FX's 'English Teacher' is a top of the class comedy from Brian Jordan Alvarez (2024)

In the second episode of English Teacher, FX’s new comedy from Brian Jordan Alvarez, drag legend Trixie Mattel shares a piece of advice with high school football players before a particularly politicized powder-puff game: “We don’t mark it. We go full out.”

Longtime fans of Alvarez’s work know that the writer, director, actor, and comedian has embodied those words for decades while zealously bringing a singular slate of personal projects to life. From running point on his beloved 2016 web series, The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, to belting “Sitting,” 2023’s viral TikTok anthem by his pop-star alter ego TJ Mack, Alvarez doesn’t mark it, or half-ass, anything. He’s built a successful career by wholeheartedly cultivating his delightfully absurd humor, unique voice, and immense talents. So it should come as no surprise that he goes full out again with English Teacher.

The series follows Alvarez’s Evan Marquez, an openly gay high school English teacher who’s navigating relationships, personal and professional challenges, and political issues in Austin, Texas. (The liberal pocket of a conservative state serves as the perfect backdrop for English Teacher‘s particular brand of chaos.) When Evan isn’t teaching at Morrison-Hensley High School, he’s likely catching up with history teacher Gwen Sanders (Stephanie Koenig), gym teacher Markie Hillridge (Sean Patton), and college counselor Rick (Carmen Christopher). If not, check the office of Principal Grant Moretti (Enrico Colantoni), who longs to lead a school free from drama, parent complaints, and Evan-centric crises like the one we encounter in English Teacher’s premiere.

The eight-episode season kicks off with Evan being investigated for kissing his (now ex) boyfriend Malcolm (Jordan Firstman) in front of students. Rather than resign, Evan pens a powerful defense statement against hom*ophobia, and while his job is ultimately safe, he’s banned from dating faculty again in the future. The compromise seems perfectly reasonable at the time, but when Evan meets new Physics teacher and instant crush, Harry (Langston Kerman), he’s forced to re-evaluate his priorities.

If you think you know where the show goes next, you don’t. English Teacher isn’t your typical workplace comedy, and that unpredictability is a large part of its charm. The trajectory of Evan and Harry’s will-they-won’t-they dynamic is one of many surprising swerves the series takes to subvert expectations and keep viewers on their toes. Over the course of its first season English Teacher also explores (and attempts to make progress on) a variety of serious issues, from LGBTQ+ rights to gun control. Based on subject matter alone, it’s sure to attract a fair share of haters, who — much like a group of Morrison-Hensley students — “aren’t into being woke.” But as Alvarez noted at the Television Critics Association’s Summer 2024 press tour, the show “thrives in the gray areas.” Rather than examine hot-button issues through a single lens, it owns the complexities and confusion around them. By striking a brilliant balance between edgy humor and heart, it avoids drifting into the preachy after-school special zone.

In the six episodes sent to critics, English Teacher displays sharp, dynamic writing and an endearing sense of self-assuredness that other shows often take time to establish. Part of the reason the series doesn’t struggle to find its footing is because Alvarez’s chronically online career perfectly positioned him to tell an authentic story of a digital education era —one plagued by ChatGPT and social media. Alvarez and the writing team do a remarkable job of making the show feel current, while a nostalgic soundtrack packed with invigorating ’80s jams helps set the tone for each episode. English Teacher’s impressive jokes-per-minute count delivers a steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments (a simple back-and-forth about Shrek is a contender for joke of the year). And as deliciously dense episodes whiz by, the show challenges viewers to keep up in the best way possible. Chief among English Teacher‘s hit comedy ingredients is A+ casting. In high school speak, everybody matches Alvarez’s freak, which is no simple feat.

Thanks to comedy, improv, and storytelling skills ingrained in the cast’s DNA, English Teacher‘s characters feel effortlessly funny and instantly familiar. Patton, as Markie, the slinger of the series’ most Michael Scott-esque jokes, perfectly portrays an outwardly macho man with an unexpectedly sweet soul. While the offensive but well-meaning athletic director is no Coach Taylor, he does drop his own nuggets of wisdom: “Life’s not a f*cking poem! It’s a full-contact sport!” Colantoni, as Morrison-Hensley High’s principal, aptly embodies a fed-up boss who struggles to be a neutral voice of reason and control his blood pressure whenever Evan enters the room. While Christopher nicely rounds out English Teacher‘s faculty friend group, his character Rick couldn’t care less about his job as college counselor. He just wants to hang! And Alvarez’s longtime comedy collaborator Koenig nails goofy and serious scenes alike, bringing a necessary sweetness to the show as Gwen, Evan’s spirited bestie who works overtime to help keep him sane. Her physical comedy is top-notch, and as is true with past projects, the authentic history and love she and Alvarez share in real life translates to magnetic on-screen chemistry. (In addition to starring in English Teacher, Koenig also serves as a story editor and is credited as the writer of Episode 2, an all-time great.)

Outside of its top-notch core ensemble, English Teacher‘s supporting characters exude main character energy, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. There’s Gwen’s unemployed boyfriend Nick (Koenig’s real-life husband, Chris Riggi), who’s hyper-fixated on building a pool by hand. There’s Daniel, a blunt cafe worker who’s shamelessly thirsty for friends. There are hilariously overbearing mothers of students, and speaking of students, the classrooms are full of up-and-coming TV stars — some of whom have already made names for themselves online like Alvarez.TikTok star and singer Aliyah’s Interlude enters her acting era as a Morrison-Hensley High “It Girl.” Sofia Coppola and Thomas Mars’s daughter Romy Mars channels all the chaotic energy of her award-worthy TikTok in the classroom as Kayla, a girl with self-diagnosed “Asymptomatic Turrets.” And Austin actor and comedian Ben Bondurant (aka “Young Bondo”) steals scenes as Jeff, a cynical student who once got busted for selling drugs at the junior prom, owns camo overalls, and doesn’t fully comprehend the concept of bits. (Another 10/10 joke.)

When people hear English Teacher‘s general premise, minds will likely leap to Quinta Brunson’s Emmy-winning series, Abbott Elementary. Both school-set comedies show educators coming together with a common goal of bettering students’ lives. Both feature stellar writing and acting that will make you cackle and bring immense joy. Heck, like Brunson, Alvarez’s mom was also a teacher, and both creators took inspiration from their personal experiences. But by forgoing the mockumentary style, heading to high school, and employing more mature humor, English Teacher sets itself apart as a complementary companion to the ABC series rather than a carbon copy.

Creating television at a major studio level was a long time coming for Alvarez, but English Teacher was well worth the wait. In front of and behind the camera, the multi-hyphenate fires on all cylinders, infusing the series and its titular character with passion and personality that will have viewers begging for more.

To borrow a final line from Episode 2, English Teacher goes “whole hog and an extra half hog for good measure.” It’s a winning comedy at the top of its class, and school will hopefully be in session for many seasons to come.

English Teacher premieres with two episodes Monday, September 2 at 10:00 p.m. on FX and will be available to stream on Hulu.