'A' for effort: 'English Teacher' tackles pushy parents to school violence sitcom-style
One of the ways “Freaks and Geeks” succeeded — critically, if not ratings-wise — was to use the specific horrors of early 1980s high school to get at more universal truths about identity, growing up and fitting in (or not).
“English Teacher,” a new limited series on FX, takes a different approach. It starts with the universal and just goes from there. It’s not as effective, which is no shame; “Freaks and Geeks” is one of the four or five best things that’s ever been on TV.
But "English Teacher" is good — if broad — in its approach. That’s how Brian Jordan Alvarez, who created and stars in the show, tackles seemingly every hot-button issue surrounding education and, why not, modern life. It’s a show that is trying too hard at times, but we should applaud the effort. Alvarez is impossible not to root for as Evan, an out gay English teacher at a public high school in Austin, Texas, who loves his job but is stymied at seemingly every turn.
And when the show really nails something — pushy parents demanding control of the curriculum, the extracurriculars and everything else — it’s applause-worthy.
What is 'English Teacher' about?
“Who’s running the school, us or them?” Evan demands of Principal Moretti (Enrico Colantoni) when a rich, influential mother wants Evan disciplined after her son sees him kiss his former boyfriend, resurrecting the issue after months.
“Them! Them! Her! Her!” Moretti replies. “Hell hath no wrath like a concerned parent.”
Moretti is a bit of a weasel. Or a chicken, more like, if we’re going with animals — his acknowledged goal in any given crisis is to hang on to his job. You might also call him pragmatic. Colantoni is such a likable actor that you can’t help but cut him some slack (plus, free pass for life for playing Veronica’s dad in “Veronica Mars”).
Evan’s best friend Gwen (Stephanie Koenig, a frequent Alvarez collaborator) provides a bit of an absurdist perspective as a history teacher, as does Markie (Sean Patton), the seemingly regressive P.E. teacher. Both, however, prove to have more depth, which comes in handy because when you are tackling every social issue known to man, it helps to have support.
That’s not much of an exaggeration. In the six episodes provided for review (the season has eight episodes), Evan enlists an old college friend who is a drag performer to instruct football players for the upcoming powder puff game. In one hilariously frustrating episode, a student proclaims that she can’t read the assignment because it is triggering, as she has “asymptomatic Tourette’s.” Naturally, it can only be self-diagnosed.
Brian Jordan Alvarez tackles school shootings, teen sexuality and more
School shootings and gun issues, teenage sexuality and parents’ intrusion into grading are also explored. To Alvarez’s credit, none of it is on the nose, and rarely are the issues cut and dried. They’re complicated to begin with; life complicates them further. Some episodes are more successful than others — the uproar over grades is especially strong, using that as a starting point for parents trying to control every aspect of what is taught — and how.
Speaking of complications, Malcom (Jordan Firstman), Evan’s former boyfriend (also a former teacher at the school), keeps weaving in and out of his life. Meanwhile, Harry (Langston Kerman), a new teacher who is also gay, is off-limits because of restrictions on teachers dating each other.
There’s a lot going on, in other words. It’s interesting to see serious issues filtered through what is basically a traditional sitcom lens. Alvarez makes Evan more complicated than he might have — a good thing. Evan wants to do the right thing, but he’s no hero; he’s often too stubborn and argumentative for his own good. But his heart’s in the right place.
Alvarez plays him just right — affable, maddening, concerned. He works himself into jams (he seemingly does little else), but you always hope he’ll find his way out of them. That’s essential for a TV show to succeed, and “English Teacher” mostly does.
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How to watch 'English Teacher'
10 p.m. Arizona time Monday beginning Sept. 2 on FX; streaming on Hulu the next day.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'English Teacher' is a maddening sitcom that's worth streaming