"The Teacher" (Polish: "Belfer"), also known as "The Teach," is a Polish television crime drama series that started airing on October 2, 2016. The show features Maciej Stuhr as Paweł, a high school teacher who solves criminal cases. Katarzyna Dąbrowska plays Marta, another teacher and Paweł's occasional love interest. Paulina Szostak appears as Ewelina, a student, in two seasons. The first season, which had ten episodes, was very popular on Canal+. It set a record for the network and won two awards, including Best TV Series at the Polish Film Awards. A second season with eight episodes began in October 2017. After not being shown for six years, a third season with eight episodes aired in September 2023.

Plot

In late August 2016, Paweł, a high school teacher from Warsaw, moves to Dobrowice. He begins looking into the murder of a student named Asia, who is later revealed to be his unknown daughter. During this time, Paweł starts a relationship with Marta, and she becomes pregnant. He discovers corruption and illegal activities among local police and some students. Paweł meets Ewelina, a young journalist who helps him with his investigation.

In 2017, after solving the case, Paweł is forced by Inspector Radosław to work secretly at a private school in Wrocław. At this school, three students—named Iwo, Magda, and Tymek—had disappeared before Paweł arrived. These students were trained by a Polish intelligence officer named Karol to gather secret information. Iwo causes harm to people at the school. Paweł uses Ewelina to help him investigate a group of people preparing for disasters and planning dangerous attacks. Karol kills Ewelina to hide his connection to Iwo. Tymek steals police records and kills Radosław. Magda kills Karol to stop him from escaping punishment. Paweł refuses to continue working for Polish intelligence agents.

Five years later, in August 2022, Paweł is released from jail without being convicted of any crime. He returns to Małomorze as a teacher. He reconnects with Bogdan, who runs cruises and uses local students as crew members. Paweł learns about the disappearance of a boy named Kacper during one of these cruises. A local police officer named Ewa is investigating the case. Ewa’s daughter, Ada, is Kacper’s friend. Kacper’s father, Waldemar, is involved in illegal activities. Waldemar’s associates, Olaf and Robert, help him. These men are protected by Ewa’s boss, Zbyszek. Paweł and Ewa separately investigate the death of Waldemar’s worker, Iwan. Paweł’s determination grows stronger after Bogdan dies, officially due to drowning while drunk. Paweł later meets Marta again and asks to see their daughter, Milena.

Cast

• Maciej Stuhr as Paweł Zawadzki: Teaches Polish at a secondary school and was once a juvenile psychologist. He helps solve crimes for the police and also works on cases by himself. He returns to Dobrowice after Asia is murdered. He is Asia’s and Milena’s biological father. He becomes Katarzyna’s lover and later becomes Marta’s lover. He is forced by Radosław to work as an undercover teacher at a private school in Wrocław. After being accused of spying, he is released without being convicted. He returns to the port city of Małomorze and lives with Bogdan.
• Katarzyna Dąbrowska as Marta Mirska: Teaches at Dobrowice high school. She is Paweł’s lover and becomes pregnant. She follows Paweł to Wrocław, but their relationship ends. She is Milena’s mother.
• Paulina Szostak as Ewelina Rozłucka: A student in Dobrowice and Asia’s friend. She becomes Maciek’s lover. Later, she pretends to be Weronika/"Wera" to help Paweł in Wrocław.
• Szymon Piotr Warszawski as Radosław Kędzierski: An inspector with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBŚ). He forces Paweł to work as an informant.
• Piotr Głowacki as Rafał Papiński: A police officer in Dobrowice and Sławomir’s second-in-command. He is later promoted to Commander.
• Helena Sujecka as Maria Zimmer: A police officer in Dobrowice. She later becomes Rafał’s assistant.
• Magdalena Cielecka as Katarzyna Molenda: Head of the Dobrowice foundation for youths. She is the mother of Julka and Jasiek.
• Grzegorz Damięcki as Grzegorz Molenda: A businessman in Dobrowice. He is the father of Julka, Jasiek, and Sebastian.
• Paweł Królikowski as Sławomir Słota: Commander of the Dobrowice Police.
• Sebastian Fabijański as Adrian Kuś: Works for Grzegorz. He is Julka’s lover and supplies drugs to dealers. He supports his 6-year-old brother despite their mother’s poor parenting.
• Józef Pawłowski as Maciej Dąbrowa: A student and Asia’s boyfriend. He briefly becomes Ewelina’s lover.
• Krzysztof Pieczyński as Lesław Dobrzański: Editor-reporter for Dobrowice Voice newspaper. He is Ewelina’s uncle.
• Łukasz Simlat as Daniel Poręba: A physical education teacher who stares at female students.
• Mateusz Więcławek as Jasiek Molenda: A student and Julka’s twin brother. He is an abusive bully and later becomes a drug dealer.
• Joachim Lamża as Ryszard Kumiński: Owner of a local meatworks and supermarket. He illegally dumps waste in the forest and partners with Grzegorz.
• Aleksandra Popławska as Ewa Walewska: Asia’s mother and Paweł’s former lover.
• Cezary Łukaszewicz as Sebastian Molenda: Grzegorz’s first son. He works for Grzegorz.
• Aleksandra Grabowska as Julka Molenda: A student and Jasiek’s twin sister. She is Adrian’s lover.
• Katarzyna Sawczuk as Asia/Joanna Walewska: A student and Maciej’s girlfriend. She is the murder victim.
• Malwina Buss as Jowita Wójcik: A student who writes threatening letters to Asia.
• Michalina Rodak as Daria Sadurska: A student who is coached by Daniel.
• Piotr Kruszewski as "Yogi": A student and bully. He is Jasiek’s follower.
• Matt Malecki as Bujak: A student and "Yogi’s" friend.
• Jakub Zając as Krystian Wróblewski: A student and Maciej’s friend.
• Robert Gonera as Bogdan Walewski: Ewa’s husband and Asia’s father. He later learns about Ewa’s affair with Paweł.
• Patryk Pniewski as Łukasz Tarczyński: A student and drug dealer working for Adrian.
• Sandra Drzymalska as Ola Kaczmarek: A student and Ewelina’s friend.
• Maciej Charyton as Jakub "Kuba" Wróblewski: An autistic and epileptic student. He is Krystian’s older brother.
• Przemyslaw Bluszcz as Jacek Dabrowa: Maciej’s father and a hunter.
• Beata Kawka as Grazyna Rozlucka: Owner of a local bar. She is Ewelina’s mother.
• Katarzyna Kwiatkowska as Olga Wróblewska: Mother of Krystian and Jakub. She is Krysia’s friend.
• Robert Czebotar as Mikolaj Wróblewski: Father of Krystian and Jakub.
• Roma Gąsiorowska as Ewa Krawiec: Police commissioner in Małomorze. She is Paweł’s former lover and Zbyszek’s former lover.
• Jacek Koman as Bogdan Zawadzki: Paweł’s father and a sailing ship captain. He was once jailed for smuggling amber.
• Wiktoria Kruszczyńska as Ada Krawiec: Ewa’s daughter and a student. She is Kacper’s friend and Bartek’s girlfriend.
• Michał Zieliński as Kacper Krynicki: Waldemar’s son and a student. He is missing and presumed drowned.
• Mirosław Baka as Waldemar Krynicki: Basia’s husband and Kacper’s father. He is a major businessman who organizes secret activities.
• Katarzyna Herman as Basia/Barbara Krynicka: Waldemar’s wife and Kacper’s mother. She is Bogdan’s former lover.
• Marek Kalita as Zbigniew/Zbyszek Molak: Police superintendent and Ewa’s boss. He is also her former lover.

Production

Season one was directed by Łukasz Palkowski and based on a script by Jakub Żulczyk and Monika Powalisz. Filming started in July 2015 using locations in Chełmża, which was used as a stand-in for Dobrowice; as well as Kwidzyn, Chełmno, Warsaw, Wilanów, Kampinos National Park, and Lake Zegrzyńskie.

Season two, which has eight episodes, premiered on October 22, 2017. Krzysztof Łukaszewicz and Maciej Bochniak directed the second season, with scripts written by Żulczyk, Powalisz, and Bartłomiej Ignaciuk. It was filmed from April to July 2017 in Wrocław, Warsaw, and Wałbrzych.

The director of the third season, which has eight episodes, is Łukasz Grzegorzek. The scripts were written by Żulczyk, Powalisz, Kacper Wysocki, Liliana Pomykalska, and Przemysław Nowakowski. The scenes were recorded in 2022 in Łódź, Tuszyn, Pabianice, Zgierz, Ustka, and on the STS Kapitan Borchardt sailing ship.

Reception

The first season was very successful for Canal+, setting a new record for the highest number of viewers. On average, 345,000 people watched the show, and over 461,000 viewers watched the final episode on November 27, 2016. It received the Special Prize at Telekamera 2017 and won the Best TV Series award at the 2017 Polish Film Awards.