Netflix
In the United Kingdom, where Netflix’s beloved Sex Education takes place, “college” is not the same as it is in the States. College is a stage of adolescent life in between high school and university. These colleges still have separate focuses and specialties, but feel somewhat like high school, considering the overall vibe of the studies and campus. With that in mind, Sex Education’s fourth and final season—which takes place at one of these UK colleges—feels a wee bit trapped in that limbo in between teenagerhood and adulthood.
This isn’t to say Sex Education’s final season is bad. Most of the storylines are as buoyant and exciting as the past seasons. But in losing popular folks like Lily (Tanya Reynolds) and Ola (Patricia Allison), as well as taking the kids out of the classic Moordale High, the show teeters for a few episodes before finding its footing. Still, any fan of Sex Education will enjoy the final season, as sad as it is to bid farewell to lovable personalities like Maeve (Emma Mackey), Otis (Asa Butterfield), Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), and Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood).
Sex Education works hard to replace the handful of main stars it’s lost, and around half of the time, the show is successful at finding compelling new characters. Otis and Eric take a new bike path over to Cavendish College, a quirky arts school that feels like a utopian society. Here, the queer kids are popular and the traditional “popular” kids are outcasts. Eric is immediately accepted as the new leader of the pack. Otis, on the other hand, is relegated to the other castaways—like Ruby (Mimi Keene), who used to be the Queen Bee at Moordale.