All The Office Parallels in Abbott Elementary We Spotted

Ever since Abbott Elementary premiered on ABC, people have been arguing online about whether or not the show is "the new Office." Some people have also compared it to Parks and Recreation, mainly because Abbott Elementary uses the same mockumentary style.

However, when it comes to the cast of characters, a true fan of The Office can't help but notice more than one parallel.

First of all, Ava is certainly a local version of Michael Scott — an incompetent boss who desperately tries to save the day with wisecracks and bizarre gestures that nobody asked for. Basically, no one laughs at Ava's jokes more than she does, and honestly, where have we seen that before?

Then we have Janine and Gregory. Many people have referred to them as the Jim and Pam of Abbott Elementary. They bond over similar problems, they share little inside jokes, and their sweet friendship is clearly more than just friendship.

Some people also get Meredith vibes from Melissa, though she clearly doesn't like drinking as much as Meredith does. But there is one character whose vibe is undeniably very similar to his The Office alter ego.

According to many fans, the school janitor channels Creed's energy. Aside from being bizarre and creepy, he gets little screen time, but manages to make the most of it by delivering the funniest lines, just like his "counterpart" from The Office.

Of course, many Abbott Elementary fans get frustrated when people call the ABC show a "carbon copy" of The Office. But the parallels are just too obvious — and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

"I can see why the whole "Black version of The Office" thing would get trite, and I even stopped referring to it as such because of that, but I definitely saw these elements right away lol. They're common tropes, but I still won't knock someone who compares it to The Office," Redditor MillenniumGreed noted.

Abbott Elementary airs on ABC, currently in its second season. The new episode will premiere on February 8.