Bad Education (TV series)

Bad Education
Created by Jack Whitehall
Written by Jack Whitehall
Freddy Syborn
Directed by Christine Gernon
Starring Kae Alexander
Jack Bence
Jack Binstead
Harry Enfield
Michelle Gomez
Leila Hoffman
Mathew Horne
Ethan Lawrence
Weruche Opia
Nikki Runeckles
Sarah Solemani
Samantha Spiro
Charlie Wernham
Jack Whitehall
Layton Williams
Composer(s) Vince Pope
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 3
No. of episodes 19
Production
Executive producer(s) Ben Cavey
Producer(s) Pippa Brown
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Tiger Aspect Productions
Distributor Endemol UK
Release
Original network BBC Three
Picture format 1080i 16:9 (HDTV)
Original release 14 August 2012 (2012-08-14) – 21 October 2014
External links
Website

Bad Education is a British sitcom produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Three.

It stars Jack Whitehall as young teacher Alfie Wickers – "the worst teacher ever to grace the British education system" – at the fictional Abbey Grove School, in Hertfordshire.[1]

At the time of the series launch in August 2012 it broke BBC Three's record for the highest-rated first episode of a comedy, which was previously held by Horne & Corden, but is now held by Cuckoo.[2][3] The second series premiered on BBC iPlayer on 27 August 2013, a week before the television air date of 3 September,[4] as part of BBC Three's plans to premiere all its scripted comedy programmes online.[5] This experiment proved successful, as the first episode of the second series received 1.5 million requests prior to its television airing.[6] A Christmas special aired on 17 December 2013.[7]

The third series of Bad Education began transmission on 16 September 2014. Due to its success, the show was later adapted into a movie, which was released on 21 August 2015.

Synopsis

The series focused on Alfie Wickers (Whitehall), a posh, newly graduated secondary school history teacher at the fictional Abbey Grove School, in Watford[8] or Tring,[9] Hertfordshire. Ever determined to impress his crush, Rosie Gulliver (Solemani) Wickers made repeated efforts to appear "cool", such as coaching the school football team, organising a weapons amnesty and fielding a candidate for the school elections. Usually, in these efforts, he turned to his mismatched class for help, despite them often disapproving of his actions. They were teacher's pet Joe (Lawrence), tough guy Mitchell (Wernham), wheelchair-user emo Rem Dog (Binstead), inappropriately flirtatious Chantelle (Runeckles), effeminate Stephen (Williams), the studious Jing (Alexander) and outwardly fiery Cleopatra (Opia).

At the same time, Wickers found himself having to deal with the shenanigans of his eccentric headmaster, Shaquille "Simon" Fra$er (Horne) and meet the expectations of a string of deputy heads; at first demanding dictator Isobel Pickwell (Gomez), then the ruthless yet cringeworthy Professor Celia "Pro Green" Green (Spiro), and then his own father, dramatically inappropriate Martin Wickers (Enfield). It is clarified in the final season that the entire show spans a single academic year.

Production

The first series started airing on 14 August 2012. On 23 August 2012, it was announced that Bad Education would have a second series.[10] The second series began airing on BBC Three on 3 September 2013.[4] Part of the second series was filmed at St. Michael's Catholic High School, Finchley, London. Bad Education was also partly filmed at the former site of Ashmount Primary School on Hornsey Lane on 12 and 13 May 2013. Scenes were also filmed at the former Salesian College in Battersea, south west London. Parts of Series 3 were filmed at Ricards Lodge High School in Merton.

