Netflix’s new teen-driven series Sex Education is about exactly what it says…sex. Having already been renewed for a second season, let’s explore what you’re getting into, shall we?
Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) is a sexually frustrated teen who is finding it hard to…pleasure himself but Milburn is not like most teens. His mom, Jean (Gillian Anderson), is a sex therapist (and a nymphomaniac if you ask me). His best friend, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), is black gay man and he befriends a social outcast at school named Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) who comes up with the idea to start a sex therapy clinic at school.
Literally, the ENTIRE series is about sex and the students having sex with each other; however, there is a solid storyline. You see, Otis has a crush on Maeve. (Eric thinks she’s out of his league and would never date Otis.) Maeve needs money and Otis wants to fit in and impress Maeve.
This show is the perfect teen dramedy for this age of new babies. I, personally, have never seen a show like this. I mean, Degrassi comes close but with the freedom of Netflix, anything goes…and I mean ANYTHING. Only on Netflix, HBO or Showtime can you see teenagers struggling through not only life but sexual identity. Genius. Might have came too late for us 90’s babies but it’s just in time for these new confused kids.
I also love Eric’s journey throughout this series. He’s a supporting character but he adds something we don’t get from the other main characters. Eric is from a very religious African family. His family loves him and they know he’s gay but we definitely get the sense that he still yearns for the approval of his family, particularly from his dad. From my perspective in watching this series, I don’t think that his dad is the type that wishes his kid wasn’t gay or the type that wants to disown him. What I got was that the dad just wanted his son to be safe. This is the life that he is leading and doesn’t want his son to be hurt. I feel Eric’s dad worries a lot about his son going out in the world as a black, gay, British man but I think Eric thinks is dad is more concerned about him being gay in general. Then there’s school. He’s not the popular gay kid so life is a little difficult…that is until about episode eight or nine. You will be surprised. I won’t even go further into this because I don’t want to spoil it if you haven’t seen it yet.
Like I said earlier, season two has been greenlit and I believe that season two will be more complicated and complex than season one. I know what you’re all thinking, “Of course, season two will be more complicated than season one. That’s how series work.” But, I had a whole plan in my mind for how the season would end and it blew up in my face…so, yeah, I need season two to explain some things.
So…
Should you watch this series?
If you love a teen drama as much as I do and you know you’re too old for that, then yes, watch this series. Again, be warned, sex education means SEX EDUCATION.
BLACK WATCH 