Sex Education Review: An Addictive Comedy Series by Netflix

What “Sex Education” is about

Netflix is renowned for its comedy series that have been revolving around the sex-related themes. Sex Education is one of the shiniest pearl added to that brilliant string. From the cast of that remarkable series to the talent showcased on screen, everything manifests the heights of perfection. The Title, “Sex Education” is well thought out whether assessed by the central idea of the story or by the traditions of Netflix. It is a part of the ongoing endeavor of Netflix to build and strengthen its intimation with adolescents.

Certainly, young minds feel taken with the title which seems to be nudging them into the story. Also, the title is indicative of the need for a private setting for watching the series. Here, privacy is not all about finding a place where you can enjoy streaming it on your screen in isolation but it also includes protection against the hackers’ and your internet service providers’ “prying eye” (you will find a solution to this in a later part). However, the title is a little bit distracting for the audience that considers ‘sex education’ to be all about techniques to boost the fun and comfort of intercourse.

The first season of the series comprised eight episodes infused with profound humor and wit. You will find characters unfolding the facts that remain buried in the rocky graves of superficial social norms and traditions. It is a daring series aiming to strip away the pretenses and embracing the reality as it exists. Unlike much other comedy series, it does not trivialize sex but considers it an integral part of the human pursuit of self-recognition.

The series contains a blatant display of private parts at times which makes it rather unsuitable for the immature audience. You might hesitate while watching with family. Therefore, it is important to ensure your privacy before playing it on your device.

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— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) January 17, 2019

The cast of the drama includes Gillian Anderson (Jean), Asa Butterfield portrayed as 16-year-old boy Otis, Emma Mackey as Maeve, and Gatwa Eric (Otis’ best friend) among many other celebrated artists. The drama mainly features the young talent. The setup for the drama is the British High School which pursues modern-day traditions setting it apart from its conservative counterparts. Progressive approach of the school administrations creates the very opportunity for Otis to establish his underground and unauthorized sex clinic. Students are also open in their approach to the matters of life including sex which is evident from their blatant expression of problems being faced before Otis.

Captivating plot

The drama has a solid plot in its background to produce a high level of engagement in the audience. Otis’ mother is a sex therapist and has already accomplished a book dealing with sex-related problems co-authored by her ex-husband who had also been a renowned expert. Their only child, Otis, finds it hard to come out of the trauma caused by the separation of his parents. He lives with his mother and has the opportunity to attend the consultation sessions between her mother and her clients. Staying in the company of her mother, he has got adequately acquaintance with the emotional and technical know-how of sex and relationships.

The irony lies in the fact that despite being the son of a sexpert, Otis prefers to avoid anything that has slight interaction with sex. He does not want to lose his virginity to anyone or even to himself (you got it right). From the outset, he has no urge for the self-discovery through his mother frequently tries to break the shackles that grip his personality. His inner conflict is a consistent source of irritation for him which has also once caused him a panic attack. Despite all that, he is so adamant that he would not even like to think about physical intimacy. At times, he also struggles to define his feelings towards Eric. Despite a natural urge, he is reluctant to respond to her advances. This is mainly due to the shadow of the deep agony ignited by the unstable relationship of his parents leading to an ultimate break-up.

Hence, in the background, there is a deep message as to how parents can have a life-long influence over their children’s minds. Even though it has nothing to do with the central theme, it is a profound idea conveyed through delicate humor. You can’t help laughing at Otis’ jokes though simultaneously feeling in the grip of a subtle pain.

A journey of Otis’ self-discovery

Otis, eventually, finds a way out for his inner conflicts when his friend, Maeve, advises him to open his own sex clinic at the school. Maeve can anticipate the demand for the clinic due to her familiarity with the common sex problems among the teens. Students want to express their critical issues but have no proper means for this purpose. Maeve convinces Otis that there is an excellent opportunity to make potential income as he can leverage his knowledge while Maeve would assist him in finding clients and managing monetary considerations.

Finally, Otis brings the Maeve’s idea to life and opens his personal clinic. It was again ironical to see how a hesitant and seemingly conservative individual is having a go at something that is meant to deviate from the very norms of his society. He welcomes all his patients and encourages them to openly express their problems so he can find an appropriate solution for each. He is not much conscious about the nomenclature and never asks his clients to be worried about the choice of words. They openly name the private parts in a familiar way.

Even though Otis is adept at repartee with a natural presence of mind, he never mocks anyone’s feelings. His close listening to the ideas of his patients and additional research to explore the problems and find their solutions also serve as a source of self-recognition. Otis discovers that he is going up the ladder of understanding of his own problems as he serves his clients. It gradually makes him a balanced individual by the end.

Reversals and self-realization

Several characters undergo a reversal as the season reaches its climax. Self-realization and improved understanding of personal feelings are the major sources of these reversals. Otis is one of the purest examples of such turnaround as he becomes a sexually mature guy after getting engaged in his underground business. Eric also finds a way to give expression to her inner desires.

These reversals do not remain confined to the characters of the series only but also encompass the audience. It enables the people suffering from similar problems to identify themselves with key characters. Hence, it makes many individuals realize, “I am not alone”. The series has become the voice of the generation reaching its puberty and struggling to give a shape to its feelings and inner conflicts. Teenagers usually ‘feel’ without knowing what they actually feel, what makes them feel, and how they can feel even better. Hostile social traditions have always barred them from entering into the realm of actual self-discovery at that age despite their natural desire and mental configuration. Many questions without answers hovering around their minds keep intensifying their misery. With no outlet for their desires or subtle problems accompanies by an unleashed curiosity, they keep burning from inside like volcano.

Emotions vs techniques

Another significant undercurrent is the deep impact of emotional belonging on the sexual relationship. Otis mostly identifies emotional impairments as the major cause behind the lack of satisfaction for his patients. Rather than advising his clients to work on their techniques or positions, he recommends changes with their mindset to have a better approach at sex. All he does is to simply repeat the instructions of her mother in typical scenarios. The series keeps emotions above the technique which is a profound message in itself.

Final thoughts

The series is wonderful in the sense that it serves as a source of self-discovery for adolescents. Even though some critics highlight the issue of rushed ending and deviation from the central idea at times, Sex Education stands as one of the marvels ever directed by Ben Taylor and Kate Herron. Certainly, it is not suited to every type of audience. You need to have the ability to digest the awkwardness and darkness of humor that might appear cringe-inducing at times. Jokes are witty and contain deep messages to learn. Sex Education is a perfect piece of comedy with a delicate treatment of chosen theme which makes it worth watching.

Warning!

As you know Sex Education is not a family drama (as the title also implies) and you can’t enjoy every bit of it in the presence of your parents and siblings. You need to find a quiet corner not to let others have a clue about your streaming habits and the same also holds true for your internet privacy. In order to keep the hackers and your internet server blind to the content that you browse or stream over Netflix or any other channel on the internet, never forget to mask your identity with Ivacy VPN. Ivacy VPN is a trusted name since 2007 used to hide your online identity through an encrypted tunnel between you and your internet service provider for the transmission of data. Not only this but you can also enjoy <a href=”https://www.ivacy.com/netflix-vpn/”>Netflix outside the United States</a> even in a territory marked by geo-restrictions as its vast range of servers enables you to bypass any restriction and enjoy hassle-free streaming every time and everywhere.