Based on 4 seasons, 42 episodes · through September 2, 2021
A.P. Bio is a comedy television series about Jack Griffin, a snobby Harvard professor who loses his dream job. He moves back to Toledo, Ohio, and works as a high school teacher. Instead of teaching biology, Jack uses his smart students to get revenge on his rivals. The show is mostly an absurdist comedy, but it does include a prominent lesbian character named Helen with her own romantic storylines. The final season also features some light girl power elements when one of the female students directs a female-led action web series.
Why 39%? See the score breakdownBreakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for A.P. Bio.
Woke representation / casting
The student body and school faculty feature standard modern casting diversity. However, there is clear LGBTQ+ representation: Helen (played by openly lesbian actress Paula Pell) is explicitly written as a lesbian, with her attraction to women and dating life becoming more prominent in later seasons. Additionally, the student Devin is briefly described as fluid in season one.
32%
Woke political dialogue
The show is primarily an absurdist workplace and high school comedy with cynical, self-serving characters rather than a platform for political activism. However, there are occasional instances of modern feminist jokes and light social commentary, alongside frequent comedic dialogue from Helen regarding her lesbian identity and dating life.
25%
Identity-driven story themes
Main storylines focus on Jack's narcissistic and chaotic schemes rather than identity politics. Still, the show features notable secondary subplots centering on identity. Helen's lesbian dating life is featured in several episodes, and student Heather leads occasional feminist-tinged comic crusades, including producing a female-led action parody web series, "Janet Fist," in the final season.
30%
Western institutional / cultural critique
While the show satirizes suburban Midwestern life, high school bureaucracy, and Jack's arrogant academic entitlement, it does not push a heavy modern activist agenda. The criticism of traditional structures remains within standard, lighthearted sitcom territory rather than serving as a systemic deconstruction of Western institutions.
25%
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
The series did not spark any major anti-woke controversy or widespread conservative backlash. Woke complaints are extremely scarce and limited to a few isolated online comments suggesting the writing softened or became more progressive in later seasons, but these did not gain mainstream traction.
10%
Creator track record context
The creative team features a broad mix of backgrounds. Key figures like creator Mike O'Brien and star/director Glenn Howerton have entirely neutral profiles with no history of progressive activism. However, prominent executive producers like Seth Meyers and several writers/directors, including Paula Pell and Carrie Brownstein, have established histories of left-leaning advocacy and queer representation.
35%
Production
