A Teacher (2020) User Reviews (214)

Intriguing and enticing, but steadily goes downhill

[aprilsfriendorin · 6/10 · 15 November 2020]

First off, I want to say that the people leaving one star reviews complaining about how this is glorifying statutory rape have missed the point. Shows like PLL and Riverdale- where they portray the teachers as great romantic interests who are genuinely good people- those are glorifying these relationships. This show does not paint the teacher in a positive light. It's very clear that this relationship is problematic; just because they don't villainize the teacher doesn't mean they're condoning her actions. No awful person is 100% evil, and that goes for this character as well. If you think the show is actually condoning the student teacher narrative, something is wrong with your perception.

Now, regarding the show itself- it starts off pretty great. The first three episodes are captivating and keep you wondering what's going to develop next. However, it steadily declines from there. I'd say that after episode 3 or 4, they sort of run out of material. The episodes drag on and there's only about 8 minutes worth of interesting content in the 20 minute time frame. Episode 7, which focuses solely on Eric, is dreadfully boring in particular because half the excitement is seeing the dynamic between Eric and the teacher. So should you watch it? I would say that if the subject matter doesn't bother you, give it a watch. The episodes are less than 30 minutes so it's not too much of an investment. The show isn't really groundbreaking in any way, it plays way too much into high school stereotypes, and it can be a bit repetitive (we don't need that many scenes of high school parties, they all look the same). BUT- the acting is great, the storyline is intriguing, and the characters are fleshed out which keeps you invested in them.

Interesting, but somewhat mediocre

[arod_85 · 7/10 · 9 December 2020]

The show is interesting, definitely binge worthy. However, "interesting" does not necessarily equate to good. It is a situation you can see happening, well, unfortunately, it does happen more frequently than anyone would probably care to admit. The acting is good and cast correctly. However, the show does have it's problems and had the potential to be much stronger. First, the teacher makes some unrealistic and illogical mistakes. The way the affair was exposed was unbelievable. A teacher would not likely confide such an immense transgression to a colleague, let alone a colleague she barely knows. Would have made more sense for the student to tell or the friends to see them out. Then, after being exposed and knowing she is being investigated, she continues to carry on the affair. Pure stupidity. Another issue is the series feels rushed. With a 25 minute run time, why not stretch this to an hour and expand on the plot and character build? There were several scenes that could have been omitted and the focus shifted to a more interesting focus. Instead of seeing Eric party at school, I would have rather seen Claire explaining her story to the lawyer and seeing her sentenced. I would have also liked to see the relationship with her husband after Claire was exposed instead of just being told about it. Overall, it's worth a watch. However, it wasn't something I'm overly excited to tell all my friends to watch...

Well done and nuanced- at least up to episode 3

[perisho · 6/10 · 11 November 2020]

Lots of pearl clutching on this one. Lot's of moral panic and moralizing. But the topic is part of the human experience like everything else in popular entertainment. We watch murders and robberies on screen all the time and don't assume the makers are saying these things are okay or should be accepted in real life, This show should be given the same leeway.

This show follows a teacher and her student and their relationship, which starts getting inappropriate pretty quickly. It's well done, the acting is superb both actors showing the internal struggle they are having.

Worth watching, but not ground breaking in my opinion. The actors do deserve tremendous credit however. And the show deserves credit for not portraying these people as monsters, life is more subtle and complicated than that, and so far the show reflects that. (up to Ep 3)

Quick watch, gives you something to think about

[shane1181 · 7/10 · 30 December 2020]

