Sex Education is here to show you a good time and teach you how to open up. The first quarter of 2019 is officially over and so far, ‘Sex Education’ is the most talked about television series and Netflix original to come out.
With so much TV content these days, knowing what’s good and what is worth committing to depends mostly on a matter of how many friends tell you to watch something or better yet, if it’s Style Rave-approved or not.
For Sex Education, the binge-watching would not be planned but you’ll easily find yourself finishing the entire eight episodes at a go because of one reason or the other.
The British comedy-drama perfectly patches together the best elements of existing hit movies and TV shows. The outlandish teen romance looks like the John Hugh movie, Sixteen Candles, but without the cultural references. The earth tones and retro aesthetics are similar to Stranger Things’ and, like Sex and the City, it has a lot of sexual puns.
The fact that all these miscellaneous elements work so well in the series is incredible. In Sex Education, you’re bound to find something to appreciate, whether it’s the graphic doodles, the heartfelt portrayals of teenage problems including pregnancy and anxiety or Gillian Anderson’s wits. Never mind that every episode is a little too long. This is a woke raunchy series which uses sexual experiences in a very sincere way.
The series centres around Otis (Asa Butterfield), an awkward teen living with his Mom (Gillian Anderson), who runs a sex-focused therapeutic clinic – one I perfectly describe as a sex chalet with phallic art around it – in their home in New England.
Despite his mom’s openness about sex, Otis has a largely complicated non-existent relationship with his sex life. He soon discovers he’s good at giving sex advice despite his non-existent sex life. With the help of his classmate, Maeve (Emma Mackey), Otis reluctantly turns his knowledge into a business and becomes his school’s underground sex therapist.
Butterfield gives a wonderful performance on what teen frustration looks like while navigating through love, anger and friendship. Mackay’s character also gives an outstanding performance as the economic difference between her and her rich peers serve a much deeper context. It colours who she is and the decisions she makes.
Sex Education’s supporting cast is largely assembled out of first-timers like Ncuti Gatwa who plays Eric, a sociable ray of sunshine and Otis’ black and brilliant best friend, and Aimee Lou, who plays Aimee Gibbs, a popular wealthy girl who is a pleasure-seeking sweetheart. The cast really knocks their performances out of the park.
The series also focuses on the absurdity of being a young person in the internet age. The creators find humour in that absurdity without mocking sex itself. This, in essence, is why this show has stood out and come into conversations for a lot of people. Coming of age comedies tend to know the difference between entertainment and mockery and the result tends to be richer, more nuanced and a whole lot funnier – this is the very essence of Sex Education.
Photo credit: IG | @sexeducation
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