So, I finished watching season one of Sex Education on Netflix. I loved it so much. It’s about a teenaged boy whose mother is a sex therapist. While he himself is utterly inexperienced, by some fluke it turns out that he shares his mother’s talent for therapy and sex advice, and he ends up running a ‘sex clinic’ where he helps students at school in return for a modest fee. Hilarity ensues, along with a lot of interesting drama. The show deals with bullying, sex (duh), prejudice, first loves, and a host of other topics.

There are seveal things about it that are truly wonderful, but I’m gonna list a couple.

It has some absolutely amazing characters. From Asa Butterfield’s portrayal of the main character Otis, to Gillian Anderson as his sex therapist mum, to the character of Eric, Otis’s closest friend (who is wonderfully and unapologetically gay, and not the only LGBTQ character in the series), there are just so many great people. And while the show is funny, not one of these people lack depth, even if they’re initially portrayed that way. They’re all flawed. They all have their shit to deal with. It’s not all comedy. There were several points at which I was close to tears.

Style-wise, it’s just really interesting. The creators of the show have intentionally included a number of anachronisms that at first seem jarring but actually kind of draw you in, in the same way as the absurdity of some of the humour. The show is set in the present day, but clothes, interior decoration, and a lot of other things are very 70s in style. There are no modern cars, they all look like they’re early nineties or older. The main characters listen to vinyl records. There is practically no contemporary pop music. It’s just really nicely packaged and feels quite unique. 

Boyfriend said it’s like someone was inside my head. Kind of feels that way, given how much I loved it. If they had it would have been much gayer, though. I missed trans characters, though there was one who appeared very androgynous and may possibly have been genderqueer.

 

There’s another season in the works and I can’t wait. I really highly recommend it. I mean, it’s probably not for everyone, but give it a chance at least.