To reviewers calling this a love story, you missed the point completely. She even says as much multiple times in the final episodes. She USED the kid to "blow up her marriage" that she didn't know how to end any other way. She saw the kid had a crush on her and took advantage of him! She never loved him. She created the situations in which his crush would bloom by taking him to her alma mater campus (and to a frat party!), and tutoring him, which BTW, I'm pretty sure she never got that cleared by the school even though in the first episode she said she would have to ... even on the weekend away for his 18th birthday (which BTW means he was 17 while she was his 30-year old teacher when they started their affair) you can see how conflicted she is when he says that he loves her and she's happy to be screwing someone other than her husband. Recall she's an emotionally-immature character who was stunted by early childhood trauma (losing her mother) and an alcoholic father, and she married the first man she ever slept with, which doesn't bode well that it was necessarily love. Finally in the last episode she has a chance to acknowledge all of this and grant him some sort of apology, but he calls her out on how she's complaining about how this ruined HER life! She's still too self-centered and immature to apologize like an adult. It took him years to figure out what she did to him. The last line where he walks out on her is perfect.

This is a show about how a female teacher misuses her authority to emotionally abuse a young man, and we as a society don't know whether to high-five him for it or put her in jail (I didn't understand this part since the age of consent in TX is 17 ... it made more sense to me that she would just lose her job for the ethics of it). It has little to do with the fact there is 13 years age difference between the characters, but because she is his teacher and she abused the trust of everyone involved: the school, his parents and-most importantly-her student.

In defence of Claire

[abrown-659-425037 · 6/10 · 21 April 2022]

As a teacher, I am in no way condoning the relationship in this show. What I do want to comment on is everyone's criticism of how poorly developed Claire's character was. As a woman that has struggled with fertility and had several miscarriages, I can relate to the inner turmoil Claire is experiencing. Her mental state is clearing affected by the stress infertility can have on a woman. It can completely change your personality. Perhaps the series could have delved more into that, but having experienced it myself, I could see how damaged and lost her character was and how she was doing things that she may not have done otherwise. She felt alone, like less of a woman, and abandoned by her husband for his musical "career". It's unfortunate that she turned to the arms of a student in order to feel something, but when I watched her navigate her situation, I could relate to the depression and irrational decision making. I feel like the writer did a good job portraying a woman with immense internal sorrow and struggle, But perhaps failed to portray her in a way that others who haven't been through this experience could relate to.

Good Drama

[ue-53660 · 7/10 · 10 January 2021]

This is a good drama unfortunately ruined by the very end scene. It is not credible nor right. Otherwise it is well acted and well written.

Glad to see bravery on tv!

[candicelee82 · 8/10 · 11 November 2020]

Just finished the first 3 episodes and I'm glad someone was brave enough to show this on TV. Was it hard to watch, of course, but let's not forget Mary Kay Letourneau who ended up going to jail for this in real life and ended up marrying her student and having children with him. Meaning THESE THINGS HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE!!! Does it make it right, of course not, but on an artistic level the show is written and acted well and Kate Mara was a great choice. Just remember when watching, these are actors who are of age, and if you can't stomach it, then do what my mom does when a horror movie is on... take a deep breath and change the channel.

Major backpedaling

[ZukoFilms · 7/10 · 11 January 2021]

We've all seen this plot before. Usually it's a man lusting after the super young girl (AKA every movie ever.) Obviously this is a VERY inappropriate relationship but the way it's presented for most of the series seems to show the POV that these two actually care for each other. The relationship is initiated by the 18 year old student, whom some would argue is legally the age of consent etc; however, the student/teacher power dynamic is at play so it's always wrong. This film DOES romanticize their relationship (music, romantic settings, dialogue) and it's odd when both of the main characters look the same age. These two are portrayed as star-crossed lovers for most of the series and we see how this affair affects their lives afterwards. But the film can't seem to make up its mind on what it's trying to say. He becomes a legend in college, girls want to hook up with him because of his rep.... but he's not always ok with it. Meanwhile we see her life has turned to shambles and she feels remorse for what she did. Then BAM 10 minutes before the show ends, the former student runs into her 10 years later and blows up at her for ruining his life and storms off. And then it just ends! WTF?!? The series seemed to want to delve into a controversial topic, and instead of getting deeper into the why and how this thing happened, they got notes halfway through filming and had to regroup and make sure that they made a very clear statement that this is unacceptable behavior. And then it becomes a super on-the-nose finale. Like an after school special. It just needed a "The More You Know" rainbow.

