What challenges did the production of the Abbott Elementary season 3 finale face, and how did the showrunners address the potential impact on future episodes?

The production of the Abbott Elementary season 3 finale faced challenges due to writer and actor strikes that resulted in the season being cut short to 14 episodes from the planned 22. To address the potential impact on future episodes, the showrunners, Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, discussed the difficulties of incorporating celebrity guest stars like Kevin Hart and Bradley Cooper. They hinted that season four may have fewer famous guest appearances due to logistical challenges. Additionally, they acknowledged fan theories and desires for characters like Mr. Johnson to have romantic storylines. Despite the shortened third season, the team hopes for a longer episode order in season four to explore character-focused episodes and delve into more unique storylines.