Summary
In its first two episodes, English Teacher makes the bold decision of being about relevant and vital subjects without pretending there’s only one side to them.
English Teacher doesn’t make things easy for itself. In its two-part premiere – comprising Episode 1, “Pilot”, and Episode 2, “Powderpuff” – it establishes itself as a half-hour sitcom about Issues™ that is right-minded in its politics but realistic in its attitude.
In other words, English Teacher is about meaningful, topical things but isn’t trying to score points or teach lessons or moralize or patronize. It is, first and foremost, a very funny comedy, and beyond that, it’s a sharp acknowledgment that life is very complex and silly and nobody outside of social media’s most moral Puritans cares as much as they pretend to.
Episode 1 introduces us to the titular educator, Evan, played by the show’s writer and creator Brian Jordan Alvarez. Evan’s gay and Hispanic, which both come up a fair bit in an opener that finds him battling a complaint made by a homophobic parent who thinks that Evan lightly kissing his at-the-time boyfriend in front of the class has inadvertently turned her son gay.
This is a silly premise – and Episode 2’s is sillier still – but it’s rooted in very real ignorance and bigotry. Evan knows this and tries to fight the accusation with a sternly worded statement that calls it out for what it is, but you can tell he’d much rather the problem just went away.
When the problem does go away – Evan’s friend and colleague, the uncouth gym teacher Markie, threatens to out the kid at the mother’s swanky social club if she doesn’t back off – it proves English Teacher’s point. Markie’s approach was clearly against Evan’s deeply-held principles and sense of ethics, but it was also a genuine moment of friendship and solidarity. In the end, Evan takes the sincere over the insincere. As well he should.
English Teacher | Image via FX/Hulu
This is how English Teacher works out of the gate, and it continues to do so in Episode 2, which has an even more outlandish premise revolving around the titular Powderpuff game. In it, the girls play football and the jocks dress up as cheerleaders, but suddenly the LGBTQIA2S+ students don’t like the idea of the boys dressing up when real non-binary and trans students exist. Cue the introduction of a kleptomaniac drag queen for the sake of authenticity.
It’s so easy to imagine a different, much worse version of this show that reworks all of these big ideas – homophobia, drag, earnest concerns among marginalized groups, uncouth assumptions, and the very real contradictions that sometimes emerge when morality is assumed rather than displayed – into lectures. But English Teacher resists the urge to moralize at every turn. It doesn’t paint anyone or any group as inherently good or bad, right or wrong, but instead approaches it all with an earnest curiosity and an even-handed sense of mockery.
We are all, says English Teacher, equally ridiculous. And that’s fine.
In Episodes 1 & 2, English Teacher rejects the fantasy of complete ideological consistency. It’s a genius touch for a sitcom since, ironically, so few shows are brave enough to not take a side. The remaining six episodes scarcely seem like enough time for this ensemble as a result, since the litany of subjects that can be tackled in this funny, insightful, and more importantly relatable way seems endless.
Read More: English Teacher Episode 3 Recap
