The highly anticipated second season of the new British show “Sex Education” did not disappoint its eager teen audience after its Netlfix release earlier this year. The Netflix original boasts incredible ratings, with a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, an 8.3/10 on IMDB, and a 9.3/10 from TV.com. The taboo title only begins to describe the important topics discussed on the show through the lovable British cast.
Season one of the show set the stage, introducing the main character, Otis (Asa Butterfield), and his mother’s sex therapy business, which she started at his high school with his unlikely friend Maeve (Emma Mackey). The season got fans hooked with its complex and diverse characters and a variety of different storylines showing specifics about the characters’ lives.
While the main character from season one, Otis, still remains in the spotlight, season two of “Sex Education” further explores the lives of secondary characters such as the gender non-conforming and bisexual Ola (Patricia Allison) and the openly gay Eric (Ncuti Gatwa). Through these and several other interesting side characters, the show puts a new light on queer teens, nailing the complications, frustrations, and victories of their lives on the head.
With season two also comes the apparent downfall of the previously beloved and very relatably awkward main character, Otis. In season one, he serves as a helpful, loving character who, like all of us, has his flaws. In season two, it seems as though Otis cannot catch a break. Otis’s defeat shows insight into the polarizing and rash emotions that often accompany puberty and also makes room for the stories of the other characters to shine.
The second season featured a queer couple with characters Ola (Patricia Allison) and Lily (Tanya Reynolds).
Through the character Maeve, the show explores the moral and personal struggles of a teen with absent parents. The character Eric offers insight into the challenges of being queer when raised in a religious family. The character Adam is an example of a neglected son with separating parents. Long story short, this show has something for every struggling teen, me included.
Some of the most notable storylines of the season are when Ola, who appears as Otis’s love interest at the beginning of the season, kisses her female friend, and later in the season when several of the female characters come together and bond over their shared experiences of sexual assault and harassment by dramatically smashing an old car in a junkyard.
The season is a whirlwind of teenage emotions and major reality checks that come together to form a beautiful depiction of life as a high school student in the 21st century, no matter if you’re here in America or in Whales. The situations ranging from uncomfortable conversations about sex to the pitfalls of betraying a good friend are all too familiar to any teen. If you want a hilarious and heartwarming watch that will make you say “me too” at each awkward scene, I recommend “Sex Education” season two.
