…………………………………………………

Sex Education Season 4 Review

The fourth season of Sex Education is a flawed, but pretty good season that ended the entire show on a very good note.

………………………………………………….

“Adam, I do like you very much. I love you“

………………………………………………….

I appreciate the fact that Netflix ended this show after four seasons without prolonging it and/or tarnishing it too much. The third season was too over-the-top and inferior to the first two seasons, but this one felt like a solid improvement, even with all its evident problems. One of those issues is the excessive wokeness on display here.

They tried so hard to include so many new LGBT characters that the end result is a crammed season with way too many supporting characters and a ridiculous amount of arcs that the show could not handle properly all at once. My issue here wasn’t just that the LGBT and racial minority characters outnumbered white and straight ones, but that they genuinely felt inferior to the latter both in development and in depictions that were anything but authentic.

The trans couple being the coolest students in school and others trying so hard to make friends with them was absolutely ridiculous and it was the best proof that making up a false reality is not only foolish, but also genuinely dangerous for the minorities that you are purportedly trying to help with this series. None of these two characters was particularly interesting to me and the less said about Cal the better as through this character the show basically supported sex change operations above all else with no questions asked and that was deeply problematic.

………………………………………………….

But thankfully the main characters fared much better and their storylines felt authentically real and moving as a result. Gillian Anderson once again delivered by far the best performance of the bunch in what is one of her most signature roles. Jean struggling as a single mother was very well explored and so was her complicated relationship with her sister.

Otis and Maeve also got a fittingly sad farewell as it was only natural to end their relationship this way with all the build-up with her studying in America. Her faculty scenes felt very believable and quite relatable and their eventual breakup was truly heartbreaking. Maeve also lost her mom in this season that really was terrible to her, but she persevered, making for a terrific character arc.

Otis also got to deal with O, a truly terrible person whose backstory was very interesting, but what she did to Ruby was unforgivable and the show excusing her behavior was very problematic. I did still like the scenes with O as they were comically over-the-top, but also way too extensive. Speaking of Ruby, I loved that this season humanized her and she remains one of the best developed characters on the show.

Ncuti Gatwa is still phenomenal as Eric and his spiritual journey was very well explored in this season, but what he did to Otis was inexcusable and he really could be quite unlikable throughout this season. Adam’s fraught relationship with his dad was so well explored and quite moving and Michael was so likable here.

………………………………………………….

Aimee and Isaac also started dating in the fourth season and their relationship was well developed and quite sweet. Both characters are among the most likable among this cast. Viv and Jackson themselves got some solid arcs, but again the show was overstuffed with characters and storylines to the point of exhaustion.