Netflix released an original series called Sex Education, which premiered in January 2019. I’ll admit, though I used to love seeing what new additions Netflix had, they’ve come to the point where they’re pumping out so much new material that it’s hard to decipher which one is worth watching. Upon seeing the title Sex Education, I assumed the show would be another denomination of other Netflix series’ like Lovesick, Easy, or Love. And don’t get me wrong: the shows I just listed are amazing. However, it’s just another case of ‘the more the shows, the harder it is to have a shot at originality’. Particularly, I was becoming tired of shows that predominantly focused on heteronormative relationships. So, of course, I didn’t think much of it: until more and more of my friends began to tell me how amazing it was.
So, I watched the trailer.
Well, first of all, how could I say no to a British show? Many of you probably know by now that I favour shows made in the U.K., particularly because of the candid way they explore their topics. And Sex Education is no different. In fact, the show is so candid and real in the way they explore their topics that I honestly can’t say I’ve seen anything like it before. There is such an abundance of sexual health-related topics that are tackled in this show, that it’s truly refreshing to see this type of content in the mainstream. To give you an idea, the topics are all but limited to: erectile and orgasmic dysfunction, pregnancy, abortion, performance anxiety, masturbation, queerness, love and relationships, and online bullying. And seriously, the list goes on.
Without spoiling too much, this is the synopsis: Otis, a quirky and awkward high-schooler is the main character. And as his best friend Eric points out in the trailer, they are surrounded by classmates who are either thinking about sex or actually having sex. Otis’ mother Jean, played by the brilliant Gillian Anderson, has a big role in the way Otis views sex. Because she’s not just any mother – she’s a renowned sex therapist. And that’s not the only thing – Otis hates masturbating, and tries his very best to hide this fact from his overbearing mother.
Right off the bat, the context of this plotline is extremely unique. Jean is quirky, overbearing, and completely in her kid’s business about sex. She speaks to him like a therapist speaking to a patient, as opposed to a parent speaking to their child. And let me tell you, it’s hilarious to see the way this show subverts the “controlling parent” stereotype. Instead of being a parent that does all they can to prevent their kid from exploring their sexuality, she constantly (and, quite annoyingly) urges him to do so. In the same vein that some kids turn out to be wild and rebellious in response to the repression their parents enforce, Otis turns out to be the complete opposite of what his mother wants. She brings home a new man every week, has casual (and loud) sex in the house, and adorns the house with sexual paraphernalia; Otis, on the other hand, is shy, awkward, and no matter how hard he tries, is absolutely revolted by the act of pleasuring himself.
Through the introduction of another main character, Maeve Wile – the alt-punk badass of the school – Otis ends up being roped into a lucrative business into becoming the sex therapist for the high school masses. (Let me take a moment to applaud Emma Mackey’s performance as Maeve. Not only does she look like a young Margot Robbie, but the caliber of her acting skills match up, as well). Otis adopts the information he’s learned over the years through Jean and brings his own insightful, albeit clumsy, flair into it. What I absolutely adore about the way this concept is handled is that Otis is the most gentle, lovely, and non-judgmental main characters I’ve seen onscreen, perhaps ever. If anyone is going to pull off being a teenage sex therapist, it would be Otis Milburn.
However, I’m not here to delve into the many reasons why you should watch Sex Education. Rather, I’m here to talk about one reason specifically, and that is Eric Effiong, Otis’ best friend (played by the brilliant Ncuti Gatwa). Eric is a black, openly gay character, one that does not struggle with his homosexuality save for two main factors: his strict Nigerian household, where his parents observe traditional gender roles, and one particular bully, Adam Groff, who picks on Eric relentlessly. However, even in regards to these two conflicts, I will say this: don’t let these stereotypical conflicts deter you. In both cases, there is much more than meets the eye.
Otherwise, the school that Otis and Eric attend is overall not characterized as being homophobic, racist, or bigoted (which is a great thing). In fact, on a whole, it seems to be a pretty accepting environment – bullies like Adam are actually the ones who are actively depicted as being backward in their mentality, and Adam’s dimness is mocked way more than Eric’s gayness. As well, there are plenty of PoC characters in this world: the school’s head boy/best athlete is Jackson, who is black and has gay parents, and the other openly gay student in their grade is a South-Asian boy named Anwar, who happens to be part of the popular crew. This is an awesome dichotomy, because it shows that cliques and high school popularity in this world really have nothing to do with one’s race, sexuality, or gender.
What I love most about Eric is that he doesn’t fall into the stereotype of the “black best friend” or “gay best friend” that so many shows and films have used in the past. In fact, Gatwa’s performance as Eric has merited him as being the “scene-stealer” of the show. Eric is not used as a tool, nor is he tokenized: he is just as, if not more, dynamic than Otis. He goes through very real struggles, and offers a complete personality. Ie. he is not just gay, and he is not just black. He is a hilarious, quippy, loyal, and lively person who happens to be gay and black (see: a regular human being. Crazy, right?)
There is an interesting attention on his cultural background, too. Eric lives in a religious household, where it is clear that traditional gender roles are observed. Though his mother is hardly shown, Eric’s father acts as the spokesperson for both parents, making it clear that he has specific ideas of masculinity, and actively notices that Eric does not adhere to those ideas. It’s clear that Eric’s parents are either in denial about his sexuality or truly don’t suspect a thing. However, the show is careful not to blindly stereotype what it’s like to come from a religious and/or strict household, and this is seen through the progression of Eric and his father’s relationship. In fact, it turns out to be one of the most complex and heartwarming storylines of the entire season, and acts as an important reminder that not all queer story lines have to be tragic to prove a point.
At the heart of it all, Eric’s story line is relatable for anyone who is queer, PoC, queer and PoC, or even anyone who is going through hardships in their home life, particularly when coming from a non-Western cultural background. While hetero romance is very much at the forefront of Sex Education, there is an equal amount of focus on characters that are dealing with their sexuality, even aside from Eric. However, Eric is the character that most pivotally elevates Sex Education from being any other heteronormative show into one that actually offers representation on a large scale.
All in all, I seriously suggest watching Sex Education if you want to see a divers show that artfully tackles its wide range of topics. You’ll be surprised at how honest and raw this show can be, all while maintaining a continuous air of lightness, humour, and of course, some good ol’ fashioned teenage drama.
~ Z ~
