Gordon-Levitt’s Josh Corman is introduced as a fifth-grade teacher, treading cautiously when dealing with his young charges.
The premise does not make, admittedly, for a particularly dynamic protagonist.
The dour tone sort of turns “Mr. Corman” into the anti-“Ted Lasso,” the second-year series that has won Apple so many plaudits.
Those kind of moments also forge a connection to the indie film “500 Days of Summer,” in which Gordon-Levitt starred, at least in terms of sensibilities, taking chances in reasonably inventive ways.
The idea of TV series indulging the creative whims of movie stars is hardly new, but Gordon-Levitt brings a level of ambition to the storytelling that isn’t just dabbling.
Pencils down, the show earns a better-than-passing grade, delivering more satisfaction than the syllabus would suggest.