Netflix's Sex Education renewed for a third season due to both critical and commercial success. The British teen comedy-drama has been so successful and acclaimed due to its honest, realistic, unflinching and inclusive take on sex, relationships and friendships.
The series revolves around an awkward teen boy who starts a sex advice clinic at school with the resident bad girl. Since his mother is a sex therapist, he takes advice from his upbringing to help fellow students deal with sex-related problems. The series expands into the second season to focus on relationships within the core character group, as well as an STD outbreak at school.
Netflix releases many successful television shows, such as Ratched's recent chart-topping debut, but there is something about Sex Education that makes it stand out in its genre. There's no shortage of teen shows on the market, but for every heart-warming and realistic Never Have I Ever, there is a bevy of uninspired shows filled with the likes of impossibly buff "teenage" werewolves or vampires played by actors pushing 30. Though these shows can certainly be entertaining and addicting, they often fail to capture the teen experience.
Sex Education explores the uncomfortable side of sex, rather than portraying it as a ritual passing into adulthood like so many other teen shows and movies do. It also delves into the fears, anxieties and embarrassment concerning sexual exploration.
What makes the show so beloved is its wide representation of marginalized groups that are seldom depicted on the screen, even in such a progressive time. The show broaches topics of homosexuality, but it also expands to include asexuality and pansexuality.
Furthermore, it does so in a way that normalizes these topics, rather than makes them seem strange or fetishized. When a character realizes they are pansexual, this is accepted. Similarly, when a tearful character confesses she has zero interest in sex, she is informed about asexuality and has it confirmed that she is indeed normal. A wide array of people who lack representation in the media can watch the show, find a connection to a character and hear a voice that affirms and accepts their identity.
When one looks at the over-sexed, glamorized depictions of high schools in the media, it can be hard to find an accurate representation of what it's like to be a teenager. Sex Education normalizes things that should be normal, but these subjects are stilled considered taboo by society. It covers topics such as a virgin wanting to stay celibate in a positive way, as well as showing that not all men are driven by sex, let alone want it.
It also explores subject matters that many teens are too embarrassed to ask about, such as having difficulty maintaining an erection, concerns over douching before anal sex and questioning about what makes a normal looking labia. Rather than focus on the glamorous side of sex, the series takes an unflinching look at real concerns and experiences.
In addition to having an exceptional representation of sexuality and sexual concerns, Sex Education also offers a rare take on difficult topics. It portrays an abortion in a way that does not attempt to shame or moralize audiences. Similarly, it covers a sexual assault in a way that brings the women of the show together in a heartwarming, beautiful depiction of the fierce bond of female friendship. The show allows characters, and subsequently audiences, permission to feel and experience different events without pushing an agenda on them. Similarly, it depicts an accurate representation of assault victims, covering the complicated grieving process over many episodes rather than wrapping up the experience in a singular episode, as other shows do.
Another area that helps the show succeed is an outstanding cast. The actors bring the incredible writing to life and depict complex characters that audiences care about. There aren't "bad" and "good" characters, but rather shades of grey that show nice people doing immoral things and bullies redeeming themselves. Characters are complex and dimensional, surpassing the stereotypes of the teen genre. The friendships between the characters ultimately reveal stories of healing, acceptance, forgiveness and growth.
The takeaway of Sex Education is to accept both yourself and your sexuality. The show both educates audiences on topics that are sadly seldom discussed and encourages self-acceptance. Along the way, it depicts honest accounts of sex and relationships and offers raw and unflinching advice about the complicated, confusing and exciting journey of sexual discovery.