It doesn't happen too often that I find a TV-show that I enjoy from start to finish, on so many levels, for a number of reasons. But finally it happened again, with the British comedy-drama Sex Education. Being a fully contemporary series, the last season to be released next year, it offers us a glimpse into the world of teenagers in England, especially as they get to know, experience, and enjoy their sexuality. Straddling the serious with the comical, this TV series has found an excellent balance of presenting its subject matter in a way that is neither boring and lecturing, nor forcibly trying to be funny. At the same time it may actually be educationally valuable, for anyone who may have missed out on any of the multi-faceted aspects of human sexuality.
How Do Kids Learn About Sex These Days?
Growing up in Germany, the topic of sex was handled fairly openly, even - or especially - in the school curriculum. Starting in fifth grade we discussed not only human reproduction, but such topics as masturbation, and how to react in case an adult should try to molest us (scream, run, and if needed kick his balls). So I felt reasonably enlightened, particularly compared to my peers at the American high school I went to on the foreign exchange program. However, that was all back in the 1990's, and even in the very factual German sex-ed class we never talked about transgenders, fetishes, and even homosexuality was only dealt with as a fringe topic. Watching Sex Education made it abundantly clear how much times have changed!
This series starts out right away with one of the main characters being gay, who also like cross dressing, which is treated just as matter-of-factly as him riding a bicycle. Like, what's the big deal? Instead, what is examined more carefully, are the allegedly unusual hangups and questions teens have in relation to sex: The guy who is not interested in masturbating, the girl who thinks her orgasm-face looks weird, the girl-girl couple who realize they are not as lesbian as they thought, and the passionate writer of erotic sci-fi who finds it hard to find a sex partner for herself.
Let's Talk About Sex, Baby!
All these questions want to be addressed, discussed, and hopefully answered. And as expected, the official sex-ed class in the syllabus is hardly satisfactory in this regard. But some inventive students fill this niche in their own way, by opening an underground "sex clinic" where they offer students surprisingly brilliant, mature, and open-minded advice and recommendations. As it turns out, however, this already interesting concept is merely the background to all kinds of more complex stories, having to do with the interconnected lives of a wide array of characters, students, faculty, and parents. They are not only sexual in nature, though that is still the all encompassing topic.
Along the way, other sex-related issues are also dealt with, which are often a lot more serious than questions about the shape of one's vulva. These include dealing with slut-shaming, responding to sexual assault, or finding yourself in a weird patchwork family, when your mom starts dating your girlfriend's dad. In the third season another important topic is the difficulty non-binary students face, when being forced into one of two genders.
Of course not everyone shares the reasonable open-mindedness of the students (and apparently the writers and directors of the show). As such, certain characters present the topic of sex in a more traditional, conservative way, which ultimately shows how distorted and awkward they make it appear. This is particularly true in the third season, where a new principal tries to project an allegedly "cleaned up" image of what had been described as a sex-school. Instead of open conversation the school prescribes abstinence, homophobia, and a slew of restrictive regulations. It should not come as a surprise that all her efforts backfire when students refuse to submit to regressive measures.
Worth Watching, Not Just Because Of The Sex
While the sex topics are already reason enough to recommend Sex Education, this TV series has a lot more going for it. First of all, the highly relatable ensemble cast, portraying an immense diversity in not only sexual preference and identification, but in opinions, views, attitudes, and characteristics. At this point the racial and cultural diversity really becomes just another backdrop - not ignored by any means, but also hardly highlighted. As it should be, really.
Then there is the subtle British humor, which has been growing on me gradually. Many of the jokes seem to pass you by, until you think about it for a second, turn it around a few times in your mind, and finally burst out laughing as it hits you how funny they are. Making use of the skip-back button was often quite worth it!
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Finally, I must comment on the musical selection for the series. Instead of a constantly re-occurring theme, the show features a great number of musical hits, ranging from the 1950's up until the present. And they are not just any hits, either! I have no idea according to what criteria they were picked out, but I would almost say they are sexiest songs of the last seventy years, including many great favorites (not only of mine), along with new discoveries.
Here's The Trailer, Check It Out:
Take a Look at the Previous Posts in my Binge On This Series:
The Matrix: Rewatched, Reviewed, Rejected
Green Wing: Another One With The Badness Quality
Living With Yourself: So Bad, It's Actually Quite Good
Episodes: British Humor About an American Sitcom
Peaky Blinders: Thug Life in 1920's Birmingham
Sense8: The Most Colorful Ensemble Cast
StartUp: Not For Learning About Crypto!
Chernobyl: An Apocalyptic Documentary
The Handmaid's Tale: A Not Too-Far-Off Dystopia
Twin Peaks: The Return - The Series Closing After 25 Years
Silicon Valley: Humor from the World of Tech and Money
Dark: Intense Time-Travel for Germanophiles
Twin Peaks: The Show That Changed Everything
The Man In the High Castle: What if the Nazis Had Won?
Lost: Mystery With Addictive Potential
Babylon Berlin: Sociopolitical Tremmors in the Weimar Republic
Rome: A Realistic Sandal Series
Carnivàle: A Throw-back to the Thirties
Weeds: The Hillarious Alternative to Breaking Bad
Mr. Robot: Hackers, Freedom, and Mental Issues
Das Boot: A Real German WWII Series
Black Sails: Pirate Lore Galore
Twelve Monkeys: Time Travel and Pandemic
The DocsMX 2020 Film Festival