Characters

Staff

Pupils

Guest characters

Episode list

Series Episodes Originally aired DVD release date
Series premiere Series finale Region 2 Region 4
1 6 14 August 2012 18 September 2012 9 September 2013 20 November 2013
2 7 3 September 2013 17 December 2013 29 September 2014 TBA
3 6 16 September 2014 21 October 2014 31 August 2015 TBA

Series 1 (2012)

# Title Original airdate Viewers
(in millions)[11]
1"Parents' Evening"14 August 2012 (2012-08-14)1.385
It is parents' evening at Abbey Grove School and Alfie is under pressure from the deputy headmistress Miss Pickwell to mark his mock exam papers, otherwise she will fail his whole class. However, news that biology teacher Rosie Gulliver has split from her boyfriend only serves to distract him as he becomes fixated with securing a date with her. But with the unpredictable headmaster Mr Fraser also keen to make a move on Miss Gulliver, Alfie resorts to desperate measures both to mark the papers and beat Fraser to a date.[12]
2"Sex Education"21 August 2012 (2012-08-21)1.119
Abbey Grove School parents are worried about the impending arrival of the French exchange students, after Jean Claude and his French classmates ran riot leaving a wake of lovestruck teenagers behind them the previous year. This year, Fraser is determined to prove to the angry parents that he has got everything under control, especially with his right-hand man Alfie by his side. But is Alfie really the right man to entrust with a sex education class? Things are relieved when it turns out that Fraser had screwed up and accidentally arranged an exchange with the town of Hoogeveen in the Netherlands. But keeping things with them is easier said than done, thanks to one exchange student who every woman in the school seems to want.[13]
3"Self Defence"28 August 2012 (2012-08-28)1.301
A new computer game craze hits Abbey Grove School that has got the children imitating a dangerous move called the 'blitz kick'. Fraser decides to buy a copy of the game to see what all the fuss is about but inadvertently turns his staff into addicts as well. Alfie decides to support his beloved Miss Gulliver in taking a stand against all this violence by organising a weapons amnesty. While Fraser hires a very inappropriate self-defence tutor, Preet, to help demonstrate the dangers of violence.[14]
4"School Trip"4 September 2012 (2012-09-04)1.208
Banned from organising his own trip after a disastrous previous outing, Alfie's class are sent on Miss Gulliver's field trip to a combined petting zoo and ink museum. Alfie's pretty upset to learn she has a blind date later that day, but things get even worse when the bus gets lost in the woods.[15]
5"Football Match"11 September 2012 (2012-09-11)1.372
Alfie reveals a hidden 'talent' when the annual football match between Abbey Grove and the school he attended, Middleton House, approaches. Will the benefit scroungers pull it off, or will it be Middleton's snooty toff boys who clinch the win?[16]
6"Politics"18 September 2012 (2012-09-18)0.784
Fraser's on professional suspension after an unfortunate incident involving a projector. With the school elections due to take place, Pickwell's determined to show the governors that she can run something successfully, and Alfie's keen to show Miss Gulliver he can take politics seriously.[17]

Series 2 (2013)

# Title Original airdate Viewers
(in millions)[18]
1"Swimming Gala"3 September 2013 (2013-09-03)0.975
Abbey Grove's new term kicks off with the annual swimming gala and headmaster Mr Fraser decides to pay homage to the fact the UK recently hosted the greatest show on Earth, Splash!, by ending it with their very own synchronised diving competition. Alfie and his class don't usually take part in the gala, but lured by a cash bet with deputy headmistress Miss Pickwell he decides to bribe them with a group trip to a restaurant and enter the event. The first day back is also a chance for Alfie to catch up with his girlfriend Rosie, but he's shocked to find out that he isn't in a relationship with her at all, and even more shocked to find out that she is in a lesbian relationship with a former pupil.[19]
2"The American"10 September 2013 (2013-09-10)1.096
Alfie is shocked by the arrival of new teacher Kevin Schwimer (Kyle Soller) at Abbey Grove and even more shocked to learn that he will be taking over Alfie's own class. Desperately upset that his class seem to be having a great time and actually learning proper, real-life GCSE history with their new teacher, Alfie is even more unhappy when he finds out which class Miss Pickwell has given him instead. With headmaster Fraser and Miss Gulliver both increasingly charmed by Mr Schwimer it is left to Alfie and Jing to uncover the truth behind this American imposter.[20]
3"The Funeral"17 September 2013 (2013-09-17)0.953
Abbey Grove is rocked by the news that deputy headmistress Miss Pickwell is apparently dead and Alfie is left particularly on edge when her suicide note clearly lays the finger of blame on him after one of his class's pranks pushes her over the edge. Haunted by guilt, will Alfie be able to put her unquiet spirit at rest with the perfect memorial service? With Pickwell gone, headmaster Mr Fraser decides to advertise for her position with less-than-successful results, which may mean Rosie is offered the role full-time. But will the power change her?[21]
4"Valentine's Day"24 September 2013 (2013-09-24)0.927

