TV Review: Sex Education
Sex Education, a Netflix Original show that premiered this month tells the story of Otis, a “late bloomer” when it comes to sexual experience. He possesses, however, extensive knowledge about sex and relationships due to the nature of his mother’s job as a sex therapist. The series follows he and his friends: Maeve, Eric and Jackson, his mother Jean and Adam, a bully. With the help of Maeve, Otis makes a business of charging his fellow peers money in exchange for sex therapy advice.
The series was an absolute hit with audiences around the world and earned a 91 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewers praised the show’s honest approach and relatable take on the topic of sex.
Alongside its comedic and dramatic flavor, Sex Education brings to television realities and truths many high school students around the world are grappling with. Relationships, sex and love are only a few of the topics Sex Education explores. In addition, the show helps answer many questions or curiosities teens may have in a very comedic way. Before watching the show, I was not knowledgeable about genophobia—the fear of sexual relations—and how that affects individuals. But through Otis, who is affected by genophobia himself, viewers are able to observe the personal experiences and challenges a person with the phobia can face.
Another topic that is explored is gay intimacy and the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community. If it wasn’t apparent to you before you start watching the show, Sex Education will teach you the reality of homophobia, the strength and courage it takes to persevere through discrimination and the loneliness of being different. Eric, an openly gay black student, is the laughing stock of his school and faces disapproval from his father. Despite being bullied, he is consistently full of cheer and hope.
Sex Education also touches upon economic division between students and the academic and social ramifications of being a low-income student. Maeve, Otis’s crush and sex therapy business partner, seems ruthless and careless. In reality, though, she is completely the opposite. Maeve supports herself and lives in a trailer park miles from school. She does not tell others of her situation or of her high intelligence. Her skills in writing and reading, as shown to the audience, are astonishing. However, instead of excelling in school, she sells her work to others to make money and allows others to take credit for her brilliant mind. At the cost of her skills and talent, Maeve spends her time and commitment to raise money for her trailer home and other living expenses.
Along with representation, Sex Education contains frontal nudity. For some, it may be viewed as inappropriate, but I believe that non-censorship, to the extent displayed in the show, is an appropriate in a show named Sex Education. One of the main goals of the show is an exposure to uncomfortable scenes and frontal nudity is part of that very exposure. I think to avoid seeing Sex Education due to its lack of censorship would discredit the many other important aspects of the show.
As of now, the show is only one season long with ten episodes. It would be easy to binge the show in one weekend. To save you the stress of waiting for a long time in anticipation of the next season, though, I would recommend watching it in small pieces to fully enjoy the whole series. An announcement for Season two was released by Netflix on Feb. 1 and production will begin sometime this coming spring.
Overall, I am a huge fan of the show. It has brought laughter, excitement and entertainment for each day I watched it, and it’s the perfect way to relax and have fun. I loved watching the show during study breaks as it gave me something to look forward to while I worked through my assignments. I also appreciate the amount of representation in the show—it made way for an opportunity for anyone to learn something new about different experiences or identities. If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, watching Sex Education should definitely be on your checklist.