A.P. Bio

Our Review

Glenn Howerton, freed from the greasepaint of Dennis Reynolds, plays a Harvard philosopher forced to teach high-school biology in Toledo — and he refuses to teach biology, instead using his honor students as a personal revenge squad against his academic rival. That’s the whole show, and it’s funnier than it has any right to be, because Howerton’s particular gift — bottomless contempt delivered with total commitment — gets a perfect vehicle in Jack Griffin.

The students (especially Sari Arambulo’s Sarika, the overachiever who actually wants to learn) are a great unit, Patton Oswalt plays the needy principal, and the Toledo setting gives it a proud flyover-country warmth. Canceled by NBC after two seasons, rescued by Peacock for two more, it never became a phenomenon — but the jokes-per-minute ratio is elite, and the Christmas episode where Jack weaponizes the Nativity is a classic of the cynical-teacher subgenre.

Verdict: Watch it. The comfort-food sitcom for people who found Community too warm.