Sex Education is back for another fun-filled season of navigating intimate relationships and exploring self identity.
This fourth and final season of the Netflix original series has been highly anticipated, as the third season was released more than two years ago.
A standout of this new installment is the drastically different school environments the former Moordale Secondary School students must navigate. While Maeve sets off to America for an exclusive study abroad program, Otis attends Cavendish Sixth Form College.
Maeve’s American school, Wallace University, is very prestigious. She finds herself missing home, but is also excited for what this new environment has to offer.
An exciting addition to the cast is Thomas Molloy, portrayed by Dan Levy. He’s Maeve’s writing professor who employs some pretty unorthodox teaching methods.
Cavendish, on the other hand, is an extremely progressive institution where many traditional school norms are ignored. The school has a strong sense of community because there are no class rankings.
Students at Cavendish are encouraged to express themselves in whatever way feels most authentic.
[Mitski celebrates, grieves love in new album]
Otis’ best friend, Eric, fits right into the Cavendish scene with his eccentric outfits and makeup. The vivid color of the school building and students’ extravagant clothing created a beautiful explosion of color on screen.
It’s refreshing to see a vibrant, non-traditional learning environment, but it’s almost too progressive. Because the school is so technologically and socially advanced, outsiders who are used to a more conventional setting must change to function within the community. That seems counterintuitive at a school that pushes authenticity.
Despite the sense of community, there is still a clear hierarchy in terms of popularity. A group of three nicknamed “The Coven” assert their dominance over the school.
This trio is the epitome of the popular kids. They appear to lead with kindness, but also bring undertones of judgment. Although they are seemingly accepting of the newcomers, they still feel a need to be better than them.
[‘Elevated Apparel’ founder pursues art through fashion, photography]
A staple of Otis’ time at Moordale was his sex therapy clinic, where he offered students advice. He plans to continue this business at his new school, but runs into a major issue: a competing clinic.
This competing clinic, run by “O,” seems to already control the market and will definitely be a huge point of contention throughout the season.
Otis and Maeve also must navigate their long distance situationship in this season. Their cross-country communication skills are less than perfect, and Otis in particular struggles to respond to Maeve’s desire for long distance intimacy.
What makes this show unique is its coverage of topics usually left untouched because they are considered taboo. The challenges that Otis and Maeve face are not unrealistic or uncommon, but are often ignored by popular media.
One of the best things about this show is the comedic relief it infuses into difficult topics. Eric has impeccable comedic timing in this first episode and his reactions are overly exaggerated in the best way possible.
This eventful episode is only the beginning of what I am sure will be a whirlwind of a season.
