Marco D'Olivera begins as a strict and unwanted NQ Science teacher. Most of the kids think Marco is boring because of his draconian and excessively robotic teaching methods. However, Marco soon changes his teaching methods after he takes Rhiannon Salt and some other pupils on a trip and they refuse to do the work. Marco wows the students with the Coke and Mentos experiment and consequently gains respect from his students.
Marco has a semi-serious rivalry with the other NQT, Guy Braxton. This reaches breaking point when Marco hides Guy's classroom equipment, causing Guy to be put on an official warning. After Guy rescues Marco from the store cupboard that Dale Jackson locked him in, Marco admits to Guy that he stole the equipment so he would come out as number one. Guy responds by punching him. The two of them appear to be on mutual grounds after this.
In Series 10 Episode 18, Marco has a brief fling with English teacher Christine Mulgrew.
In Series 10 Episode 20, Marco is attacked by Rob Hutchinson, due to his romance with deputy head Lorna Hutchinson, Rob's wife. Rob locks both Marco and pupil Kenzie Calhoun in the freezer. They are later found by Justin Fitzgerald.
Marco is last seen being asked on a date by Lorna during the celebrations at the school being saved from the merger.
Quotes
- "First day?" (first line)
- "Look, I know you're new here, but...I'm not your mate, nor are any of the other teachers here. A bit of respect, OK?" (to Guy, mistaking him for a pupil)
- Marco: "Marco D'Olivera."
- George: "So, which one are you? Brainless and untrained, or just brainless?"
- "If I'd known this place was a sinking ship, I'd have applied to Havelock."
- Lorna: "Wow, OK. Fellow science teacher and health nut, you put me to shame!"
- Marco: "I dunno, you look pretty fit yourself! W-I mean in a, cardiovascular kind of way, you know, not as in, fit, in a, you know, as in an attractive way. I mean, that's not to say you're not...objectively speaking, you know, pretty. I mean, pretty good looking. Not that I am looking, I - oh god, what I mean is, um..."
- Lorna: "First piece of mentoring advice - just quit while you're behind, yeah?"
- "They just kept interrupting me the whole time. You know, piping up, asking questions, cracking jokes. Breaking my flow, I can't stand it. Drives me mad. How do you put a stop to that?"
- Marco: "Lorna! I thought maybe we could uh, go for a drink. Toast my first day."
- Lorna: "Uh, I try and keep my professional and my private life separate. Avoids complications."
- Marco: "I'm not gonna lose my career over today, am I?"
- Guy: "My sister nearly lost her sight!"
- Guy: "Hey. Sorry about that thing with Lorna."
- Marco: "I'm sure that moment will keep you warm in the car tonight."
- "I did it. I nicked the equipment from your classroom. I wanted to do better than you...look, if you wanna take things further, I don't blame you..."
- Lorna: "What happened to Mr 'In Five Years I'm Gonna Be Head of Department'?"
- Marco: "He did a term of teaching. Or, more precisely, trying to teach."
- Christine: "Did you mean to do that, or did you just miss my cheek?"
- Marco: "I meant it. You know, you're...welcome to come back to mine, if you like."
- Christine: "Well, it's either that, or cocoa and a game of Scrabble with Audrey."
- Rob: "Wow. You really do have a problem, don't you?"
- Marco: "With you, yeah. I don't like you and I don't trust you. The Lorna I met was a feisty independent woman with a gob on her, now she's not even choosing her own lunch."
- "That'd be nice." (final line)