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YMMV / Bad Education

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The Series

  • Critical Dissonance: It has been received negativity by critics from The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror and The Sun but is well received by the general audience.
  • Crosses the Line Twice:
    • Fraser admits that at one point he was way too liberal with "the N-word", right in front of a black woman. This is meant to be a Bait-and-Switch when he reveals the "N-word" he was talking about was actually "No". Fraser then brags about how he's banned the students from ever saying no...unless they're girls.
    • During the Series 2 premiere episode, Fraser introduces the swimming gala by lighting the Olympic Torch (which is shoddily made), which goes disastrously when the torch stands collapse into the shape of a cross, and set on fire. Whilst Fraser tries to put the fire out, his white swimming gown is revealed to have a pointed hood, making him look like a member of the Ku Klux Klan. The whole crowd (Alfie facepalms) is shocked at this display (one of the school governors, Mr Smith, a black man in this instance, is silently seething with rage).
      • In the next episode, he reveals that because of the incident, Pickwell threatened to report him to child welfare services (which could put his job in jeopardy) unless she hired Kevin, the titular substitute teacher.
  • Fridge Horror:
    • When Pickwell saves the school from bankruptcy in the Series 2 finale, it is with money left to her by her German consort the Beast of Bergendorf, who passed away a month before. Specifically "the gold he stashed in Switzerland". That's right. Abbey Grove is now financed with Nazi Gold. Though this is lessened slightly by Fraser losing it at all by investing it in his Dolce and Gabanter clothing range at the start of Series 3.
    • In the ‘School Trip’ episode, fifteen-year-old Chantelle mentions having been dumped by her boyfriend Finley after he told her he loved her so she would sleep with him. Later on, we find out that Rosie’s blind date - who is explicitly said to be 23 - is none other than Finley himself. This means that, unless he was lying on his dating profile (unlikely, judging from his appearance and the fact that he drives a car), Finley committed statutory rape on Chantelle. He is never shown getting in trouble for this.
  • Hilarious in Hindsight: After faking her death, Ms Pickwell reexamined her life, discarded her killjoy tendencies and became the bride of Satan as well as a psychopathic Time Lady.
    • Martin and Alfie mention that Alfie auditioned for Harry Potter once and even got down to the final three, but he lost out the spot to Emma Watson, who plays Hermione. In real life, Jack Whitehall (Alfie's actor) actually auditioned for the role of Harry Potter, but he lost out to Daniel Radcliffe.
  • Hilariously Abusive Childhood: Frank Grayson. In episode 5 of series 3, his mother, speaking to three of his teachers, calls him a "useless mongrel" and a "selfish bedwetting little bastard" who drove his own father away, to which Frank replies that he "don't deserve mummy's love." As the plot quickly moves away from this point, it's difficult to tell whether the audience is meant to interpret this as funny (because Frank is a bully) or horrifying.
  • Jerkass Woobie:
    • Alfie may be selfish and inconsiderate at times, but he is constantly treated like shit by the staff and his students.
    • Frank Grayson is revealed to be one, once it's revealed in the episode "Exams" that his mother neglects him and blames him for driving his father away which results in him being pushed aside in favour of her pet dog, Coco.
  • Memetic Mutation: "ILLEGAL, CHANTELLE."
  • Nightmare Fuel:
    • Alfie's face after diving in due to his allergy to chlorine, is not pleasant to say the least.
    • The creepy older man at the DIY in the final episode. Once Alfie sees all the suspicious items he's bought, he immediately realises this guy's planning to kill somebody. His only line of dialogue implies it will probably be a woman.
  • Tear Jerker: The ending to Series 3, especially when Alfie, alone in the classroom, bursts into tears after viewing the slideshow the kids left for him.
  • Viewer Gender Confusion: Pickwell is mistaken for a lad when she overdoes "it with her make-up and her suit, and her dick" to impress Mr Humpage and get a job at Middleton House.
  • The Woobie: Joe never gets a break. From bad haircuts (from a bowl cut to a head shave) to bullying to Alfie pressuring him into moronic schemes.

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