Vice Principals
{{short description|American television comedy series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Vice Principals.jpg
| caption = Season 1 promotional poster
| genre = Comedy
| creator = {{Plainlist|
| developer =
| writer =
| director =
{{Plainlist|
- Jody Hill (season 1)
- Danny McBride
- David Gordon Green (season 2)
}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Danny McBride
- Walton Goggins
- Kimberly Hébert Gregory
- Dale Dickey
- Georgia King
- Sheaun McKinney
- Busy Philipps
- Shea Whigham}}
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = Joseph Stephens
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 18
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Danny McBride
- Jody Hill
- David Gordon Green
- Jonathan Watson
- Stephanie Laing
}}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Brandon James
- Adam Countee
- Hayes Davenport
- Ben Dougan
- Tim Saccardo
}}
| editor =
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera = Single-camera
| runtime = 31–35 minutes
| company = Rough House Pictures
HBO Entertainment
| first_aired = {{Start date|2016|7|17}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2017|11|12}}
| related =
| channel = HBO
}}
Vice Principals is an American comedy television series starring Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Dale Dickey, Georgia King, Sheaun McKinney, Busy Philipps and Shea Whigham. The co-creators were Danny McBride and Jody Hill. The series was ordered by HBO in May 2014 with an 18-episode pickup,{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hbo-orders-new-danny-mcbride-707560 |first=Lesley |last=Goldberg |title=HBO Orders New Danny McBride Comedy Series |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=May 28, 2014 |access-date=July 8, 2016 |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623061714/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hbo-orders-new-danny-mcbride-707560 |url-status=live }} and the series was split into two seasons for a designed finite run.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/08/danny-mcbride-vice-principals-two-seasons |first=Derek |last=Lawrence |title=Danny McBride says Vice Principals will last only two seasons |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=July 8, 2016 |access-date=July 8, 2016}} The series began to shoot in 2015 and wrapped in mid-2016, and premiered on July 17, 2016.{{cite news|last1=Pederson|first1=Erik|url=https://deadline.com/2016/04/hbo-premiere-dates-ballers-vice-principals-the-night-of-1201740255/|title=HBO Books Summer Dates For 'Ballers', 'Vice Principals' & 'The Night Of'|date=April 19, 2016|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=April 20, 2016|archive-date=June 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616103334/https://deadline.com/2016/04/hbo-premiere-dates-ballers-vice-principals-the-night-of-1201740255/|url-status=live}} The second and final season premiered on September 17, 2017,{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/vice-principals-premiere-date-final-season-hbo-walton-goggins-danny-mcbride-1202124489/ |title='Vice Principals': HBO Sets Final-Season Premiere For Back-To-School Time |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=July 6, 2017 |access-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-date=July 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709041915/http://deadline.com/2017/07/vice-principals-premiere-date-final-season-hbo-walton-goggins-danny-mcbride-1202124489/ |url-status=live }} and concluded on November 12, 2017.
Synopsis
Vice Principals focuses on Neal Gamby (Danny McBride), the ill-tempered, dogmatic, and disliked vice principal of North Jackson High School, and his ambitions of being promoted to the principal's chair when the principal is due to step down. However, when the current principal (Bill Murray) retires, he reveals that he trusts neither Gamby nor his scheming and seemingly sociopathic co-vice principal Lee Russell (Walton Goggins), and so has recommended neither of them as his successor; instead, outsider Dr. Belinda Brown (Kimberly Hébert Gregory) is hired. When Gamby's attempt to get the school faculty to veto the appointment backfires (as Brown quickly makes a positive impression on the staff with her goal-oriented agenda and amicability with students), he conspires with Russell to find some way of ruining Brown's reputation and installing himself as principal. The show chronicles the schemers' gradual self-destruction as their own biases and unlikable personalities increasingly alienate Brown and the rest of their co-workers.
Cast
=Main=
- Danny McBride as Neal Gamby, the divorced, self-important, authoritarian vice principal in charge of discipline at North Jackson High.
