Teachers are the backbone of society, so it’s no wonder that television has put teachers at the forefront of several shows over the years. Though schools on television might not look like they do in real life, teacher characters genuinely tend to be authentic in some form, which is what makes the shows so appealing.
TV shows about teachers have spanned decades and all school grades, meaning there is something for everyone. Want to relive high school in the 90s from a new perspective? Schooled has got you covered. In search of what it’s like to teach elementary school at an underfunded school? Abbott Elementary is the show to stream.
10 Mr Corman (2021) – 6.5
Joseph Gordon-Levitt not only starred in Mr. Corman, but he also created, directed, and wrote the Apple TV+ show. The show centers on Josh Corman, a fifth-grade teacher in the San Fernando Valley, who is neither the greatest teacher nor is he living the greatest life he could be.
Unlike other shows about teachers, Mr. Corman follows Josh both in and outside of the school, which allows viewers to look inside into what a teacher’s life looks like outside the classroom. Unfortunately, the series only lasted one season, making it part of the infamous “canceled after one season” club.
9 Teachers (2016 – 2019) – 6.5
Though TV Land is best known for airing reruns of beloved sitcoms, the cable channel also has its fair share of original series, including Teachers. The sitcom, which is based on a web series of the same name, followed the lives of six teachers who worked at Fillmore Elementary School in Chicago.
The series ran for three seasons and included episodes centered around picture day, sex education classes, and even the popular book fair days. With an all-female cast, this is a hilarious show that shows just how underpaid teachers are.
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8th The Steve Harvey Show (1996 – 2002) – 6.6
In today’s age, Steve Harvey might be best known as the host of the game show, Family Feud, or his own daytime talk show, but in the ’90s, he was also a sitcom star. Harvey starred in The WB sitcom The Steve Harvey Show as Steve Hightower, a funk legend turned teacher/principal at a Chicago high school.
The series ran for six seasons and was a comedic hit, largely thanks to its cast and its many running gags. Not only did the show focus on the staff but it also gave its students arcs of their own, which is unique for a show about teachers.
7 Schooled (2019 – 2020) – 6.9
A spin-off of ABC’s hit sitcom The Goldbergs, Schooled takes place in the 1990s and centers on the teachers of William Penn Academy in Pennsylvania. The series follows Lainey Lewis, who has returned from chasing her dream of being a rock star to teach music at her alma mater.
The series ran for two seasons and explored everything from teacher romances to conflicting teaching styles. It also featured some compassionate and iconic teachers, including CB, who managed to connect with the nerdier student body and give them a safe space.
6 A Teacher (2020) – 6.9
Unlike most shows about teachers, A Teacher takes on a darker approach. The FX miniseries was actually based on a movie of the same name and centers on Claire Wilson, a high school English teacher who has an illicit sexual relationship with one of her students.
While the world would like to assume that teachers go into teaching solely to help children learn, it’s obvious that sometimes that goal is overpowered by sexual urges. A teacher is an interesting show that looks into what happens when a teacher crosses the ultimate line.
5 Welcome Back, Kotter (1975 – 1979) – 7.0
Despite running for four seasons on ABC and launching a small media franchise, Welcome Back Kotter is a largely forgotten and underrated sitcom in today’s age. The series centers on Gabe Kotter who returns to his high school alma mater to teach a class of remedial students that he once belonged to,
Welcome Back, Kotter is a special show about teachers because it focuses on a teacher in a unique classroom setting. It also has a fun cast of characters, both adults who work at the school and students in the classroom. The show also faced a lot of criticism during its time, which is why it’s surprising it lasted for four seasons.
4 Mr Iglesias (2019 – 2020) – 7.2
Comedian Gabriel Iglesias plays Mr. Iglesias in this hilarious but underrated Netflix comedy series. The show centers on Mr. Iglesias who is teaching history at the same high school he graduated from. The series also features an eccentric principal and several students who idolize their teacher.
While Mr. Iglesias might not feature an ensemble cast of teachers, it’s still a show about one teacher with a lot of heart. Over the course of the two seasons, the show explores how important it can be to have a teacher who actually cares about their’s students’ lives.
3 Boston Public (2000 – 2003) – 7.3
Not surprisingly set in Boston, David E. Kelley’s Boston Public centers on an ensemble cast of teachers who work at a public high school. Unlike other shows about teachers, Boston Public is a true drama that doesn’t shy away from exploring the highs and the lows of what it’s like to be an underappreciated teacher.
This is the perfect show about teachers for teachers because it offers a fairly authentic look at what the profession is like. The series ran for four seasons before it was canceled, largely due in part to being moved to an unfavorable time slot in its fourth season, as reported by The Futon Critic.
2 AP Bio (2018 – 2021) – 7.4
Jack Griffin was very comfortable teaching philosophy at Harvard University, but all of that came to an end when his rival got him fired. Now, Griffen is stuck teaching advanced placement biology to a group of uptight high schoolers. Instead of doing the job he was assigned to do, Griffen instead uses his students to help him get back at his rival once and for all.
AP Bio is hilarious and offers an interesting insight into the hierarchies teachers face when it comes to what level they’re teaching on. Though it doesn’t have a large ensemble cast of teachers, Jack Griffin’s experiences are enough to carry the show.
1 Abbott Elementary (2021 – ) – 8.0
Though it only aired a handful of episodes in 2021, Abbott Elementary is arguably one of the best new shows and new comedies of the year. The series centers on an eccentric and diverse group of elementary teachers who teach at an underfunded Philadelphia school. Despite their money issues, the teachers are determined to give their students their best, even if it means compromising their own morals to get there.
Abbott Elementary is one of the most authentic portrayals of teachers in a TV series. Though it doesn’t follow them home, it does show how your coworkers can become a family. It also doesn’t shy away from showing the lows that teachers can face when they’re not supported by their states.
About The Author
Danielle Bruncati
(279 Articles Published)
Danielle Bruncati was born and raised in Southern California and has been a story-teller for as long as she can remember. She is currently a freelance writer for ScreenRant and is also pursuing a Master’s Degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top 10 film school. When she’s not writing, Danielle can be found binging the latest sitcom or teen tv series with her dog by her side or walking around Disneyland with a Mickey-shaped snack in hand.
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