Gransnet forums

TV, radio, film, Arts

channel5 9pm tonight The Teacher

(62 Posts)
lemsip Mon 31-Jan-22 18:18:21

Sheridan Smith heads this drama..The Teacher . 'Jenna Garvey' is accused of sleeping with one of her pupils .
"Really looking forward to watching this, Sheridan Smith's a brilliant actor,
channel 5 tonight 9pm

Luckygirl3 Wed 02-Feb-22 10:05:39

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!

GagaJo Wed 02-Feb-22 09:57:44

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.

Josieann Wed 02-Feb-22 09:44:36

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.

Chestnut Wed 02-Feb-22 09:32:11

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 Wed 02-Feb-22 09:24:03

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.

Grandmajean Wed 02-Feb-22 09:12:34

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

eazybee Wed 02-Feb-22 09:06:55

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.

Sparklefizz Wed 02-Feb-22 08:19:12

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.

TerriBull Wed 02-Feb-22 08:01:16

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

TerriBull Wed 02-Feb-22 07:57:03

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.

Grandma2213 Wed 02-Feb-22 01:20:00

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?

Doodledog Tue 01-Feb-22 22:18:58

I can't stop looking at her upper lip. She's obviously had fillers and it looks awful.

I'm still enjoying it, and my chief suspect is still the other candidate for the HOD job. I'm not sure that anyone would admit to a sex crime if they weren't sure they'd committed it, but I suppose if she had no memory of the night and genuinely didn't know what happened, she might have wanted to spare Kyle the ordeal of giving evidence.

Jane43 Tue 01-Feb-22 22:14:57

My thoughts as well Calendargirl I find Jenna’s character very unlikeable. Sheridan is a very talented actress but this role isn’t doing her any favours.

Calendargirl Tue 01-Feb-22 22:05:21

Another disappointing episode. The story jumped about from one scene to another, Jenna’s character comes across as a caricature, most of the cast seem extremely unlikeable.

Totally unrealistic and unbelievable.

Grandmabatty Tue 01-Feb-22 13:45:12

I've never known an English teacher who had time to go to a nightclub!! Preparation and marking took up every evening and most of the weekends!

Calendargirl Tue 01-Feb-22 13:41:22

Have just seen on another review from one of the tabloids that ‘no teacher in the land would go to work in a skirt that short’.

I couldn’t possibly comment.

Sashabel Tue 01-Feb-22 13:01:24

I was also one those who turned over after 30 minutes. The character she portrayed was just so annoying. It was nice to see Kelvin Fletcher back on our screens in an acting role though

Lip56 Tue 01-Feb-22 12:37:01

I tried to give it a good go, but after 35 mins switched over … I know people rave about her being brill actress, but I personally fail to see it.

Doodledog Tue 01-Feb-22 10:41:16

I hope this one doesn't peter out, or become less and less credible, as so many recent dramas have done. I'm not sure that I trust the rival for the HOD role (can't remember her name), and wonder if she is going to be behind a smear campaign. That might be too obvious though. Also, the married man she was meant to be meeting didn't turn up - where was he when whatever happened was happening?

Yammy Tue 01-Feb-22 10:40:38

Must admit when I taught I would have been hauled over the coals for looking like she does and coming to work smelling of booze.
One head I had made all the young ones cover their tattoos with Elastoplast if they showed.
Getting mixed up with a teenager, I think we usually expect young woman older man and I have known that situation on a number of occasions.
When DD was in the sixth form she often came home and said Mr? a married teacher was at a certain nightclub. One of her friends was reputedly involved with him.
I suppose the old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover", a good teacher doesn't always fit the stereotype we oldies have of them.
I still don't think it is professional or sets a good example though . I'll give tonights episode a try.

henetha Tue 01-Feb-22 10:36:50

I hope there aren't many teachers like her! I'm going to give it another go as surely there must be more to her character than how she was portrayed, and maybe they are trying to make a point. And I do like Sheridan Smith.

Doodledog Tue 01-Feb-22 10:30:16

Slapper?

Have we not moved on from sexist language like that?

I'm not saying she had an exemplary life, but that would have been true if she had been a man - in fact the married man sniffing round her was far from perfect too.

EllanVannin Tue 01-Feb-22 10:27:56

I can't watch anything like that anyway.

Charleygirl5 Tue 01-Feb-22 10:24:51

Again underwhelmed. I would not like such a slapper looking after my children. I will watch tonight's episode and see if it improves. There are 4 episodes in total.

Aldom Tue 01-Feb-22 09:18:48

Grandmajean

Will give it another go but disappointing. The staff and pupils seemed unbelievable to me.

I agree. I turned off after about 30 minutes.