The English language is a powerful tool. To wit, the phrase “high school” can evoke a myriad of responses depending upon who reads them. For actual young adults, it’s the recognition pressures — social, societal, educational — of their current reality. For the teachers, it’s an understanding they’re helping to shape young minds at a critical stage. For parents, it’s a desire to have some level of control and influence before their kids go off to define themselves. For those in their 30s, it’s a time from long ago that we’re likely not keen to return to or think about in any capacity. In short, it’s a rich text full of contradictions to explore in a television show.
Brian Jordan Alvarez’s “English Teacher” is an FX comedy all about contrasts. Set in Austin, Texas, each episode opens with Alvarez’s Evan Marquez getting ready for the day before driving his Prius across the Congress Ave Bridge (you know, the one with all the bats underneath it) to his job as, well, the titular English teacher. It’s a table setting by design; the liberal bubble of a city like Austin inside a conservative state like Texas is, in and of itself, a stark comparison. It’s a skid “English Teacher” willingly drives into, as it cements itself as one of the year’s best comedies.
That tension is on display from the first episode of the eight-episode season (six sent to critics), where Evan faces the possibility of losing his job after kissing his then-boyfriend in front of a group of students. Wearing the intersection of the political, personal and professional on its sleeve from the get-go, “English Teacher” dives into a handful of hot-button issues — drag and gun control take center stage in the second and fourth episodes, respectively — throughout its first season to surprising effect.
What could come across as an after-school special never does because “English Teacher” puts its (very funny) comedy first. That typically involves an inspired inversion of expectations, rooting in going for a laugh alongside presenting a nuanced exploration of these topics. That’s a dynamic that naturally lends itself to broad moments of humor. For example, the second episode’s focus on drag comes into play when LGBTQIA2S+ students get upset at members of the football team for, ostensibly, not fully committing to an authentic drag performance. This leads Evan to recruit a local queen, played by Trixie Mattel, to help the players embrace and amp up the routine.
As such, “English Teacher” is modern in its authenticity, right down to how the students talk and conduct themselves. The third episode situates itself around a student named Kayla, hilariously played by Romy Mars, presenting a self-diagnosis of a disease — named after herself — in what’s effectively a way to reset the girls’ social hierarchy. There’s discussion in the first episode about how this crop of Gen Z students are now “un-woke” (spend any time on social media and you’ve likely noticed this) to the point where they’re liberally throwing around the “R-word.” But for as much as times change, some elements of juvenile humor are evergreen, like when a competition to design a new school mascot devolves into the students drawing a bunch of penises so realistically rendered that Principal Moretti (Enrico Colantoni) remarks that whoever drew it could “get into Parsons.”
The show will naturally draw comparisons to “Abbott Elementary,” as the two have similar goals regarding how they approach humor in an educational atmosphere; there’s a lot to draw from based on the clash of students and teachers, which both shows accomplish well. But by its very nature (and cable network home), “English Teacher” is constructed to be a little more adult in its subject matter, weight-bearing enough to tackle big ideas() in a way that “Abbott” isn’t designed to address. That’s not to diminish the value of either show, but rather, realize the foundations are radically different even if the exteriors look the same.
“English Teacher” is also refreshing in its character dynamics. Evan and Gwen (Stephanie Koenig) have immediate chemistry thanks to the relationship Koenig and Alvarez have cultivated as longtime collaborators. Their friendship immediately leaps out of the screen with a lived-in feel as a result. Colantoni is having a blast as Principal Moretti, perpetually exhausted by playing peacekeeper and thusly looking to avoid conflict at every possible turn, which is hard to do when Evan’s such a crusader. Guidance counselor Rick (Carmen Christopher) has a Kramer-like role of popping up to catch a vibe with the other teachers. But the standout for many will likely be PE teacher Markie (Sean Patton), who comes across as a slightly abrasive redneck but is a humanist at heart. While all of the characters are realistically drawn, Markie represents so many of the men I spent time growing up around in the South and many men in my life who tend to hide their love behind a gruff exterior.
As strong as its social, relational and generational renders are, “English” Teacher stumbles a bit in its central “will-they, won’t they” relationship between Evan and Harry (Langston Kerman). Harry is presented early on as a love interest for Evan. Though the first six episodes provided to critics for review fail to connect their mutual attraction to one another, as the show hasn’t spent as much time developing Harry. Unlike Evan’s relationship with ex-boyfriend Malcolm (Jordan Firstman). As the partner whom Evan kissed in front of the students, Firstman brings a bit of himbo energy to the character, and the relationship he has with Evan is sweet and complicated. The two have great chemistry together, which helps establish why they are drawn to one another, even after their separation.
“English Teacher’s” foundation is already a rich text. While Alvarez is no stranger to comedy — his popular TikTok and web series prove he’s had the goods for a while now — bringing that sensibility to television can be difficult. Yet, he and his collaborators (which count veterans executive producer Paul Simms and director Jonathan Krisel along its staff) have created something deeply realized right out of the gate. That level of confidence can take years to build, and it is certainly harder to find a brand-new show. English Teacher is effortless in balancing its big ideas, hilarious tone and vivid characters, resulting in a show that easily makes the grade.
“English Teacher” premieres Monday, Sept. 2, on FX, and streams on Hulu.
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