channel5 9pm tonight The Teacher

When I was young teacher I moved into a shared flat to replace someone who had just married a very rich man. He married her to please his mother so that he would get his inheritance. The newly wed wife, was having an affair with one of her sixth form pupils and would come back with him to the flat, heavily disguised. (The school was very near by). Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, her ex flatmate/friend/bridesmaid was having an affair with her new husband in the same flat.

I don't tend to judge people but I couldn't wait to get out of there. A story like that would be too far fetched to write or would it?

I watched it because Sheridan Smith is in it and I think she is talented. Two episodes in I find it utterly depressing, not sure I'll continue.

Meant to add, Cate Blanchett film from a while ago, Notes on a Scandal similar theme, much better than this.

Yes, I was reminded of Notes on a Scandal when I first read the synopsis of The Teacher. Watched 10 mins of episode 1 last night and don't think I'll bother with the rest.

Fell asleep during the first episode, watched last night's to the end. Won't watch any more; almost unbelievable story line (chasing after the boy who accused her 'to see if he was all right' while doing community service and on the sex offenders' register). It does a great disservice to all the teachers battling daily in secondary schools for their pupils.

Gave it another chance last night but story line ridiculous. Nobody remotely believable . Very disappointed.

I haven't watched it yet, but as a teacher, I can tell you, some of the things I've seen teachers on the loose get up to beggars belief. Extreme sexual antics. On the premises at times. But the only one I ever came across with illegal contact with a pupil was a male teacher.

I hope the storyline is ridiculous, I'd be very worried if there were secondary school teachers with short skirts and flirty eyes. I have no sympathy for the character whatsoever because her behaviour is appalling. A good teacher not only inspires their pupils to learn but sets an example in behaviour and attitudes. She fails totally on the second count, and shouldn't be teaching at all. I hope it's all nonsense, but I'd be rather upset by this series if I was a teacher.

GagaJo

I haven't watched it yet, but as a teacher, I can tell you, some of the things I've seen teachers on the loose get up to beggars belief. Extreme sexual antics. On the premises at times. But the only one I ever came across with illegal contact with a pupil was a male teacher.

Me too. In a cupboard even!

I tried to watch from the beginning last night but couldn't grasp whether anything had actually happened or whether she was just hallucinating. I agree with TerriBull that Sheridan Smith is very talented, but this doesn't appear to be her genre unfortunately. I hope it improves.

Yup. A teacher (leader in the school) was once caught with a PE teacher, in flagrante delicto, by a caretaker. Another was caught 'at it' in the detention room.

And as for end of year/term parties... the mind boggles.

I watched the first episode and resolved to watch no more.

It lacked anything approaching realism. The teacher was a very unlikely candidate for head of English - promiscuous, unsuitably dressed, and presumably hung over in school rather a lot!

well, it is a drama not ' docu', .....she pleaded guilty to save Kyle then he asked her why she pleaded guilty suggesting nothing happened.....i shall watch tonight. not what I expected though or I wouldn't have raised it.

It was her attitude towards her pupils as demonstrated through her teaching that appalled me.
There are definitely promiscuous, unsuitably dressed teachers in school and some hungover ones, although that is dealt with promptly. Behaviour outside the school is not the business of the school unless it impinges on the school itself, as hers did.

I don't think it's like Notes on A Scandal, as that is more the story of a senior teacher's obsession with the life of someone from a different (social) class and what she sees as the younger woman's sense of entitlement. The 'affair' with the pupil is almost secondary to the story of Barbara's obsession with, resentment of and possible sexual interest in Sheba, and her self-appointed role as moral guardian to younger women.

So far, unless the role of the other staff members becomes more obvious, that is not the case in Teacher. The main character is flawed, but most of us are in different ways, and the viewer is being asked to consider whether Jenna's presentation (low cut tops, short skirts) and lifestyle (heavy drinking, visits to nightclubs frequented by schoolkids) suggest that she might be capable of committing a sex offence, and if so, why we might think like that. Similarly, it asks whether the fact that the boys are boastful amongst themselves and given to sexually inappropriate remarks to their teacher (both in school and in the nightclub) mean that their word should be taken as gospel, or if their youth and vulnerability should protect them in a way that might not have been questioned if they'd been girls.

Those questions are layered onto the central one of how far people are responsible for something that happens when they are drunk (I would say 100%), and how far they can get a fair trial when they can't defend themselves because of memory loss (much more difficult to quantify).

I think there are a few times when the plot wanders into daftness (eg when Jenna leaves the Community Service session to run after Kyle), but on the whole it hangs together well. We are finding out what happened at the same time as Jenna, so it's been a bit disjointed at times, but not so much that we can't follow the story.

I am interested to find out what happens, and at this stage I don't know whether I think she is guilty or not.

TerriBull

Meant to add, Cate Blanchett film from a while ago, Notes on a Scandal similar theme, much better than this.

One of my all time favourites. This isnt a patch on it. Although it's taking a different path, judging by the end of the second episode.
I persevered as there is so little worth watching.

Should teachers call their students ‘darling’?

I noticed in the first episode, this was how she addressed a girl with low self esteem and confidence, and then how she spoke to Kyle when he was injured in football/rugby.

Is it to emphasise how ‘down with the kids’ she is?

Perhaps that is what the drama is trying to explore. The fact there should be boundaries between teacher and pupil. Sheridan's character apart from having an alcohol problem, was trying too hard to be her pupils friend, rather than their teacher.

I must be one of the few who doesn’t think Sheridan Smith is that great an actress. Everything I’ve ever seen her I seemed the same character. Her portrayal of Fanny Brice was cringeworthy.

I have watched both episodes so far, and pretty much concur with other posters' views. However, I am going to give episode three a go, because you could see the penny dropping with Jenna at the end of last night's episode, and I'm hoping the plot will pick up a bit. I feel I've invested two hours watching it, and I owe it to myself to not miss out on what might turn out to be a gripping ending (feint hopes)

Grandmagrim

I must be one of the few who doesn’t think Sheridan Smith is that great an actress. Everything I’ve ever seen her I seemed the same character. Her portrayal of Fanny Brice was cringeworthy.

Yes, I agree. I did quite like her in Cilla but she seems to have gone downhill since she did that.

I like Sheridan Smith very much, but this must be the most depressing, sordid programme. Won’t be watching any more.

This program has its moments, the twist and turns are holding my interest. Sometimes though, the holes in the plot make me want to throw a cushion at the TV.

Surely that deputy head at her old school shouldn’t have sent her that info about Arnold Cleary? Data protection or something?

Would she stroll into Pauline’s house? Surely not.

Has he bumped off poor, plump Pauline? Is she lying in a pool of blood?

Last part coming up….

Well, yet another so called ‘drama’ that I’ve wasted 4 hours watching.

What a load of twaddle!

Couldn’t help noticing how bow-legged Sheridan Smith was.

The ending was rubbish wasn't it? Shame, as it started off fairly promising, I thought. Why do so many dramas go so badly off the boil like that??