Netflix has some great originals, but it also has a deep library of shows and movies that it licenses from other studios.
"A.P. Bio" is just one such show, and it's a supremely underrated one. Is it perfect? No. In fact, there's a new show from this year that does a lot of what "A.P. Bio" does but better. More on that later.
But it is funny. Even rewatching some clips to refresh my memory about the show, I couldn't stop laughing. So I'm not surprised that it's already shot up the Netflix top 10 to the No. 2 spot after being added last week. If there's one thing the Netflix algorithm excels at, it's finding a way to revive a show that didn't get enough credit.
So let's dive into what "A.P. Bio" is and why one of my favorite underrated sitcoms is a great choice for your next binge-watch.
What's 'A.P. Bio' about?
"A.P. Bio" stars Glenn Howerton (of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fame) as Harvard professor Jack Griffin. Well, disgraced former Harvard professor Jack Griffin to be exact. When Jack loses his dream job to his academic rival Miles Leonard (Tom Bennett), he does not take it well.
So with Jack not getting his dream job, or keeping his current one, he's forced to move back to Toledo, Ohio and live in his late mother's house. He's also forced to teach advanced placement biology at his alma mater Whitlock High School, which is basically the only teaching job he can still get.
There's just one problem — Jack isn't a biology professor. And the former philosophy professor has no intention of teaching his new students a second of biology, or anything else.
But after not teaching them for a bit, he realizes that they're very intelligent high school students and he recruits them to get revenge on Miles. Aware of Jack's schemes, Principal Durbin (Patton Oswalt) tries to keep Jack under control while still trying to give Jack a second chance.
That's the premise for season 1. The show moves past the initial revenge story in the subsequent seasons and focuses on Jack's attempts to write a bestseller to get back on top instead. In that storyline, Jack uses his students to try and find out how the people of Toledo find happiness in their daily lives so he can include it in the book.
'A.P. Bio' reminds me of 'English Teacher' for all the right reasons — stream the entire series now
To say "A.P. Bio" walked so "English Teacher" could run doesn't do Brian Jordan Alvarez's new Hulu show enough credit. He's doing a level of social commentary in that show that "A.P. Bio" could only dream of.
But as I think about this NBC/Peacock sitcom, I can't help but compare the two. They're both led by excellent actors as brilliant teachers with some distinct personality quirks and some obsessions in their personal lives dominating everything else.
They also both have great student casts, and that's no small feat. "A.P. Bio" wouldn't succeed without a young cast that has chemistry with each other and with Howerton.
In particular, the acrimonious relationship between Howerton's Jack, who refuses to teach biology, and the overachieving Sarika Sarkar, who just wants to learn biology, is a great one to watch. But the best younger member of the cast is probably Allisyn Snyder as Heather Wilmore, a mousy, nerdy student with some unexpected sides to her. She becomes one of Jack's most trusted assistants in his efforts to get back on top in life.
So if you're looking for a new show to watch, try an old one instead. "A.P. Bio" ran for 42 episodes across four seasons, so there's plenty to watch — and you can stream the entire series now on Netflix.
