FX on Hulu has just released the first trailer for A Teacher, Hannah Fidell’s small-screen adaptation of her 2013 film of the same name—who better to figure out how to turn a well-received indie praised for its brevity (and unvarnished treatment of an inequitable relationship between a teacher and a student) into an entire season of television? At least, that’s been one of the questions on our minds since learning of the series order. This preview for the drama, which stars Kate Mara and Nick Robinson, opens with the affair already in full swing, as Eric (Robinson) films Claire (Mara) during some getaway. “Delete that video,” Claire tells him, which, if you didn’t already know that this show is about a high school teacher who takes advantage of a high school senior, is the first hint that this relationship isn’t as straightforward as it appears to be.
We have to wonder how well a story like this will play out, but A Teacher does look like it will reckon with the fallout of the relationship, both on the families and on the community, as well as explore how it came to be. Ashley Zuckerman co-stars as Matt, Claire’s musician husband, while Camila Perez plays Alison, Eric’s “socially conscious” ex-girlfriend.
The series was originally developed for HBO, but moved over to FX in 2018 with its creative team intact. Along with Mara and Fidell, Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan are among the show’s executive producers. A Teacher premieres November 10 on FX on Hulu; three episodes will be available to stream at launch, with the show shifting to a weekly schedule on November 17.