"Sex Education" Season 2 Dives Headfirst Into the Messiness of Adolescence

It’s still hilarious, and completely unafraid.

From the very first moments of Netflix's dramedy Sex Education, it was clear this thing was special. Jam-packed with cringeworthy moments, the show's delightful relatability and amusing premise made it an immediate hit with young people. "Don’t watch it with your mum," a friend told me before I binged it.

That advice still stands, considering Season 2 begins with a masturbation montage set to a choral rendition of the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself". It is glorious, and nothing can really prepare you for it. After all, it’s these painfully awkward scenes that this series does best. And for the most part, its second season is just as brilliantly messy, raw and empathetic as Season 1. However, while watching these latest eight episodes, I had the gnawing sense that perhaps Sex Education has taken on too much responsibility this time around.

To recap, S1 saw the awkward teen Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), and "bad girl" Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) open a sex clinic at their school, with Otis providing unqualified sexual health advice to his peers while pining over Maeve. At the end of the season, Maeve was ready to address her romantic feelings for Otis, only to end up watching him and Ola (Patricia Allison) share their first kiss instead.

But perhaps an even more significant milestone for Otis than his first kiss was overcoming his inability to masturbate (a longstanding issue despite his mother Jean, portrayed by Gillian Anderson, being a well-known sex therapist). Of course, we saw him overcome that osbtacle in the S1 finale.

Things have changed in S2, including Otis' newfound appreciation for self-stimulation. In fact, it's now getting in the way of his relationship with Ola. This is not the only girl trouble Otis is facing in S2. Maeve has distanced herself from him, which means they are barely communicating, and this is where the second season makes its most significant misstep.

Part of what made the first season so wildly enthralling was Otis and Maeve’s friendship. Butterfield and Mackey share such endearing chemistry that it is a major disservice to keep them apart. While some bickering and tension was to be expected, I never anticipated they would barely share the screen at all. With Otis and Maeve being so disconnected, Season 2 struggles to match the romantic suspense of S1, and consequently lacks the same consistent excitement.

Nevertheless, their separation enables a number of side characters to shine. Ncuti Gatwa gives a fierce performance as Otis' BFF Eric Effiong, and Tanya Reynolds brings more humour to the quirky Lily Iglehart. Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Aimee Gibbs, portrays her character’s delicate storyline with compassion, particularly in an episode clearly inspired by The Breakfast Club. The new season also dives deeper into Maeve’s troubled family, which proves frustratingly clichéd at times. On the other hand, it helps flesh out Mackey’s occasionally self-destructive character.

Additionally, creator Laurie Nunn has given the delightful Gillian Anderson a more active role. Jean develops a closer relationship with Otis’ classmates after a Chlamydia outbreak wreaks havoc at Moordale Secondary. This STI frenzy is only one of the many sexual health concerns explored in S2. The season also covers fetishes, relationship difficulties, self-pleasure, manual sex, sexual orientation and anal douching in the space of eight episodes. By attempting to pack so much in, I was left contemplating whether the series had taken on the burden of representing every sexual health issue a teen could face, to enlighten its youth audience. This representation is undoubtedly important, yet having so many subplots made parts of S2 appear fragmented and unfocused. I couldn't help but feel that certain characters were being used purely to highlight a specific aspect of sexual identity.

It would also be tedious if these issues were presented carelessly. Except, Sex Education mostly pulls it off by treating teenage sexuality with respect. It is obvious that directors Ben Taylor, Alice Seabright and Sophie Goodhart care deeply about these characters, and the young viewers who follow their journeys. This second season builds on the vulnerability introduced in the first, and fully represents the utter chaos and complexity that comes along with exploring your sexuality as a teen. It is highly likely that the series will be renewed for a third season, and it will be interesting to see what tough questions and taboo topics it tackles next.

You can stream Sex Education Season 2 on Netflix Australia on 17 January 2020.

3.5/5