Abbott Elementary has been going strong for four seasons, with a fifth season currently in the works. The sitcom was created by Quinta Brunson and follows teachers at a public school in Philadelphia.

The television show has proved to be a favorite at awards season and has already become a truly memorable sitcom. One of the reasons is its incredible cast. This includes actor William Stanford Davis, who recently shared where he hopes his character goes next season.

William Said Mr. Johnson’s Living Quarters Should Be Explored Next Season

William Stanford Davis has been playing Mr. Johnson in Abbott Elementary for four seasons. As with the rest of the cast, William sends viewers into a laughing fit many times throughout the series. Much of the humor comes from his delivery. However, the lines are especially hilarious. They often reveal bizarre details about his past that seem made up. It definitely makes viewers wonder if Mr. Johnson is intentionally lying or if he actually believes this stuff happened.

In a recent interview with Gold Derby, William said he is “just surprised at how far they’ll go sometimes” as the fans are with the script. “What I really love about him is his mystery. You don’t know what he’s going to do next, and you don’t know what his experiences are,” he said. Of course, what isn’t a mystery is the love Mr. Johnson has for his job. This is something that endears viewers to the character and has made him a breath of fresh air in many episodes.

“He keeps the school spick and span. I went to a school that was like that, and I saw how these guys worked hard to make sure that we had a place that we could be proud of and a place that was comfortable,” William said. “That’s what I try to base this man on, that he loves his job, he cares for the kids, and he loves needling the teachers and the principal. He loves giving them a hard time because he feels like he’s the smartest guy there. He’s been all over the world. He’s had more experiences than them.”

As Abbott Elementary prepares to begin shooting Season 5, William already has hopes for where his character will go. According to the actor, it would be nice to see more of Mr. Johnson’s life outside school. He believes this is needed, especially since we’ve gotten glimpses of the outside lives of the other characters.

“We’ve seen Janine in her home, we’ve seen Melissa and Barbara in their homes, and we’ve seen most of the personal lives of the other characters, and I think Mr. Johnson is due for that,” he said. William even hinted that Mr. Johnson’s mother might still be alive. “Maybe she’s the only person that he bows to, and he’s a little kid around her.” When asked who could play his mother, William said Marla Gibbs. “I’ve even spoken to her about that when I’ve seen her at the events,” he said.

William Acted With Danny DeVito In The It’s Always Sunny Crossover Episode

One of the highlights of Season 4 was the big crossover episode with the cast of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Since both shows take place in the same city, it seemed only natural that there would be a crossover. Of course, the two shows have very different formats and tones. However, it was something fans were still looking forward to. William got to work with Danny DeVito in a scene where his character Frank is having issues with composting.

“To have Danny DeVito on the show, that’s an icon,” William said. “That’s like having royalty on the show, and he was just so cool. He was so easy to work with and he gave a lot of advice. … There’s one scene where he’s in a cage, he was there before we even got on set, he was in the cage in the mud.”

Danny himself spoke about the experience to People at the Los Angeles premiere of Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. “We had a great time,” he said. “They’re wonderful people. It’s such an odd mix, so it’s going to be fun.” He also revealed there were “lots of surprises” in the crossover event. He even joked, “I think we get a little wild in the show for them, but they’re handling us pretty well.”

When speaking to People at the EMA Awards Gala, Quinta Brunson said the idea for the crossover initially happened by accident. “There was a silly thing online I think that someone sent to Rob McElhenney and said, ‘This seems like an Always Sunny episode,’” she said. “And then, he said, ‘It seems more like an Abbott episode.’ It got Rob and I talking, and the episode is not about that thing, but Rob and I really got along.”

“More than anything, I think that was important that I got along with the lead creator of that show, and we saw a world in which we could bring our shows together since they are both in Philadelphia,” Quinta added. “It was really simple and people are confused, but I think it works really well and it helps that we’re all under the Disney umbrella, so it hasn’t been as painful as it could have been.”

While viewers get to see the It’s Always Sunny characters in Abbott Elementary, fans will get to see the teachers inhabit the other sitcom’s world as well. When speaking to Rolling Stone, Quinta said that viewers will see a different side to the Abbott Elementary characters in the It’s Always Sunny episode.

“So everyone is being themselves, but they’re also putting their best foot forward, right? They’re not necessarily being who they would always be when the cameras are off,” she told the outlet. “So in the Sunny world, where their cameras are off, you kind of get raw versions of each character — nothing too insane, but raw versions. It’s honestly a dream come true. It’s rare you get to play with your characters in that way.”

William Reflected On The Legacy Of Abbott Elementary And What He Thinks Of The Show’s Success

Jill Scott also guest starred in an episode as a performer for the school fundraiser. It turns out that torrential rain caused a behind-the-scenes issue that required the entire sequence to be reconfigured. It was originally supposed to take place outside, but now had to be relocated into the narrow hallway of the school itself. William praised director Randall Einhorn for his ability to find solutions under such pressure.

“Randall’s a genius, man. He is such an amazing director,” William said. He went on to describe how Randall made sure to maintain support for Jill during her performance, so she still felt comfortable. “She came out strong, but it was important that we not only kept up with her, but made her feel like we’re a group, we’re in this together.”

In the episode, Mr. Johnson scares Jill’s character because he has attended many of her concerts. It probably didn’t help that he swiped a lot of her personal items. At first, William was unsure about his character going in this direction. “I didn’t want to stalk her,” he said.

However, he decided that he would try to redirect his focus. “I just became this over-enthused fan, someone that was just so in love with what she does, and that’s who I am in real life,” William explained. “I love Jill Scott. I think I have every one of her recordings.” He said that finding some honesty in the character helped him make sense of everything.

One of the highlights of his time working on Abbott Elementary so far was winning the SAG Award for comedy ensemble in 2023. William was particularly moved by Quinta’s acceptance speech, saying, “I think it was the most incredible moment I’ve had since I’ve been on the show. To win with them and to be recognized by our peers, by other actors, it just meant so much to everyone.”

“I think the show’s going to go down in history as one of the best shows in television,” he said, confident about the show’s legacy. “I like the fact that it shines a light on what we need in our school system. I think that teachers are just as important as doctors, and Abbott in a very comedic way shines a light on how important it is, and I think that overall, that’s what I love about the show more than anything.”