Uncomfortably Well-done

[mycannonball · 7/10 · 9 November 2021]

I rank this as a 7 because I think it's well-done but I can't say that loved watching it, because the subject matter is a bit uncomfortable. It's like watching a train wreck with a bunch of characters that you kind of like, kind of don't like and ultimately disapprove of... and then it goes from bad to worse. Well-done storytelling and acting. Kate Mara is very good.

As addictive as pork rinds, if you like pork rinds

[julieshotmail · 9/10 · 18 November 2020]

I am not one to binge-watch a series which has become a popular activity these days. I prefer to consume a show in the weekly format. But I make an exception for this one, as I found myself inadvertently hitting "play next" through episode 4, which is the latest episode when I discovered this provocative show. The content offers so many layers, mostly questionable, just like pork rinds. You know the stuff is bad but the packaging makes it so engaging to consume so you keep at it anyway. Kudos to the lead actors and production crew for packaging up this content in a way that's weirdly entertaining, disturbing, and thought-provoking. For starters, this show would not be the same if the gender roles were reversed. As much as some people would like to believe, men and women are not equal and this show reminds you of that. Now I await episode 5 next week and thank Hulu for making the rest of the episodes available on a weekly basis.

Good show but silly from a European POV

[dbphotonut · 7/10 · 16 December 2020]

I'm enjoying the series but watching this from Europe really focuses on the ridiculous puritanical nature of US society. In most of Europe the age of consent varies from 14-16 (Ireland is an outlier at 17), and so called statutory rape is something most people in Europe have never even heard of, it's just not an issue. Yes she would probably have lost her job because he was a student, but that would have been it, the police would never have been involved in this mess. The US needs to get it's priorities in order, prosecuting people for having consensual sex is just mad when you don't even have healthcare, really? Stories like this really bring up the differences in what are seemingly very similar societies.

Great until the last episode

[reikihealer-dk · 5/10 · 1 January 2021]

I really binged this series, which could be a reality. However, the super moralistic ending made me feel that it was a waste of time - going from 7 to 5 stars. Episode 10 spoiled everything.

A problematic story told right

[alicianora · 7/10 · 16 November 2020]

Yes it's a tale old as time...but it happens more than our society wants to let on. FX does a really great job with the casting, acting & storyline. This show is gripping and entertaining for sure and it is shot beautifully. The shorter show time leaves me wanting more & I'm sure the rest of the audience is (still) conflicted despite how cliche this story is conceptually.

Finish the season

[redman-61073 · 7/10 · 30 December 2020]

So many people left a review defending Claire and the whole situation. The show makes you feel like it's not right but not that bad. Unfortunately so many people that left a review got invested in the characters and their feeling rather than taking a step back and seeing the situation in the show for what it is. Keep watching and finish the season so you can get your heads out of the clouds and realize what you just watched. It ended how it does in real life, and I hope people come back to change or delete their silly reviews that they left after only watching a few episodes and thinking they are watching some sexy affair.

Ehh.

[jennfinn · 6/10 · 2 December 2020]

This could've been so much better if we would've gotten a little background about Claire (Kate Mara) or a reason as to why she'd throw her life away for this particular student. It seemed like Claire is only in it for the sex and maybe to add a little excitement in her life like stealing lipstick from the market. She said she didn't drink all through high school and college and didn't lose her virginity till senior year of college. So if she's always done the right thing her whole life why would she suddenly do something so reckless & irresponsible ? I don't buy it. In my opinion Kate Mara is a dull actress and she comes across as completely robotic as Claire so I find it hard to believe that Eric (Nick Robinson) would become so obsessed with her. Also Claire's friend/coworker is okay with drinking on school grounds and loves the idea of Claire having an affair but when she finds out it's with a student she suddenly gets on her moral high horse & rats her out. I'm not buying that either.

