types of scenarios. Who my mom would be, maybe my mom would be someone that I completely bow down to, and you’ll see him more humble. But I love to see him at home. I love to see him at home in his own personal space, and I think it would be totally different from what anyone expects it to be.
About ABC’s Abbott Elementary
Created by star Quinta Brunson
In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible educators may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don’t love the school district’s less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.
Check out ourAbbott Elementaryinterview withChris Perfetti, as well.
New episodes ofAbbott Elementaryseason 4 air Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary comedy series centered around a group of dedicated teachers at a struggling public school in Philadelphia. The show highlights their efforts to overcome bureaucratic challenges and underfunding, while showcasing their commitment to making a positive impact on their students' lives.