It is Valentine's Day and headmaster Mr Fraser has planned a special Abbey Grove Take Me Out to help the shy kids find love. New deputy headmistress Professor Celia Green is rubbing everyone up the wrong way, apart from Alfie's father Martin, who happened to go to teacher training college with her. Alfie is desperately trying to persuade Rosie to come to dinner with him, but is distracted by some shocking news from Chantelle. Will Rosie turn up to dinner and who is Martin Wickers's surprise dinner date?[22]

Debut: Samantha Spiro as Celia Green, Harry Enfield as Martin Wickers.

Absent: Michelle Gomez as Isobel Pickwell.
5"Drugs"1 October 2013 (2013-10-01)1.076

Headmaster Mr Fraser has organised a special guest speaker India for Drugs Awareness Day, much to Rosie's annoyance. Alfie's class is alarmed by the news that Stephen's parents want him to leave Abbey Grove. Can Alfie persuade Stephen's parents to let him stay or will his attraction to drugs councillor India threaten to jeopardise everything?[23]

Absent: Michelle Gomez as Isobel Pickwell.
6"Fundraiser"[24]8 October 2013 (2013-10-08)0.961

Abbey Grove is plunged into financial ruin when headmaster Mr Fraser gives the "Nigerian Minister of Finance" all their money with the promise of huge returns on the investment. With Professor Green executing an austerity drive which sees the school pillaged of resources, Rosie thinks it's time to move on and applies for a job for a school in Soweto. Will Alfie come up with a plan to save the school and stop Rosie from leaving? And how will he react to the big announcement Professor Green is hiding from him about his father?

Final Appearances: Michelle Gomez as Isobel Pickwell, Samantha Spiro as Celia Green.
7"Christmas Special"17 December 2013 (2013-12-17)0.800

It's time for the Abbey Grove Christmas Play and with Miss Pickwell no longer around Fraser decides Alfie is the obvious replacement to direct this year's production. But with the class undecided about whether to put on the Nutcracker or Robocop, will Alfie's decision to write and direct a plot mash up of Robocracker and casting school bully Grayson as co-star prove successful?

Absent: Harry Enfield as Martin Wickers.

Series 3 (2014)

On 11 June 2014, Jack Whitehall announced that the third series of Bad Education had gone into production and the first episode would be broadcast on 16 September 2014.[25]

# Title Original airdate Viewers
(in millions)[18]
1"Strike"16 September 2014 (2014-09-16)1.004

It's summer term and Alfie Wickers is back in high spirits to get his class through their exams. But there is a shock for Alfie with the revelation that his dad Martin Wickers has been appointed as the new deputy head whose first jobs are to increase class sizes and fire a member of staff after Fraser has badly invested the school's money in his own clothing range, Dolce and GaBanter. For Alfie this means a new class member, Cleopatra, and a tough decision to make – stand by his girlfriend, Miss Gulliver when she leads the teachers on strike, or sacrifice himself to save his class from failing their exams.[26]

