“Sex Education” Season 2 tutors viewers through laughter, love and sticky situations
By Emily Hyatt
The British are coming! But this time, it’s a very, very good thing.
The second season of the Netflix original show, “Sex Education,” hit the platform on January 17. This season continues to follow the horny Brits of Moordale Secondary School (a British version of high school) as the students are squirming through the repercussions of last term’s antics.
Though it can be a journey full of grimaces, showrunner Laurie Nunn delves into these cringe-worthy experiences with heart and humor.
The show is centered around the son of a sex therapist, Dr. Jean Milburn, and his friends. Otis, said son, is best friends with Eric, who hooked up with his longtime bully-now-turned-lover Adam, who used to date Amy, who is the sole friend of the angsty but lovable Maeve, who recently dated the hunky jock, Jackson. Ah, the intricacies of high school.
While dealing with his newfound sexuality and a first-time girlfriend, Otis morphs into a self-absorbed shell of the person he once was. He finally manages to redeem himself in the last episode but, by this point, it’s too late for our skinny protagonist; he’s officially a tw*t.
Maeve continues to be the clever badass viewers fell in love with during the first season. Her short but powerful essay about loneliness solidified her soft side that the writers have been hinting at all along.
Eric and his new beau Rahim’s doomed romance proved to the world that no matter how handsome you are, nothing can overcome a true connection. Adam’s penultimate proclamation of love for Eric (a blissful “I Want to Hold Your Hand” Beatles reference) left viewers hopping around their living rooms with joy. Je suis désolé, Rahim.
Although the newbies of season two are not as strongly written as the original cast, there are a few that stand out from the pack. For one, there’s Viv, the guarded genius that helps Jackson get his grades up. Chinenye Ezeudu, the actress who plays her, equips Viv with a vicious wit and facial expressions that light up the screen. Surprise! Boys and girls can be friends without sex! Who’d have thought it?
Then there’s Florence, the head of the theater troupe that makes the mind-blowing discovery that she is asexual. There’s something so endearing about a Scottish accent and Florence uses it to her full advantage while navigating through her sexuality. “I’m basically Meryl Streep but young and Scottish.” No one could have pulled off that line but Florence.
As wonderful as Viv and Florence are, arguably the best development was Maureen Groff’s rise from unhappy housewife to the confident best friend of Dr. Jean Milburn. What a woman.
That’s the best thing about this show: the women. Nunn truly knows how to write a well-rounded female character that can be related to or empathized with without simultaneously being patronizing. It’s a feat that is, unfortunately, not seen often enough.
The most important part of this uproarious series is the conversations it’s not afraid of fostering. This season touches on topics of sexual assault, asexuality, pansexuality, loneliness for a housewife, mental health, and the morning-after pill. Like any sex education course, this show is not afraid to get into the nitty-gritty of life.
Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
This show is for those 18 and older.
Available only on Netflix!