Masterpiece

[alexandrphone · 10/10 · 10 August 2022]

Masterpiece. The story is very impressive. There was passion between them. That's how it all started. Passion could turn into love. Or not. It would be their path and their choice. Society did not give them the opportunity to pass it. Now they will be miserable for the rest of their lives. For a long time, look at one point, into nowhere, into yourself. There is a lump in my throat after the end of the movie.

Better than most films like it

[laragi · 6/10 · 21 August 2021]

I thought it was real. As real as it can get. Good solid acting. Liked the way it ended. Definitely worth watching.

I am quite shocked how this show is misunderstood.

[ceriselabrise · 10/10 · 18 December 2020]

Everybody is just branding Clair as predatory because "she is older". But these people don't really understand what predatory behaviour is and need to read between the lines. It's more complex than that and this is why I like this show.

Disappointing ending

[parkiejue · 7/10 · 6 January 2021]

Started off really good but very disappointed with the end. This could have been really good.

Nick Robinson is amazing

[azeemsaw · 8/10 · 10 November 2020]

Amazing performance by nick Robinson and also Kate Mara Worth watching!

Good series but ...

[Reviewer99 · 7/10 · 9 December 2020]

... they try to cram too much into a 30 minute episode. Episode 7 was a good example of this with all of Erik's escapades crammed into 30 minutes. The should should be 60 minutes.

Worst ending ever...

[cbouchard-53837 · 3/10 · 30 December 2020]

As a teacher I 100% do not agree with her behavior...18 yrs old or not...because it's still a position of influence and power. BUT...with all the grooming warnings I expected to see something very different. At his age he is absolutely capable of being interested in someone and "hitting on someone"...but he may not be capable of understanding the consequences of a relationship with his teacher. She as the adult and teacher needed to know that and shut it down; but I didn't see "grooming". And then what the show seemed to portray is that their lives were miserable when they were apart and missing each other...rather than they are so destroyed by each other...until the last 2 minutes of the show Eric gets mad-ish. Just a weird portrayal and dumb ending.

Interesting topic, but execution lacks depth

[hellspuppy · 6/10 · 17 November 2020]

The topic is interesting and the actors are great. The episodes seem way too short, to portray the relationship between the characters. The whole execution seems like a theoretical approach. As an audience, we see the characters together only for brief moments, which makes it hard to imagine, what these characters actually feel for each other. We don't know if the student just has a physical attraction to the teacher, or if they connected on an emotional level. It is also hard to tell, what the teacher feels for the student. Is he just a sex toy to her, or does she have a crush on him too. Since, we don't know her motivation, it is hard to either feel sympathy for her or to see her as the villain. If the director wanted for the audience to figure that out for themselves, the director should have given the character more screen time and explore her character more. The way the series portrays the subject to this point ( I'm on episode 4), does not give me any more substance, than the newspaper headlines of cases like this.

Love Story

[SirTalyn · 24 January 2021]

I'm sorry folks but this is quite simply a Love Story, not a Lust story.

I refuse to buy off on the whole abuse of power thing

These two characters were looking for something that only the other could provide.

It was obvious that it was HIGHLY emotional for both individuals.

In other words it was a Love Story gone wrong by the social morals that society places on us all.

What if they continued their relationship and lived happily ever after.

A great work of fiction

[Billy D.-2 · 6/10 · 29 December 2020]

If you judge A Teacher simply on the merits of story telling, it would be a competent piece of telling a story. The story puts a teacher and a student into a romantic relationship. Then continues to explore the results of what happens when the two gets exposed. My only problem is that the story is attempting to implant a female emotional state into a male. A male high senior dreams of having the opportunity to have sex with an older woman. You can't groom a male into having sex. He would see it coming miles away and would be waiting for it to happen. This is one of the few times where the double standard exists. This would be an excellent story if the roles were reversed. Then the story could expose its audience to the methods of an actual sexual predator. The only way the ending was the way it was is because it was written that way.