Season: 3
Genre: Comedy/
Drama
Number of
episodes: 8
Year: 2021
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor
Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Aimee Lou Wood, Tanya Reynolds, Patricia
Allison
Description: Teenager Otis (Asa Butterfield), with a sex therapist
mother (Gillian Anderson), teams up with high school classmate Maeve (Emma
Mackey) to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.
Review: To the sounds of “I Think We’re Alone Now”, we look inside a dozen or so
bedrooms where people are, with great pleasure, having sex. In every
conceivable way, in every possible combination and physically viable position. Straight,
gay, solo, all genders, colors and preferences pass by. This sets the tone immediately
and it’s clear “Sex Education” is back.
Yet again the sexual
awakenings of the students of Moordale Secondary School offer more than enough
to enjoy. Especially when their newfound freedoms and carefree self-expression
come under pressure with the arrival of a new principal: Hope Haddon. She must
restore the neat reputation of the so-called ‘sex-school’ and reassure concerned
parents. She does this by a far-reaching restriction of freedoms, with a
fascist tenor: discipline, censorship, self-control and uniformity are
paramount. Students must wear school uniforms, and expressions of personal
taste or preferences are prohibited. Violation is punished with humiliation. The
creators bring a fine contrast with the introduction of two non-binary characters,
with whom the question of school uniforms is immediately an impossible one.
It's a simple scenario, with
urgent underlying themes, at a time when conservative forces are sometimes
frighteningly easy to dismiss progressive values and achievement. Season 3 is a
long ode to those values. And yes, it’s still needed.
In addition to this sympathetic
social agenda, this time the creators also manage well to further deepen the
characters’ storylines.
In the process, the writers
cleverly manage to debunk every stereotype or prejudice. Mean girls turn out to
be vulnerable, angry boys are actually sweet, and the friendship between Otis
and Eric who talk very candidly about their emotional lives. This is a rarity
on TV. I love the heartwarming transition of Adam, who went from a complete
jerk to a love-struck kindhearted young man.
“Sex Education” is still
daring and the writers don’t shy away from any complicated subjects. I loved
season 3, it didn’t disappoint one bit.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten