Synopsis of TV Show

This early Fox-TV effort was a showcase for the comedic skills of Dabney Coleman. He starred as cranky Otis Drexell, a man who had teach the fifth-grade to honor an obligation to the IRS that he incurred after being caught cheating on his taxes. Just what our ailing public school system needed...

Principal Itkin detested Drexell because she thought he couldn’t handle his class, and fellow teacher Roscoe Davis never missed an opportunity to upstage Drexell and his teaching abilities. But the worst part for Drexell was the fact they were perfectly right to dislike him: Drexell was the worst possible candidate for a teaching job—misanthropic, acerbic and manipulative. However, all these elements of his persona allowed him to get along well with all the unruly kids in his class.

The show only lasted 18 episodes before being canceled in June of 1992. However, it formed another unique entry in the line of sitcoms built around Dabney Coleman, which also included Buffalo Bill and The Slap Maxwell Story. Drexell’s Class was a critical favorite and remains memorable today for the mordant humor it found in a dark character. Like the aforementioned Dabney Coleman shows, it deserves a little applause for trying to expand the boundaries of television comedy.

Release History of Prime Time Show

9/19/91 - 6/25/92 Fox

TV Sub Categories

comedy

Television Network

Fox

TV Cast

Otis Drexell Dabney Coleman
Principal Francine Itkin (1991) Randy Graff
Roscoe Davis Dakin Matthews
Willie Trancas (1991) Jason Biggs
Nicole Finnigan (1991) Heidi Zeigler
Kenny Sanders Damian Cagnolatti
Walker (1991) Matthew Lawrence
Melissa Drexell A.J. Langer
Brenda Drexell Brittany Murphy
Principal Marilyn Ridge Edie McClurg
George Foster Cleavant Derricks
Slash Phil Buckman
Bernadette Jacqueline Donnelly
Lionel Matthew Slowik

Other Prime Time Links