How ‘English Teacher’ Scored A Touchdown With “Powderpuff,” Starring Trixie Mattel

Every so often I find myself moved to tears while watching a movie or TV show — not because the subject matter is sad, but because the execution is so damn good that I’m in awe of and inspired by its brilliance. English Teacher‘s second episode, “Powderpuff,” took me to that magical weepy place.

As a whole, FX’s new comedy from Brian Jordan Alvarez is one of 2024’s greatest shows. But its two-episode premiere on September 2 featured an Emmy-worthy standout directed by Alvarez and written by Stephanie Koenig.

English Teacher Episode 2, “Powderpuff,” follows the lead-up to a politicized powderpuff game at Morrison-Hensley High School. As history teacher Gwen (Koenig) attempts to teach the girls football and self-defense alongside gym teacher Markie (Sean Patton), English teacher Evan (Alvarez) calls in an old pal (played by RuPaul’s Drag Race icon Trixie Mattel) to teach a group of football players how to authentically perform drag and “go full out” on the field.

In quintessential English Teacher fashion,”Powderpuff” excels at tackling serious issues without taking itself too seriously. The feel-good episode makes meaningful statements about LGBTQ+ rights and the hot-button issue of drag performances in schools while getting spectacularly silly, edgy, and heartfelt. The 24-minute comedic gem feels undeniably special, and writer Stephanie Koenig sensed its potential from the start.

“We were talking about the episode in the writers’ room and everyone was picking which episodes [they wanted to write], and I was like, ‘I gotta do that one,'” Koenig told Decider at the Television Critics Association’s Summer 2024 press conference in July. “It came out very easily, all the turns. And that’s what Brian does so well. You can always trust him to take the left turn.”

Koenig felt “Powderpuff’s” palpable greatness “all the way through” production, in large part because English Teacher landed the perfect guest star, Trixie Mattel, who was eager to work with Alvarez and down to defy expectations as Shazam, a criminal drag queen.

“It is so amazing. Trixie and I have followed each other for a while. She apparently was watching my stuff even back in the day. So I didn’t even know that for years, and at some point she said, ‘Oh, I’ve been a fan for a while.’ And I’ve been a fan of hers forever. She’s a genius. So we basically always had her in mind for this part,” Alvarez told Decider. “When we asked her, it was a very quick yes. She said, ‘I’m moving my schedule!’ I was so flattered and humbled. And her performance in the show is mind-blowing. She’s so funny in and out of drag. Brian Firkus is his name out of drag, and he was so willing to play ball. Such a great actor. So funny.”

While Evan and Shazam teach the boys about breast plates, lace front wigs, and the importance of larger-than-life self-expression, Gwen and Markie teach the girls how to defend themselves on and off the field in scenes that gave Koenig a front-row seat to Patton’s comedic genius.

“The thing about Sean, he is so funny. He will say something and you’re just like, ‘Where the hell did that come from?’ It’s almost like he’s rhyming. I don’t even know. He’s a different comedian than I’ve seen before. He really takes a joke and will have an arc to it. He’s such a very present actor and he has a lot of heart,” Koenig explained. “Even when I was writing, there were some scenes where it was unexpected what he was doing with them. I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect that to be like a part where you’re winking at me.’ There’s just a lot to him. He’s got a lot of talent.”

During English Teacher‘s TCA panel in July, Patton told reporters, “the script was like an insurance policy to improvise,” stredding how safe he felt to take risks and “go a little nuts.” That sentiment is widely shared among the cast, and two of Koenig and Alvarez’s favorite improv moments happen in Episode 2.

“I love when I say, ‘Shazam has a show in town called The Woman of La Mancha.’ And Trixie says, ‘That actually got canceled. It’s now called Drink Ticket Tuesday,'” Alvarez laughed, confirming the drag legend improvised the line.

“You know a line that’s so good that I don’t think is in the script? The writers are always throwing out things and I think Dave King came up and said, ‘Boom! You’re dead! Your husband is the most likely person to kill you!'” Koenig added, referencing one of Gwen’s hilarious self-defense scenes. “I was about to break because that made me laugh so hard.”

Episode 2 also holds a special place in Koenig’s heart because it introduces Gwen’s boyfriend, Nick, played by Koenig’s real-life husband, Chris Riggi. “I was so nervous that he was even auditioning. I was like, ‘OK. Well, there’s no pressure. Just send in your tape. But there’s no pressure!” she told Decider, sharing how thrilled she was that he got to bring the unemployed man who’s hyper-fixated on building a pool by hand to life. “I love my husband! I was like, ‘Chris, you have to come to set every day.'”

From start to finish, “Powderpuff” goes as “full out” as Shazam and Morrison-Hensley High’s football players. It has heart, humor, and flair in spades. And it’s another brilliant example of how Alvarez and Koenig creatively enhance each other. To quote the episode’s final line, “They actually fucking did it. Werk.”

New episodes of English Teacher premiere Mondays on FX with next-day streaming on Hulu.