Review | ‘Sex Education’ season 4: Breaking taboos, building relationships

After three successful seasons, “Sex Education” releases its final installment featuring heartfelt storylines and inclusive identities. Photo collage by SIMRAH AHMAD, Staff Photographer

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for the fourth and final season of “Sex Education.”

For most teenagers amidst the height of puberty, having the birds and the bees conversation with their parents falls dead last on the list of things they want to do.

Luckily for high school students in Netflix’s British drama “Sex Education,” this tumultuous task is resolved when Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) opens up a sex therapy clinic in an abandoned bathroom on campus. Otis teams up with wicked smart, school bad girl Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), and together they provide a safe space for students to come and confidentially ask for advice about all sex-related topics.

On Sept. 21, Netflix released the fourth and final season of “Sex Education,” forcing viewers to say a bittersweet goodbye to the beloved characters. The show has garnered an outpour of love over the years, with 12 million viewers tuning in the first week of the show's finale release. It was able to reach the top ten on Netflix in 91 countries.

Season four graciously tackles topics of sexual assault, sexuality, identity and more with the use of perfectly timed comedy, as well as tear-jerking heartfelt moments. In addition to tying up loose ends of the previous season’s characters, season four also introduces new storylines, giving further representation to a variety of communities — whether that be through transgender relationships, accessibility for those with disabilities or seeking help during a mental health crisis. 

The audience is introduced to two new characters, Abbi (Anthony Lexa) and Roman (Felix Mufti) who are in a relationship and both identify as transgender in the show and in real life. Additionally, two of the show’s central characters are a boy in a wheelchair named Isaac (George Robinson) and a girl who is deaf, Aisha (Alexandra James). These are only a few examples of how the show brings in authentic representation rather than actors whose identities don’t match their fictional characters. 

The season garnered a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, but unfortunately, only a 30% from audiences. Despite the inclusivity the show features, fans are upset by the overwhelming introduction of new characters.

But this show is unlike most other forms of entertainment in one very important way: it’s authentic. Being an awkward teen is something almost all adults have already faced, making the scenes painfully relatable. Whether due to excruciating heartbreak or the joy of platonic soulmates, this show knows exactly how to encapsulate those years when you are just trying to figure out who you are. Not only does this show give a space for people of all identities, but it also breaks the taboo nature of sex.

Throughout the season, viewers watch as Otis struggles to connect with his mom Jean (Gillian Anderson) while she takes care of her newborn baby. Feeling like second best, Otis has constant quarrels with his mother and decides to focus on becoming a sex therapist at his new, utopian-like school where almost everyone is queer, all school decisions are voted on by students and metal slides connect the upper floors to the ground level. To his surprise, Otis discovers there is already a sex therapist on campus, and the two must compete for the students’ affection.

Over in America, this season Maeve is attending an academically prestigious high school in hopes of one day becoming a writer. Her character faces emotional whiplash as she deals with the complexities of losing a loved one while also trying to keep her romantic relationship with Otis afloat. 

Otis’ best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) attempts to navigate how he can be his authentic self while also being Christian. Despite being an openly gay man to his friends and family, the last place he has yet to come out is church — a place that still serves as part of his identity, despite their homophobic beliefs.

After reading this season’s reviews, I felt a bit worried as I started episode one. In my opinion, the first three seasons were perfect, and it isn’t uncommon for the end of a show to be disappointing. These characters have become like my best friends after watching them go through high school and find their footing. I could only pray that Netflix would give the end of their stories the justice they deserved.

My favorite character throughout the series has always been Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood), a student who was once in the popular clique and now does her best to fit in with characters like Maeve and Isaac. In my favorite episode of the season, episode six, I watched as Aimee not only learns to accept a tragic accident that happened to her in a prior season, but she also embraces it through her newfound passion for photography. Aimee’s optimism and not-so-perfectly-timed humor make her the highlight of this show. She has the best character arc in the show and proves that a character meant for comic relief can also hold important weight.

While I agree that too many new characters were introduced this season, the show’s finale still left me with tears streaming down my cheeks. Regardless of a couple of minor flaws, the relatability of the show still makes it one of my favorites. No matter who you are, you should spend your next weekend binge-watching all four seasons.