- Walton Goggins as Lee Russell,{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/justifieds-walton-goggins-star-hbos-771159 |first=Lesley |last=Goldberg |title='Justified's' Walton Goggins to Star in HBO's 'Vice Principals' |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=February 9, 2015 |access-date=July 8, 2016 |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106004640/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/justifieds-walton-goggins-star-hbos-771159 |url-status=live }} vice principal of curriculum at North Jackson High, a conniving office-politician with sociopathic tendencies who enters into an unholy alliance with Gamby.
- Kimberly Hébert Gregory as Dr. Belinda Brown, North Jackson High's "confident and powerful" school principal.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hbos-vice-principals-adds-devious-798893 |first=Lesley |last=Goldberg |title=HBO's 'Vice Principals' Adds 'Devious Maids' Alum (Exclusive) |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=May 29, 2015 |access-date=July 8, 2016 |archive-date=August 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810111200/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hbos-vice-principals-adds-devious-798893 |url-status=live }}
- Georgia King as Amanda Snodgrass, the idealistic new English teacher at North Jackson High.
- Sheaun McKinney as Dayshawn, a cafeteria worker{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/article/davine-joy-randolph-and-sheaun-mckinney-join-danny-213129 |first=B.G. |last=Henne |title=Da'vine Joy Randolph and Sheaun McKinney join Danny McBride in Vice Principals |work=The A.V. Club |date=December 17, 2014 |access-date=July 8, 2016 |archive-date=August 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806182955/http://www.avclub.com/article/davine-joy-randolph-and-sheaun-mckinney-join-danny-213129 |url-status=live }} who Gamby frequently confides in.
- Busy Philipps as Gale Liptrapp, Neal's ex-wife and Ray Liptrapp's new bride.
- Shea Whigham as Ray Liptrapp, the new husband of Gamby's ex, and frequent target of his hostility — despite being a genuine and supportive guy.
- Dale Dickey as Nash (season 2), the new Vice Principal then Principal of NJHS.
=Recurring=
- Maya G. Love as Janelle Gamby, Neal and Gale's daughter, of whom Gale has primary custody.
- Edi Patterson as Jen Abbott, a Civics teacher at North Jackson High with a one-sided crush on Gamby.
- Ashley Spillers as Janice Swift, the new secretary for North Jackson High.
- Susan Park as Christine Russell, Lee's wife.
- June Kyoto Lu as Mi Cha, Lee's mother-in-law.
- Mike O'Gorman as Bill Hayden, a history teacher at North Jackson High.
- Madelyn Cline as Taylor Watts (season 1), Spirit Captain at North Jackson High.
- James M. Connor as Martin Seychelles, a drama teacher at North Jackson High
- Robin Bartlett as Octavia LeBlanc, an English teacher at North Jackson High
- Brian Howe as Jeremy Haas (season 1), Superintendent of the school district.
- RJ Cyler as Luke Brown, Brown's older son.
- Jennifer Gatti as Mrs. Deets
- Brian Tyree Henry as Dascious Brown (season 1), Belinda Brown's estranged husband.
- Marcius Harris as Officer Terrence Willows (season 2), the school security guard.
- Conner McVicker as Robin Shandrell (season 2), a delinquent student who Gamby expelled from North Jackson prior to the beginning of the series.
- Fisher Stevens as Brian Biehn (season 2), Amanda's new boyfriend, a successful novelist and lecturer.
- Christopher Thornton as Mr. Milner (season 2), a science teacher and amateur cartoonist at North Jackson.
