FX’s new comedy series, English Teacher, offers a fresh take on the classic high school comedy, set against the backdrop of a diverse Austin, Texas, high school. The series, created by Brian Jordan Alvarez, balances humor and real-life issues through a unique blend of improvisation, heartfelt storytelling, and a nuanced approach to contemporary themes, all explored during a TCA press conference ahead of tonight’s premiere. A show with as much poignancy as English Teacher draws on a lot of personal experiences, and those stories came to light throughout my interviews.
(Rob Latour)
“It’s nice to come back without the face filter and show my real features on camera,” joked series creator, executive producer, writer, director, and star Brian Jordan Alvarez, already internet famous for viral videos. “This show feels like I'm revisiting a style of performing that I haven’t done in a long time.” Brian Jordan Alvarez brings a personal touch to the role of Evan Marquez, a high school teacher navigating the intersections of personal, professional, and political life. He shared how his own upbringing fueled the development of the series. “I went to high school in this little town called Sewanee in Tennessee, which was a highly liberal spot in very conservative Tennessee. Having that interplay, I knew that we could play in these gray areas, and it’s part of what makes the show great, in my opinion.”
Creating and starring in the 2016 web series The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo is what made executive producer Paul Simms want to work with Brian Jordan Alvarez. Paul’s other credits include other hit FX series, including What We Do in the Shadows and Atlanta. Part of the fun of the series is depicting the upcoming generation’s worldviews, with the show striving for authenticity through the way its young actors speak. “We have young assistants and PAs,” Paul told me in a post-press conference interview. “Whenever we say something that we think is cool, but it’s actually corny, they’re the first to tell us, ‘No one says that.’” While English Teacher has a TV-MA rating, today’s high schoolers should feel their own unique communication styles reflected through the show.
Longtime fans of Brian Jordan Alvarez’s work will recognize one of his most frequent collaborators in the series, Stephanie Koenig, who plays history teacher Gwen Sanders and also serves as an executive producer and writer. “We met on a student film at UC Santa Barbara, and there was an immediate connection,” Stephanie told me about their longtime personal and professional relationship. Having both struggled to make it in Hollywood, Brian and Stephanie spent time between projects creating and filming sketches together. “When you're auditioning for things and not getting them, you feel like you have no control. This was a way to say, ‘Hold on, we can do this ourselves and get it out to people without anyone blocking us.’" As a creative on English Teacher, Koenig shared what she loves most about the show: Keeping the audience surprised. “Everybody is expecting it to go this way. How can we take a left turn?” she proposed.
(Rob Latour)
“I’ve been a fan of Brian and Stephanie’s for a really long time, and they do have this classic comedy duo,” executive producer and director Jonathan Krisel said of keeping the longtime friends together in the series. “They really have it, and it’s genuine, and then it’s amazing, and then everybody else folded into that.” The rest of the show’s cast was selected based on completing a puzzle that would represent some of the most prominent views in America.
Enrico Colantoni (Just Shoot Me!, Veronica Mars) is known for his versatile acting career and takes on the role of Principal Grant Moretti, a man trying to keep the peace in an ever-chaotic high school environment. Of all the lead characters, Moretti tries to be the most apolitical, often to his detriment. Reflecting on his character during an interview, Colantoni described Moretti as overwhelmed by the rapidly changing world around him. “To me, this principal… is always getting bitten. With everything that’s going on, with the confusion that’s going on, it’s all very confusing to him.” Colantoni’s portrayal of Principal Moretti is infused with empathy and a touch of exasperation, making him a relatable figure who mirrors the challenges faced by real-life educators.
Playing Rick, the guidance counselor, Carmen Christopher (FX’s The Bear) brings a blend of humor and realism to the role. Rick is the type of character who rides the tide of public sentiment. His viewpoint is less personal and more socially motivated. “Rick is a guy who's a little undecided, maybe a guy who goes with whatever the popular opinion is”, Carmen shared. His character, much like the society he represents, is caught between maintaining traditional values and adapting to the rapidly changing social landscape.
(Rob Latour)
PE teacher Markie Hillridge, played by Sean Patton, offers a comedic yet insightful look at American values through his character, who is the most rightwing of the educators. “[My performance is] based on a lot of people I grew up with,” Sean Patton shared, having grown up in Louisiana. “[Markie] represents a larger cross-section of America than we might realize. These are people who have their core values, they’re open-minded, but they just don’t want to let go of what they hold dear. They still want to grow, and Markie does grow, but he stays true to himself.” This balance between personal growth and maintaining core beliefs makes Markie a relatable figure, embodying the complexities and contradictions of contemporary American life.
English Teacher strives to give viewers relatable characters they can identify with but also uses one of the greatest equalizers ever devised to hook an audience – music. “Early on, we’d put one song up for each episode in the writers’ room,” revealed executive producer and writer Dave King during the press conference. Each episode features an iconic 1980s needle drop, one that fits the theme of that episode, like “Maniac” or “Kyrie.” “It didn’t always end up being the song in the episode, but it was the vibe. It was like, ‘Okay, this episode is this song. Keep that in your head when we’re writing.’” With eight episodes ordered, some songs and episode concepts didn’t make the cut for the first season. One of the sacrifices revealed during the press conference was “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star and an unnamed George Michael song.
As English Teacher premieres, it promises to engage audiences with its sharp humor, heartfelt storytelling, and authentic portrayal of life for high school teachers. Full of relatable characters, personal anecdotes, and timeless music, the show offers a refreshing take on the workplace comedy genre, one that can tackle big themes in relatable ways. As Brian Jordan Alvarez and his talented creative team have shown, the true magic lies in embracing the gray areas, where the laughs are real, and the lessons are just as meaningful.
English Teacher premieres tonight at 10/9c on FX, streaming tomorrow on Hulu.