Summary
English Teacher sticks the landing with a great finale delivering jokes and payoff aplenty.
It was only right that English Teacher, a truly excellent sitcom, had a really good ending, and Episode 8, “Birthday”, caps off Season 1 in fine style. Realistically, the only downside of this show has been that there hasn’t been enough of it; eight twenty-minute installments scarcely scratch the surface of so many topical themes and engaging character arcs and dynamics.
Many of the show’s most essential ideas and ongoing threads all come together in the finale, including Evan’s on-again-off-again relationship with Malcolm, his lingering attraction to Harry, who has disappeared since Episode 3, and Markie’s delusional efforts to seduce Gwen. It all takes place against the backdrop of a comically extreme gay bar where Malcolm has thrown Evan a surprise birthday party — and invited all his colleagues.
The only scene set in school comes at the very top of the episode when one of Evan’s students approaches him about some feelings he has been having and asks for advice coming out to his classmates. Evan’s casual minimizing of this issue — he laughs at the notion that coming out is remotely difficult in 2024, and tells him he’s better off asking some of his already-out peers for advice instead — might be taken the wrong way, but I think underscoring the whole exchange is a more upbeat point. Being gay still might not be easy, but it’s certainly easier than it was; the main obstacle is the straight people pretending to be gay for clout, as Evan cautions.
After this, there is a whiff of hypocrisy in Evan’s abject horror at seeing Grant, Markie, Rick, and Gwen in a bar where everyone is half-naked and covered only by leather and PVC. Malcolm’s choice of venue for Evan’s birthday party has ejaculate-themed cake and adult films playing on all of the screens. Grant isn’t exactly comfortable.
Everyone else takes to the place like ducks to water, though. Gwen, having just broken up with Nick, is determined to get as drunk as possible and get laid, apparently not realizing that she’s pitching to the wrong demographic, and Markie, after learning that he’s a “classic bear”, relishes the attention he gets from the crowd — literally, a crowd — of men at the bar. Rick, meanwhile, experiments with poppers, since he has no subplots of his own.
Pictured: Sean Patton as Markie Hillridge. CR: Steve Swisher/FX
Of particular note in English Teacher‘s finale is Evan’s romantic future. Malcolm, as laid-back as ever, spends most of the evening trying to hook Evan up with Harry, who seems receptive. However, Evan isn’t keen on the idea of dating faculty after his experiences with Linda. While the idea of keeping the relationship a secret might be possible, it turns out Evan only really has eyes for one person—and it’s no surprise who it is.
Malcolm’s serenade of Evan ends up involving Harry when Evan refuses to get up on stage. Evan, inspired by Markie, storms up and kisses Malcolm in front of everyone. He has made his choice. And while they technically end up together, Evan has no desire to change who Malcolm is — the kind of guy who gets lured away by orgies (which he does literally minutes later) but is there when it counts.
But what about Markie and Gwen? Well, that’s slightly less positive. Inspired by Evan taking his romantic life into his own hands, and sensing Gwen’s break-up with Nick as the perfect opportunity to make a move, Markie confesses his feelings in a way that’s so obtuse that he inadvertently convinces Gwen to get back together with Nick.
English Teacher ends with the full gang all back at Gwen’s house, Nick included, and while the outcome isn’t great for Markie — Evan’s reassuring little squeeze of his shoulder is a nice, understated moment — this is the most earnest togetherness we’ve seen from the group. Even Grant stayed the course. I can’t be alone in thinking that there could — and indeed should — be many more educational adventures for this gang in the near future.
Read More: English Teach Episode 7 Recap