Debut: Weruche Opia as Cleopatra Ofoedo.
2"After School Clubs"23 September 2014 (2014-09-23)0.886
Mitchell announces he is leaving Abbey Grove, but there is the perfect opportunity for a farewell party when Fraser decides to rent out rooms to after-school clubs for extra cash. However, things get complicated for Alfie when he promises to attend Gulliver's book group, Fraser's LARPing club and Mitchell's leaving party. Alfie wants to use the book group as an opportunity to impress Gulliver, but when he gets his class to write the chapter summaries things quickly go from bad to worse. Simultaneously, he has got to help Fraser win a fantasy battle against two very self-important LARPers and survive Mitchell's leaving pranks.[27]
3"Sports Day"30 September 2014 (2014-09-30)0.826

It's Abbey Grove's sports day and Fraser has hired the most inappropriate new sports teacher to oversee events – Preet. Alfie sees this as the perfect opportunity to challenge Miss Gulliver's ex-boyfriend Richard (James Fleet) to an endurance event, which Preet offers to design. But with a steroid scandal rocking the school and Alfie desperate to win by any means possible, will he make it over the finish line with his dignity intact?

Absent: Charlie Wernham as Mitchell Harper.
4"Fundraising"7 October 2014 (2014-10-07)0.754

Martin Wickers's attempts to teach Alfie to drive end in disaster when they run over Pod, the school caretaker. Alfie and his class start fundraising for Pod's urgent surgery. However, when the school bully Grayson is transferred to Alfie's class it soon becomes clear that their noble intentions might be difficult with him around. Soon Alfie and his class find themselves no longer leading a charitable enterprise, but being taken on a joyride in a stolen ambulance. While Alfie is giving a tracheotomy after being mistaken for a paramedic, his class spot Pod walking around instead of being in a wheelchair. Fraser has taken up pole dancing and sees the fundraiser as the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his skills. Meanwhile Alfie ends up sexting his dad by mistake after Miss Guilliver's phone is swapped with his, and Alfie tries to find out if she is sleeping with Richard.

Absent: Charlie Wernham as Mitchell Harper.
5"The Exam"14 October 2014 (2014-10-14)0.847

Fraser discovers that Alfie never passed his Biology GCSE, so Alfie must go back to school himself to be taught by Gulliver and sit the exam with his own class. It should be the perfect opportunity to prove to Gulliver that he can motivate his class and lead by example, but Alfie decides there is only one real option: cheating. But, with the revelation that the notorious ball-breaking invigilator Mr Hewston will be overseeing the exam, it becomes clear that this is going to be a battle of wits. Meanwhile Martin Wickers is babysitting his girlfriend's dog and Fraser is organising the end-of-exam skip party.

Final Appearance: Charlie Wernham as Mitchell Harper.
6"Prom"21 October 2014 (2014-10-21)0.806

With exams over it's careers advice day for Form K, but it is Alfie who makes the biggest decision of all when he realises he can't go on teaching without his beloved class and quits Abbey Grove. Fraser is devastated to lose his best friend and takes the news badly. Alfie reveals he has landed himself a job at the Playstation factory, even though in reality it is at DIY Home Stores, and cannot be tempted back despite Gulliver and his class begging him to return. Miss Gulliver tries unsuccessfully to cheer up the class by being a cooler teacher. Meanwhile the school Prom takes place and the Prom king and queen are crowned. Alfie gives a final emotional goodbye to his class.

Final Appearance: Jack Whitehall as Alfie Wickers, Mathew Horne as Shaquille Fra$er, Sarah Solemani as Rosie Gulliver, Harry Enfield as Martin Wickers, Layton Williams as Stephen Carmichael, Nikki Runeckles as Chantelle Parsons, Kae Alexander as Jing Hua, Ethan Lawrence as Joe Poulter, Weruche Opia as Cleopatra Ofoedo, Jack Binstead as Leslie Remmington, Jack Bence as Frank Grayson.

