Quick LinksIt's Not 'Always Sunny,' But Still a Furiously Good Time 'A.P. Bio' Had a Shaky Start, But the Following Seasons Get Better
Dennis Reynolds walks into a school, and... the mighty hammer of Thor crashes down on everyone. This is the premise of Glenn Howerton's school house comedy A.P. Bio. A fish-out-of-water tale about a disgruntled author forced to take up a teaching position at his hometown school, A.P. Bio is the spiritual offshoot of Howerton's role in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. And while fans may have missed the hilarious workplace comedy starring one of the owners of the Worst Bar in Philadelphia during its initial run, Netflix has offered them a second chance with the series' arrival to streaming. And so far, fans are pleased.
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A.P. Bio stars Glenn Howerton as Jack Griffin, a disgraced former Harvard professor who finds his job usurped by his literary and professional nemesis, Miles Leonard. Forced to return to his hometown, Jack takes up a teaching position at a local high school, where he simmers as the reluctant leader of a group of advanced placement students. With a room full of the future's best minds at his disposal, Jack plots to take down Miles and restore himself to his former glory.
It's Not 'Always Sunny,' But Still a Furiously Good Time Close
Glenn Howerton takes the lead as a chaotically evil Jack. Jack is selfish, bitter, conniving, and full of righteous indignation fueled by his arrogance. And yet, despite these flaws, his character remains charmingly endearing. It is a balance that Howerton has perfected in his 16 (and counting) seasons of It's Always Sunny as the psychopathically self-involved Dennis Reynolds. However, whereas Dennis of Always Sunny is surrounded by main characters who are as hyper flawed as he is, A.P. Bio's Jack is a big fish tainting a small pond.
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Jack is Dennis Reynolds full of furious purpose and firing mid-rant but here tempered down to be enjoyed by a family-friendly audience. His unabashed use of the students as tools in his one-sided war with Miles is the best of Dennis Reynold's careless disregard while still remaining in the relatively tame framework that being a network show requires.
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Rounding out the cast is a wonderful assortment of actors who comprise the perfect foil to Jack's unhinged energy. From the ever-enthusiastic principal who works desperately to win Jack's approval to the trio of gossipy teachers who somehow become Jack's friends and cohorts, the characters who are staged around Jack carry their own chaos. They all manage to play up to Jack without being overwhelmed by him.
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However, the highlight of the show is Jack's interaction with his students, the reluctant 'bring Miles down' army. The class has great chemistry and distinct characters that stay true to themselves for the most part. The relationship between Jack and the class is largely antagonistic, and through it, viewers are offered welcoming glimpses into the growth of Jack's character throughout the series.
'A.P. Bio' Had a Shaky Start, But the Following Seasons Get Better Close
A.P. Bio ran for two seasons on NBC before being canceled in 2019. It was later picked up for NBC's streaming service, Peacock, where it streamed for two more seasons before being canceled once again in 2021. While the first season struggled to connect with critics, receiving a 66% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, the second and third seasons fared far better and received a perfect 100% from critics. (Of note: at this point, the series only had a handful of aggregated reviews).
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Audiences were steadily favorable of the series. The series averaged a 76% audience score, plateauing in Season 2, which received an 86% audience rating. Fans of the series called the show hilarious, smart, and underrated. One review called the show a 'satisfying comb[ination] of absurd and wholesome', while some fans wondered if the show suffered under the Always Sunny comparisons. Glenn Howerton was noted as the main draw. Fans who followed the actor over from his Always Sunny role enjoyed the comparisons between the two characters (Dennis and Jack). However, some stated that without Howerton, their interest in the series would have waned.
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Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt's charming high school comedy 'A.P. Bio' has cracked Netflix's top ten series in the US.
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Gratefully, the series has found a new audience. A.P. Bio is currently #2 in Netflix's Top 10 streaming shows. The full series landed on the streamer on November 15, allowing subscribers to binge and binge. Along with Howerton, the series stars Patton Oswalt as the lovable and eager Principal Durbin. Paula Pell (30 Rock, Bless the Harts) plays his dedicated assistant. Additional cast includes Lyric Lewis, Mary Sohn, and Jean Villepique for the faculty staff. Tom Bennett, Aparna Brielle, Brad Morris, and Spence Moore II also star. All four seasons of A.P. Bio are now available to stream on Netflix and Peacock.
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