Fuoriclasse (English: A League of Their Own) is an Italian television series directed by Riccardo Donna and Tiziana Aristarco. It is loosely based on various works by Domenico Starnone (Ex cattedra, Fuori registro e Sottobanco) and stars Luciana Littizzetto as teacher Isa Passamaglia. The synopsis of the series is similar to the story of the film La scuola (1995), also scripted by Starnone.

Plot and themes

The plot centers on a high school in Turin, the Liceo Scientifico Caravaggio (Caravaggio Scientific High School), particularly on a freshman class and a senior class. Most of the teachers in the series are portrayed as quite compassionate, while others are more strict. The leading character is Isa Passamaglia (portrayed by Littizzetto), a teacher of Latin and Italian literature and a single mother of a teenage son with whom she has a strained relationship. The series also deals with personal hardships faced by Passamaglia's colleagues and her students.

The series proved to be a huge success in Italy for its realistic depiction of issues Italian students and teachers often face, such as fears that their high school may face closure due to a lack of public funding—a plausible scenario during the economic crisis. Rivalries between teachers as well as misunderstandings between them and the school headmaster are also heavily featured. Further themes include blended families, late pregnancy, juggling family life and work life, sexual orientation, parent-child relationship, and first love.