Hit Netflix show “Sex Education” is back with a provocative third season

Matthew Smith, staff writer

“Sex Education” is possibly the only show with the sheer gall to open their new season with four disgusting minutes of graphic, colorful, cinematic sex.

“Sex Education” tells the coming-of-age tale of Otis Milburn, son of sexual health therapist Jean Milburn, and his peers living in the British countryside. This vulgar comedy explores many important and common topics relating to sexual health. The show voices sexually progressive ideas and is a program that truly stands out due to its content and message.

Although the vast majority of the third season was enjoyable, saying this show is for everyone would be a lie. The explicit scenes may not come off as humorous to every audience member. And at moments, it seemed the explicit material was used to fill plot holes created by careless writing; but overall, the show is a hilarious take on high school life that perfectly fits after the first two seasons.It’s a witty and comical compilation of so many situations that so many high schoolers experience.

Season three expands on the stories of the well-established characters we know and love but adds some fresh, new faces. One of the most established new characters is Cal, a non-binary student attending Moordale. Cal adds to the already large cast created in the first two seasons representing Indian, Black, and LGBTQ students. It was refreshing to see such a diverse cast where many other Netflix original series had a cast compiled of white person after white person. Just as well, the new season spent a lot of time creating full-fledged story arcs for what we thought were minor characters. It was fascinating to see every character get their respective screen time even if it’s only for a moment. 

Despite the humorous moments, what sets “Sex Education” apart is the lack of hesitation to dig deep into more serious topics like sexual assault and abortion. The show places its fictional characters into much more realistic scenarios that relate to the viewer and teach valuable lessons not just about sex, but about life. This creative use of storytelling combined with the talent of actors Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey, Gillian Anderson, and many others, makes the show an absolute pleasure to watch. The on-screen chemistry and tension between Otis and Maeve are unrivaled and kept me guessing as to what will happen next.

Maybe the dry and raunchy comedy scattered throughout “Sex Education” isn’t exactly your tempo, or maybe a high school show choir singing vulgarities isn’t your cup of tea. “Sex Education” has an undeniable positive message and will have you laughing (almost) every step of the way.