Episodes
{{Series overview
| color1 = #1F338A
| link1 = #Season 1 (2016)
| episodes1 = 9
| start1 = {{Start date|2016|7|17}}
| end1 = {{End date|2016|9|18}}
| color2 = #F86916
| link2 = #Season 2
| episodes2 = 9
| start2 = {{Start date|2017|9|17}}
| end2 = {{End date|2017|11|12}}
}}
=Season 1 (2016)=
{{Episode table |background=#1F338A |overall= |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers= |country=US |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = The Principal
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & Jody Hill
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|7|17}}
|ShortSummary = After their principal resigns, Vice Principals Neal Gamby and Lee Russell face off for the newly opened position. Both, however, are distraught when they meet the new principal, Dr. Belinda Brown, and agree to team up to take her down.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = A Trusty Steed
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|7|24}}
|ShortSummary = Dr. Brown begins to get under Gamby's skin as she hires someone to evaluate both him and Russell.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = The Field Trip
|DirectedBy = Danny McBride
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Adam Countee
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|7|31}}
|ShortSummary = In an attempt to get closer to teacher Amanda Snodgrass, Gamby agrees to go on an out of town field trip.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = Run for the Money
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Jeff Fradley
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|8|7}}
|ShortSummary = As their homecoming football game approaches, Russell uses it as an opportunity to take down Dr. Brown, though Gamby is worried it will have negative consequences for the school.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = Circles
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Hayes Davenport
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|8|14}}
|ShortSummary = After Gamby sabotages their latest venture, he and Russell cut ties. Dr. Brown works with Gamby to tone down his disciplinary methods. Russell faces some problems at home.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = The Foundation of Learning
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Ben Dougan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|8|21}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby and Russell create an elaborate scheme to turn the school against Dr. Brown. Gamby, eager to get closer to his daughter, learns motocross, with the help of Snodgrass.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|Title = The Good Book
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Hayes Davenport
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|8|28}}
|ShortSummary = At teacher workday, Dr. Brown has Russell watch her mischievous sons. Gamby and Snodgrass get closer. Dr. Brown's ex-husband returns.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|Title = Gin
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Tim Saccardo
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|9|11}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby must decide who he is loyal to as Dr. Brown offers him a new, more respectable role and reveals she plans on firing Russell. His relationship with Snodgrass is complicated as he learns that she used to sleep with a different teacher at the school.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 9
|EpisodeNumber2 = 9
|Title = End of the Line
|DirectedBy = Jody Hill
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|9|18}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby and Russell blackmail Dr. Brown, resulting in a shake up on the school staff. Gamby and Snodgrass are still not talking.
|LineColor = 1F338A
}}
}}
=Season 2 (2017)=
{{Episode table |background=#F86916 |overall= |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers= |country=US |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 10
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = Tiger Town
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Tim Saccardo
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|9|17}}
|ShortSummary = Recovering from his wounds, Gamby returns to a very different North Jackson High School.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 11
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Slaughter
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Ben Dougan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|9|24}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby fingers a suspect, with Dayshawn's help. Russell tests out a kindness strategy at school.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 12
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = The King
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Adam Countee
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|10|1}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby confronts Snodgrass' new boyfriend. Russell tries to find out who drew a cruel picture of him.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 13
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = Think Change
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Jeff Fradley
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|10|8}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby is principal for the day while Russell attends his father's funeral. The teachers complain about the new fitness instructors.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 14
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = A Compassionate Man
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Jeff Fradley
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|10|15}}
|ShortSummary = Russell's birthday party ends in disaster when Christine invites an old friend; Gamby tries to show his charitable side.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 15
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = The Most Popular Boy
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Hayes Davenport
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|10|22}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby discovers the other teachers except for Snodgrass are planning to get Russell fired.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 16
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|Title = Spring Break
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Jeff Fradley
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|10|29}}
|ShortSummary = Gamby and Russell accompany Janelle and her friends on spring break.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 17
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|Title = Venetian Nights
|DirectedBy = Danny McBride
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Jeff Fradley
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|11|5}}
|ShortSummary = Tensions come to a head for Gamby and Russell as prom approaches.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 18
|EpisodeNumber2 = 9
|Title = The Union of the Wizard & The Warrior
|DirectedBy = David Gordon Green
|WrittenBy = Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri & Jeff Fradley
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|11|12}}
|ShortSummary = The school year comes to a roaring end; Gamby's shooter is revealed.
