English Teacher is the latest hit comedy show from FX. It was created by and stars Brian Jordan Alvarez as the main character, Evan Marquez. It premiered in September to positive reviews, good ratings, and strong word of mouth. The story follows a high school English teacher and his coworkers as they try to balance the demands of the students and their parents.
Jenn Lyon guest starred in episode 6 as antagonist Linda Harrison, a feisty local business owner who takes Evan to task for flunking her kid. Lyon is best known as Jennifer Husser on the hit TNT series, Claws, and has had memorable roles in Justified and Saint George.
[This conversation has been edited for clarity and length}
How did you get involved in this show?
I got the audition, and I loved it so much. I was already a fan of Brian Jordan Alvarez and Stephanie Koenig. I had been watching their stuff online forever. When I came in and I knew he was doing the show, I was so stoked. I made a self-tape and sent it in. Then we did a Zoom, and I got it. I was just over the moon about it.
What was it like building this character, Linda Harrison?
They sent me the first episode because she was mentioned. I knew there was a story arc. Brian and Stephanie were amazing to work with. Also, Jonathan Krisel, who directed Portlandia and Baskets, is a genius. They had such a well-oiled comedy machine going, and Enrico Colantoni is an actor I’ve admired for so long. I sort of got thrown into the mix, and they do a lot of improv.
A lot of you just sort of get to take the reins of the character and she was already on the page. I had to do very little heavy lifting there. Just knowing her because the text was so good, helped me be able to improv and take things in different directions and they’re just so collaborative. It was a really cool set.
What’s your take on Linda?
She’s not bad. We’re all in our everyday lives pursuing objectives, aren’t we? Who among us hasn’t owned a restaurant and used our incredible power over a public school?
Were there any challenges doing this role?
I hadn’t shot a gun in a while. I grew up in the South, but I wouldn’t say I come from a hunting type of people. You get on set and they just hand you a shotgun and they go over the safety stuff. I realized I’ve got to look like I know what I’m doing. There were a lot of dogs in one scene. I’m crazy for dogs, which makes it hard for me to pay attention. I forget I’m in a scene. I just really want to play with the dogs. That was challenging.
That sounds fun…
The whole environment keeps you on your toes. I think any actor who gets to go on the show will be so lucky. You really get to flex those muscles of improv and taking notes. Sometimes you go on a show that’s like a procedural and you just do it one way and you do three takes and it’s over. This was like, you got to be front-footed and collaborative. I just thought it was the coolest environment.
It feels like a very loose show where it feels like very organic, the things that happen. Any favorite moments or favorite scenes from it?
My favorite scene, oh, by far was in the restaurant with Stephanie and Brian because they are so funny in real life, watching Stephanie eat so many steak nuggets over and over or go to eat them and not eat them or ponder them. I really think that they are both so masterful. So working with them, we had the best time.
How much improv did you get to do?
The script was great already, but Brian really works in the moment and he’s like, why don’t we say something about this? Then you just take it from there, and if you have a good understanding of the character, which I did because also the writers had written her so well then you have the freedom to improv within those boundaries.
Do we expect to see more Linda on the show?
I hope so. That would be a dream. I really love this. So I would be really stoked to work with them in any capacity.
You have a long history doing comedy and improv. Tell us about POYKPAC, your YouTube channel.
We got in on the front edge of YouTube back in the day before there was a glut of online comedy. We just made so much stuff all the time and we loved it. I’m married to Taige from the group. I’m best friends with Ryan and Maggie. It was very formative for us in New York together. Back in the day, it was like you borrow your friend’s camera, Dave, from down the street’s going to run sound. You’re just scrappy enough to believe that you can do it.
What was this experience on English Teacher like and what do you hope audiences take away?
I think English Teacher is so special because what they are doing is they are fusing current culture and political climate with the haplessness of being an actual person. You think you’re going to get taught a lesson, you think it’s going to be some morality play, but it ends up being about how you maintain your sort of authenticity in a world that’s constantly shifting because we’re all constantly online with our own individual helplessness. You try to do what’s right, but then the culture changes the next day.
English Teacher is streaming on FX on Hulu.