American adaptation

A pilot for a U.S. adaptation of Bad Education, named An American Education, was ordered by ABC with Whitehall set to reprise his role as Alfie Wickers.[28] The pilot began filming in Los Angeles in January 2014. However, ABC passed on the pilot on 22 May 2014, but Whitehall would continue with the original UK series of the show, until Whitehall started making more episodes of the UK Bad Education.[29]

Film adaptation

On 27 February 2015, Whitehall confirmed that a feature film edition of Bad Education was in production. Filming took place in Cornwall with the majority of the main cast all reprising their roles for the film. The film is titled The Bad Education Movie and was released on 21 August 2015 in the UK. The film will see ineffectual teacher Alfie Wickers travelling to Cornwall with his students. Entertainment Film Distributors, who also handled the release of the box-office 2011 hit The Inbetweeners Movie are dealing with the release of the Bad Education Movie.[30]

Reception

The series received mixed to negative reviews from the British press. The Guardian called it "in poor taste" and accused Whitehall of "phoning it in". The Daily Telegraph gave the show a rating of 2 out of 5, claiming that the show "uses too many stereotypes" and that Whitehall "tends to repeat many jokes" rather than creating new ones. Both the Daily Mirror and The Sun gave the sitcom a rating of 2 out of 5. Despite this, the show currently holds a 7.7 out of 10 rating on IMDb, and a 4.11 rating out of 5 on SideReel from their respective users.[31][32] Rotten Tomatoes gave 71% to Bad education, a critic said "The script is patchy and the story is too silly for its own good but there are enough laughs to make this a hit with the target audience"[33]

DVD release

The first series of Bad Education was released on DVD on 9 September 2013.[34]

The second series of Bad Education was released on DVD on 29 September 2014.[35]

A boxset containing both the first and second series of Bad Education was released on DVD on 29 September 2014.[36]

There is currently a boxset of all three series.

References

  1. Bad Education, episode 3
  2. "Jack Whitehall's 'Bad Education' breaks BBC Three comedy record". Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  3. "Andy Samberg's 'Cuckoo' smashes BBC Three comedy record". Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  4. 1 2 Munn, Patrick (23 August 2013). "BBC Three Sets Premiere Date For 'Bad Education' Season 2". TVWise. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  5. Fletcher, Alex (30 July 2013). "iPlayer first: BBC Three will debut all scripted comedy online". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  6. Fletcher, Alex (4 September 2013). "Jack Whitehall 'Bad Education' iPlayer experiment proves a hit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 Munn, Patrick (7 October 2013). "BBC Three's 'Bad Education' Gets Christmas Special". TVWise. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  8. Bad Education, s1
  9. Bad Education, s3
  10. "Jack Whitehall sitcom 'Bad Education' gets 2nd series". Comedy.co.uk. 23 August 2012.
  11. "Top 10 Programmes – BARB".
  12. "Bad Education, Parents' Evening". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  13. "Bad Education, Sex Education". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  14. "Bad Education, Self Defence". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  15. "Bad Education, School Trip". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  16. "Bad Education, Football Match". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  17. "Bad Education, Politics". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  18. 1 2 "Top 10 Programmes". BARB. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  19. "Bad Education, Swimming Gala". BBC. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  20. "Bad Education, The American". BBC. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  21. "Bad Education, The Funeral". BBC. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  22. "Bad Education, Valentine's Day". BBC. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  23. "Bad Education, Drugs". BBC. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  24. "Bad Education, Fundraiser". BBC. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  25. "Jack Whitehall on Twitter". Twitter.
  26. "Bad Education, Strike". BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  27. "Bad Education, After School Clubs". BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  28. Klompus, Jack (9 November 2013). "'Bad Education': Jack Whitehall comedy to get US remake". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  29. "Bad Education USA cancelled – News – British Comedy Guide".
  30. "Jack Whitehall confirms Bad Education Movie".
  31. Ideophobe. "Bad Education (TV Series 2012– )". IMDb.
  32. "User Reviews".
  33. The Bad Education Movie, retrieved 2016-11-27
  34. "Bad Education [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  35. "Bad Education – Series 2 [DVD]".
  36. "Bad Education – Series 1-2 [DVD] [2012]".

External links

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