A reoccurring element in some of our favorite TV shows and movies is the role of an influential teacher in the lives of our young protagonists. From dark professors of wizardry to kindly old men dispensing bits of moral guidance like they’re gum balls, our favorite on-screen teachers come in all shapes and sizes. Rarely do they get their proper due, however, so we’ve decided to put together a list of what we feel are the 20 best.
20. Ms. Othmar from Peanuts
Not only could we not see Ms. Othmar, we only heard her in the form of unintelligible wahwahwahs, which is actually probably how most middle-schoolers hear their teachers, anyway.
19. Mr. Newman from Wet Hot American Summer
Summer camp is the precise time to get away from your teachers, but for a certain sect of outcasts at Camp Firewood, the allure of Mr. Newman’s science experiments proves irresistible. The initially reluctant astrophysics professor ends up rallying the campers to help ward off a piece of NASA’s Skylab that he is convinced is hurtling toward Earth.
18. John Kimble from Kindergarten Cop
John Kimble is the only member of this list who isn’t a teacher by trade—he’s a detective who goes undercover as a teacher—but let’s be real here: there’s no way we’re not including Arnold’s role in Kindergarden Cop. Though Kimble exemplifies the classic “in over his head” type, he could also probably bench press the combined weight of all his students. We’ll call it a wash.
17. Louanne Johnson from Dangerous Minds
I’m pretty sure Michelle Pfeiffer’s character of Louanne Johnson, an ex-Marine who whips a bunch of inner city troublemakers into shape, could have kicked the ass of any other teacher on this list. Yes, even John Kimble.
16. The Economics Teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
“Bueller?…Bueller?”
