On Netflix, “The Professor” has a lot to do – and a lot of headwinds.
At first glance they look impressive – wood-panelled rooms, high ceilings, deep benches, densely packed book walls. But when he said Dr. Ji Eun Kim is sitting in her executive chair behind her new desk, collapsing. In other words, all that glitters isn’t gold at the fictional Pembroke College of Liberal Arts in New England, where the Netflix series “The Chair” is set.
Ji Eun Kim, played by Sandra Oh, who played skilled Dr. Christina Yang in “Grey’s Anatomy” for ten seasons, is the newly appointed professor at the English College. For the first time, a woman of immigrant descent held a responsible position – and Ji Yeon is determined to bring the conservative store, in which she was previously one of many gears, to a woman at the front.
Six 30-minute episodes in Season 1 (Director: Daniel Gray Longino) This effort is absurd – in a deeply entertaining and often subtly sarcastic way. It’s not up to Ji-Yoon for all of the largely sympathetic principal’s plans to fail: Dean Paul Larson (David Morse) wants her to get rid of the three oldest (and most expensive) professors, whose students he no longer attends. Her best friend Bill (Jay Duplass), who is popular with the students and albeit a pretty fake guy, makes a political blunder that causes a stir on campus. Ji Yeon’s black classmate Yaz McKay (Nana Mensah), who was promised a permanent position, is said to have ditched pressure from a sponsor in favor of a bestselling author. In addition, single parent Ji-Yoon fights on the private front with her adopted daughter Jo Jo, who discovers her Mexican roots, and single father Happy, who sticks to his Korean traditions.
There is a lot of material for episodes from the pen of Amanda Peet and Annie Julia Wyman, but the clear dialogues of the fairly mature characters, the dynamic alternation of slapstick, deep humor and terrifying actors make “The Professor” a delightful TV entertainment. There will definitely be material for a second season.
“the professor” It works on Netflix.
