There’s only one show that can pull off the ability to make you laugh at a sexual innuendo in one scene and then make you cry just as hard in the next: “Sex Education.”
The show, in all its comedic glory and heart-wrenching moments, properly depicts teenagers as they are. Out with the 8-pack, 30-year-olds playing high-schoolers, and in with the extremely relatable, witty characters exploring relationships, love, and, well, each other. The ongoing British coming of age show features Otis and Maeve, who, after realizing Otis has an affinity for sex advice, opens a clinic at their school to therapize students towards a successful sex life. The first two seasons are funny, heartfelt, and most of all, real. And season three, which was released Sept. 17, is no different.
Well, except for one thing — Maeve and Otis’ relationship, whose chemistry takes a turn for the worst.
The characters in the first two seasons have a fiery relationship. It’s no surprise when you pair Otis’ quirky, awkward but charming character with Maeve’s rebellious, blunt one. The relationship for the entirety of the show had been a confusing whirl of “will-they-or-won’t-they” that left us at the edge of our seats. But just as we thought they would finally be together, something always prevented it: the timing would be off or one of them would realize their feelings only after the other person moved on. Strung out continuously, the relationship was bound to fall short at some point, and we saw it happen in season three.
We realize the chemistry the two had shared in previous seasons is no longer the same when a confrontation in the middle of the night ends in a kiss. It’s supposed to be a revolutionary moment--you’re obliged to pause the show to breathe or you’re smiling like an idiot because it finally happened. But instead, the moment is extremely underwhelming.
There is an upside to the disappointing execution of Otis and Maeve’s relationship though. With the downplay of development between them came the heightened focus on other important characters of the show. If they weren’t lovable before, they are definitely lovable now.
Take Adam Groff (Connor Swindells) for example, the closeted school bully who over the spent two seasons transforming into a complex, vulnerable character as he grew to be in touch with his own feelings and his sexuality. In season three, his effort to be a better person is obvious. We see him open up to his friends around him, make a visible effort in school and find a passion for dog trick competitions. By the third season, he’s arguably one of the best characters in the show.
Ruby (Mimi Keene) previously seen as the shallow “mean girl” finally gets her story in season three. The portrayal of her character as the stereotypical entitled rich girl is shattered when it’s revealed that she’s going through financial troubles. In one episode, we finally see the real Ruby when she takes Otis to her small suburban house and tends to her ill father, whom she cares deeply for. And later, her closed-off persona unravels when she bites the bullet and tells Otis she loves him, which she admits she’d never told anyone before.
The development of characters in the third season also offered space to start conversations on serious topics. The show gives delicate attention to nonbinary representation and includes a well-fleshed out subplot on the navigation of a romantic relationship between a non-binary and cis person. The show emphasizes storytelling over teaching the audience a lesson. There is no exposition behind Cal — a non-binary character in the season — because the show understands that to normalize representation is not to spoon-feed the audience but to let us see a glimpse of their world, watching them live as they are.
The show also properly navigates a character dealing with the aftermath of a sexual assault. She’s given space in the season to talk about her trauma and there’s a scene where, with tears in her eyes, she admits, “I just want to be the old me.” It’s the part of the season that tells us it understands the length one must go to move on from what has hurt them, and how even then, they are never truly the same. Like Cal, this character takes precedence in this show and isn’t merely glossed over like popular TV tends to do.
Even though the main love interest we were initially rooting for fell short in their delivery, it gave way to a season that focused on the characters around them, all of whom enhanced the show.
At the core of sex jokes, messy relationships, and drunken confessions are awkward teenagers stumbling through life and leaning on one another to become who they’re supposed to be.
We saw it in the way Otis showed up at Lily Iglehart’s house and sat in front of her bedroom door to convince her to never give up on who she is. We saw it in the way Maeve’s friend Nate pushed her to finally take the leap and study abroad in the US. And we saw it when Adam came out to his Mom as bisexual.
Season three of “Sex Education” is when the show fully embodied its own characters and their stories. It’s a season that is empathetic and understanding towards each person. When finished, it’ll make you feel, if even for a second, a little more accepted.
“Sex Education” is now available to stream on Netflix.