PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It may come as a surprise to know that, when the cast of “Abbott Elementary” came to the Franklin Institute to film the season 2 finale of the award-winning ABC television series, it was actually the first time they had ever shot on location in Philadelphia.
Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer and director of the Fels Planetarium at the science museum says it’s a perfect fit.
“Just thinking about a program that’s about a Philadelphia school with Philadelphia teachers — the Franklin institute — it all makes sense,” Pitts said.
“Because, of course, if you’re a Philadelphia person, you know the Franklin Institute. If you went to school here, you came here on a school trip.”
Abbott is not a real school, but its connection to Philadelphia is very real. The show's creator, Quinta Brunson, is herself a product of the School District of Philadelphia.
Pitts, who is a big fan of the show, says the "Abbott" team reached out last fall, wanting to feature the museum in an episode about a school field trip.
“They visited all the cool places — like the train exhibit and of course the giant walk-through heart,” he said.
After a day of shooting, Pitts said, Brunson took a moment to hang out with him, and — yes, he said — she’s as cool as he expected her to be.
“Obviously, she really wants to make sure the connections between the program and the city are real and true,” he said.
The episode debuts at 9 p.m. on Wednesday on ABC.
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