Teachers

Channel 4’s Teachers redefined the British workplace comedy by stripping away the nobility of the profession. Set in Bristol, it presented educators as flawed, binge-drinking adults who were often more immature than their pupils. Simon Casey, played by Andrew Lincoln, became the face of a generation that refused to grow up, grounding the show in a relatable sense of post-university aimlessness. Its Britpop-adjacent soundtrack and surreal visual flourishes—like the recurring man in a penguin suit—captured a specific early-2000s energy. The series shifted the landscape of school-based drama, moving away from the moralizing of Grange Hill toward a more cynical, honest portrayal of the staff room. While the later seasons saw a cast overhaul, the initial run remains a definitive snapshot of New Labour-era disillusionment. Set a calendar alert for potential reunion news; in this era of reboots, the bell may ring again.