|LineColor = F86916
}}
}}
Production
On June 15, 2015, the Charleston City Paper reported Vice Principals filming in the North Charleston, South Carolina neighborhood of Park Circle.{{Cite web |url=http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/HolyCinema/archives/2015/06/15/danny-mcbrides-vice-principals-filming-in-park-circle-today |title=Paul Bowers, "Danny McBride's Vice Principals filming in Park Circle on Monday," Charleston City Paper, 15 June 2015. |access-date=June 25, 2015 |archive-date=April 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402115726/https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/HolyCinema/archives/2015/06/15/danny-mcbrides-vice-principals-filming-in-park-circle-today |url-status=dead }} The newspaper added that comic actors Will Ferrell and Bill Murray would make cameo appearances in the series.Charleston City Paper, June 15, 2015. Scenes that take place in the school were shot on the campus of R. B. Stall High School{{Cite web |url=https://stall.ccsdschools.com/home |title=Official website |access-date=September 21, 2016 |archive-date=September 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912015957/http://stall.ccsdschools.com/home |url-status=live }} and also filmed on campus of West Ashley High School.
=Music=
The score was composed by Joseph Stephens. The soundtrack was released by Waxwork Records in 2019 on a double LP pressed to 180 gram vinyl. The release included liner notes by McBride and Stephens.{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/01/hbo-vice-principals-vinyl-waxwork/|title=Electronic score to HBO's Vice Principals heads to vinyl|location=Consequence of Sound|author=Roffman, Michael|date=29 January 2019|access-date=11 August 2020|archive-date=September 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928080754/https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/01/hbo-vice-principals-vinyl-waxwork/|url-status=live}}
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, season 1 has a rating of 66%, based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Vice Principals is sporadically amusing and benefits from its talented stars, but its mean-spirited humor sometimes misses the mark."{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/vice_principals/s01 |title=Vice Principals: Season 1 (2016) |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=July 27, 2016 |archive-date=April 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429184413/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/vice_principals/s01/ |url-status=live }} On Metacritic, the season has a score of 56 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/vice-principals/season-1 |title=Vice Principals: Season 1 reviews |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=July 27, 2016 |archive-date=July 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728141519/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/vice-principals/season-1 |url-status=live }} Season 2 has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7/10 based on 11 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "Danny McBride and Walton Goggins return to settle unfinished business in a Vice Principals season two that is both obscenely funny and more satisfying than its predecessor."{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/vice_principals/s02 |title=Vice Principals: Season 2 (2017) |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=January 7, 2018 |archive-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202164941/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/vice_principals/s02/ |url-status=live }}
=Accolades=
Home media
The complete first season of Vice Principals was released on DVD and Blu-ray by HBO Home Entertainment (which is distributed through Warner Home Video) on February 7, 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Vice-Principals-Season-1-Press-Release/22867 |title=Vice Principals - HBO's Press Release, Package Art for 'The Complete 1st Season' |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |first=David |last=Lambert |date=December 8, 2016 |access-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-date=November 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108034951/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Vice-Principals-Season-1-Press-Release/22867 |url-status=live }} The complete series was released on DVD by HBO Home Entertainment on April 10, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VICE-PRINCIPALS-THE-COMPLETE-SERIES-Available-on-DVD-410-20180111 |title=Vice Principals: The Complete Series |publisher=BroadwayWorld.com |date=January 11, 2018 |access-date=April 14, 2018 |archive-date=April 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415064344/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VICE-PRINCIPALS-THE-COMPLETE-SERIES-Available-on-DVD-410-20180111 |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- {{IMDb title|3766376}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150205042824/http://www.mtv.com/news/2066216/danny-mcbride-vice-principals-hbo/ MTV on Danny McBride and Vice Principals]
- [https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2015/06/20/hbo-comedies-ballers-the-brink/71255786/ USA Today on HBO Comedy and Vice Principals]
{{Vice Principals}}
{{Danny McBride}}
{{HBONetwork Shows|state=collapsed}}
Category:2010s American high school television series
Category:2010s American black comedy television series
Category:2010s American single-camera sitcoms
Category:2010s American workplace comedy television series
Category:2016 American television series debuts
Category:2017 American television series endings
Category:American English-language television shows