Courtesy of TV Land(NEW YORK) — Three seasons in, Teachers is still top of its class when it comes to female-driven storylines written by and for women.
The TV Land comedy follows a group of dysfunctional teachers at an elementary school. It grew out of a web series created by The Katydids, a comedy troupe of hilarious women whose names were all some variation of “Katie.” Together, they’ve worked to create an on-set environment where everyone feels free to share their ideas.
“[I] think we’re very aware that we want it to be a supportive, collaborative set,” Katy Colloton, who plays the narcissistic Ms. Snap, tells ABC Radio. “We’d rather you be nice and maybe not as good at your job, than a jerk who’s awesome.”
They’re also proud of their writers’ room, where nine of the 11 writers are women.
“I feel like specifically in the writers’ room, because we’re all women, we definitely create an environment to tell stories that are very female-specific,” Katie O’Brien, who plays the naïve Ms. Bennigan, says.
One such story this season involved Ms. Snap deciding to freeze her eggs.
“It was like a five hour discussion with nine women about that process and what you think and what are the complications and how unfair it is to be a woman,” Colloton says.
She adds with a laugh, “And the two men just sat there being like, ‘I don’t, uh, know how to contribute.’ But it was really awesome to have that day, you know?”
Teachers –– also starring Caitlin Barlow, Kate Lambert and Kathryn Renee Thomas — airs tonight on TV Land at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.