What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Professor
Wayne Roberts · Film · 2018
If you loved The Professor, start with After Life (Ricky Gervais, 2019) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Professor across media.
If The Professor captivated you, you will appreciate these stories that explore the raw, unfiltered urgency of facing mortality with uncompromising defiance.
Books on the same thread
Sabbath's Theater
Philip Roth · Book · 1995
Shares a thread with The Professor: Dark Comedy.
Like the protagonist of The Professor, Mickey Sabbath embodies a reckless, unrepentant spirit, using his impending mortality as a catalyst to push against societal norms with biting, cynical audacity.
The Stranger
Albert Camus · Book · 1993
Shares a thread with The Professor: Existential crisis.
The Stranger shares the existential core of The Professor, offering a stark look at how a terminal diagnosis or sudden realization can dismantle the conventions of civilized, moral life.
The Last Lecture
Randy Pausch · Book · 2009
Shares a thread with The Professor: Living Life to the Fullest.
Where The Professor explores the chaos of a life-changing diagnosis, this memoir provides a grounded, reflective look at how one defines a legacy while confronting an inevitable end.
When Breath Becomes Air
Paul Kalanithi · Book · 2016
Shares a thread with The Professor: mortality.
This memoir captures the same profound existential weight found in The Professor, documenting the intellectual and emotional transformation that occurs when a physician faces his own mortality head-on.
Series on the same thread
After Life
Ricky Gervais · Series · 2019
Shares 2 threads with The Professor: Dark Comedy, Dramedy.
Fans of The Professor will recognize the same dark comedic approach to grief, as Tony adopts a similarly reckless, antisocial freedom to cope with the unfairness of his existence.
Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2008
Explores: Moral Decay, Man Breaking Bad, Consequences of Crime.
Walter White mirrors the central arc of The Professor, using a cancer diagnosis as a catalyst to shed his former identity and embrace a bold, dangerous new reality.
The Kominsky Method
Chuck Lorre · Series · 2018
Shares 2 threads with The Professor: Mortality, Dramedy.
This series captures the bittersweet humor of aging seen in The Professor, focusing on the search for meaning and authentic connection while navigating the inevitable decline of the body.
The Big C
Darlene Hunt · Series · 2010
Shares 3 threads with The Professor: Terminal Illness, Existential Crisis, Dark Comedy.
Much like the protagonist in The Professor, Cathy uses her terminal diagnosis as a permission slip to radically alter her behavior, finding humor and joy in the face of death.
Podcasts on the same thread
Life Over Whiskey
Brien and Gerald · Podcast
Explores: life lessons, self-improvement, personal growth.
If The Professor hit, Life Over Whiskey shares the thread.
Torta Podcast
Podcast
Explores: embracing life, positive mindset, self-acceptance.
If The Professor hit, Torta Podcast shares the thread.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Professor a film about someone facing a terminal illness?
Yes, The Professor follows a world-weary college teacher who receives a life-changing diagnosis. After learning this news, he chooses to abandon social conventions and live the remainder of his life with a reckless streak and a biting sense of humor.
What is the primary theme explored in The Professor?
The primary theme of The Professor is the pursuit of personal freedom in the face of mortality. The protagonist decides to discard all pretense and live as boldly as possible, embracing a touch of madness while navigating the consequences of his life-changing diagnosis.
Does the main character in The Professor change his behavior after his diagnosis?
Yes, the protagonist of The Professor changes his behavior significantly. Upon receiving his diagnosis, he decides to throw all pretense and conventions to the wind. He begins to live his life as freely as possible, characterized by a biting sense of humor and a reckless streak.
Is The Professor a 2018 movie?
Yes, The Professor is a 2018 movie written and directed by Wayne Roberts. It depicts the story of a college professor who decides to live his life with newfound boldness and a sense of madness following a life-changing medical diagnosis.