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"A.P. Bio" Season 3: Patton Oswalt Signals Class Is Back In Session [PREVIEW]

After what look like a final failing grade for the sitcom, class is back in session and the doors to Whitlock High School are set to open once again on Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Patton Oswalt's (Happy!) sitcom A.P. Bio – except it's moving to a slightly different "home." Created by Mike O'Brien, the series will see a third-season transfer from NBC to NBCUniversal's new streaming service Peacock – making it the streamer's first half-hour original comedy order, more than a month after it was cancelled.

A.P. Bio
A.P. BIO — "Sweet Low Road" Episode 209 — Pictured: Patton Oswalt as Principal Durbin — (Photo by: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC)

We were big fans of the series during its first season (though we have some thoughts on how it lost its way during season 2), so we're excited to see A.P. Bio shifting to a streamer that will afford the them a little more room to stretch their creative muscles. Even more exciting? Oswalt's tweet below, signaling that class is back in session – which means it's time for… more Principal Durbin morning broadcasts!!!

While the series wasn't exactly a "rating juggernaut" for the network, it's said that a number of NBC executives are big supporters of the series. The show's strong digital presence was key in finalizing the decision to bring A.P. Bio to the streaming service – as was the online #SaveAPBio campaign:

"The pilot of the comedy, which originally aired in February 2018 to a 0.8 in the demo, now sits at a 5.6 after 100 days of delayed viewing. The series is also strong digitally with the 18-34 demo. Season one of the series was NBC's most digital-skewing show of the 2017-18 season, with 35 percent of its 18-49 audience coming from digital platforms. In season two, A.P. Bio generated 47 percent of its 35-day demo rating from digital platforms and ranked behind only Brooklyn Nine-Nine on its platforms."

Here's a look at O'Brien's official statement on the show's return – followed by his Twitter post:

"I'm so overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the fans. The cast and I are thrilled that we get to make more and I'm excited to work with the NBCU streaming platform."

When disgraced Harvard philosophy scholar Jack Griffin (Glenn Howerton) loses out on his dream job, he is forced to return to Toledo, Ohio, and work as a high school Advanced Placement biology teacher. As he comes crashing in to Whitlock High School, Jack makes it absolutely clear he will not be teaching any biology. Realizing he has a room full of honor roll students at his disposal, Jack decides instead to use the kids for his own benefit. Eager to prove that he is still king of the castle, Principal Durbin (Patton Oswalt) struggles to control the force of nature that is Jack Griffin.

Howerton and Oswalt are joined by Lyric Lewis, Mary Sohn, Jean Villepique, Tom Bennett, Paula Pell, Charlie McCrackin, Jacob McCarthy, Aparna Brielle, Nick Peine, Allisyn Ashley Arm, Eddie Leavy, Jacob Houston, Sari Arambulo, Tucker Albrizzi, and Spence Moore II.

A.P. Bio is written and executive produced by O'Brien, with Seth Meyers, Mike Shoemaker, Andrew Singer, and Lorne Michaels also serving as executive producers. Universal Television, Broadway Video, and Sethmaker Shoemeyers Productions produce.


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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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