Ava Coleman

Ava Coleman is the incompetent, self-absorbed principal of Abbott Elementary who got the job through blackmail rather than qualification. She spends most of her time on social media, scheming for personal gain, and avoiding actual administrative work. She is the show's breakout character — a walking disaster of narcissism and malapropisms who somehow manages to be both the biggest obstacle and an unlikely ally to her teachers.

Ava's comedy comes from her total lack of self-awareness and her shameless pursuit of clout, money, and attractive men. She treats the school like her personal fiefdom, misuses funds, and demonstrates a breathtaking ignorance of educational practice. Yet the show gradually reveals moments of competence and even caring beneath the persona — she occasionally fights for her school when it truly matters.

The genius of Ava is that she embodies the systemic failure that Abbott's teachers fight against every day. She is the product of a system that allows unqualified people to run schools while dedicated teachers struggle with no resources. Yet she is also irresistibly funny, and her gradual, almost imperceptible growth makes her one of TV's most original comedic characters.