What is good? Sex Education on Netflix! In three seasons, Lori Nunn’s series has held a real master class in teen series. with real care for accuracy of representation and tone. Because, unlike many of its peers, the series managed to treat all of its characters, their respective issues, and almost every subject on the same level. Therefore, we can say that sexual education has created a new standard.
A series for everyone
Sexuality education has a special gift of appealing to everyone. To teenagers, of course, but also to their parents or those who never managed to leave their ingratitude, even after 20 years.
The British series is set in the fictional town of Murdale and revolves around a boy named Otis (Asa Butterfield). He begins practicing makeshift sex therapy (in the high school restrooms), for example, from his mother Jean (Gillian Anderson), an actual sexologist.
These two characters are the backbone of the show and support its premise, but it’s the personalities around them that have transformed Sex Education into one of the freshest, funniest, most inclusive shows on television. Sex Education doesn’t litter its plot with characters of color, disabled or gay characters, just to check a few boxes. The series digs deeper into their stories.
First and foremost, this is a series aimed at teenagers, but written by people who understand all too well what it’s like to navigate the halls of high school, where hormones are bubbling in every direction. And it’s a series that’s really educational. Speaking of the vulva and penis, we name them without preaching. Addressing topics as diverse as sexual assault, coming back, and what it’s like to be non-binary, Sex Education is fearless, imaginative, and authentic.
The mantra of the series is to liberate the word. Having everyone confide their problems to Otis is truly a liberating act. For them, as for the audience. And above all, it is about using the right words for evil. Or at least on topics that we are rarely used to discussing in public debates. Like this scene, both educational and funny, where Rahim (Sami Outalbi) explains how to do an anal enema before sex.
The secret ingredient of sex education lies in the brilliance of its casting. Namely, Nkuti Gatwa, who plays Eric, Otis’ best friend and gay black guy. It expresses self-confidence and joy of life. In the third season, she tries to understand her new relationship with her former stalker boyfriend, Adam (Connor Swindells). It’s precious to see this boy whole, not his victim.
Speaking of Adam, he’s also charming. He goes from a bully who terrorizes everyone to an insecure boy who has trouble expressing his feelings and even distinguishing between them. While the character is written fantastically well, Connor Swindells performance also greatly contributes to Adam’s evolution. He manages to evoke the most total antipathy and sympathy when we see him completely lost.
how good is it
In addition to educating young and old alike, Sex Education is also a series that will make you cry a little. And laugh, a lot. He can do both. And it often works with the most unlikely pairings. Case in point: Otis has casual sex with the most popular girl in school, Ruby (Mimi Kinney). And Ola (Patricia Ellison) and Lily (Tanya Reynolds) are as nondescript as ever. The way this series deals with the complexities of teenage relationships is incredibly accurate.
Let’s go back to Eric and Adam as they are on the verge of going all out. After Adam bullies and harasses poor Eric, the lightness of their relationship can be a little disconcerting – in a good way. But it is also necessary because it also shows that we can change and evolve in the right direction.
Take for example how the show handles the moment when Eric and Adam try to make love for the first time and realize they’re both *spoiler alert*
Spoiler:
passive. The series initially plays for laughs, but then settles into a painful exploration of Adam’s communication problems.
And Eric? Even if he has confidence, he is still new to romantic relationships. In addition, the series is very relevant to Eric’s identity as a British-Nigerian and what it means to be gay in Nigeria. No character is considered one-sided. Everyone has their own world and difficulty.
We still haven’t talked about Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood), who is in shock after being sexually assaulted on a bus in Season 2. Her arc allows us to address both the issue of consent and assault.sexual. and the trauma it causes. All with precision and a serious tone when necessary. Aimee works through post-traumatic stress disorder with the help of her best friend Maeve (Emma Mack).
That’s another thing this show does well: it portrays real, honest female friendships. Aimee and Maeve will make you cringe at their relationship, almost absolute love, even if it’s strictly platonic.
Sex Education is a show about teenagers, so it won’t be praised for having one of the most progressive depictions of therapy on television, nor for having the most authentic sex scene. Although we had a very beautiful and steamy love scene with Isaac (George Robinson), a disabled boy.
The series also has its flaws, some may sometimes criticize it for its somewhat heavy humor – a bit like the teenagers themselves. But it should not be underestimated. As young people should not be underestimated. We have just one piece of advice for you: don’t miss one of the best TV series of the moment, period.
The fourth and final season of Sex Education will be available on Netflix from September 21.
Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
