Sex Education season 2, episode 7 recap – a great chapter on female solidarity

This recap of Netflix Series Sex Education Season 2, Episode 7 contains significant spoilers.

• Read the Season 2 review.
• Read the recap of Episode 8.
• Read the recap of the previous episode (6).
• Access the archive of all the episode recaps.

Episode 7 opens up with a flashback to a younger, tough-faced Maeve — it was quite brief and serves a purpose later in the chapter. In the present day, a very hungover Otis wakes up naked next to Ruby — she wants to keep the fact that they had sex a secret. Otis is worried that they did not use a condom. When Otis heads downstairs, she is fuming but Otis is too hungover to deal with her lecture and heads to school.

Otis can barely walk around the school and he is wearing sunglasses to handle the heaviness in his head. He tells Eric about Ruby and Eric is buzzing that Otis finally lost his virginity. They bump into Maeve and as Otis apologizes, a group of boys congratulates Otis for sleeping with Ruby.

It’s not looking good for Otis and Maeve.

But it is getting worse at the school; Jean’s notes have been scanned and scattered by Mr. Groff; the students are panicking.

During class, Ruby asks Otis to come outside to talk. She states there is a 96.5% chance that a condom was used — they need to do something. Meanwhile, Jackson’s parents have turned up to make an appointment with a counselor for Jackson. On the way, a car tire bursts. His parents argue and Jackson tells them they would be better off getting a divorce. Sofia is hurt by his words and walks off.

Ruby asks Otis to go into the chemist to purchase a morning-after pill but when he gets to the counter, he’s told he is not allowed to buy it. So Ruby heads in. While answering the questions, she reveals her dad has MS.

Someone in school is calling Emily Sands a sl-t on mirrors with lipstick so Emily keeps the main girls behind after school until someone admits that they did it. There is tension between Maeve and Ola still. No-one will admit it, so Emily asks the girls to find something they all have in common, and if they do, they can go.

Olivia is called into Mr. Groff’s office about Malek. The sex advice off Jean is discussed in front of her family. Mr. Groff tells Jean she’s no longer allowed on campus and that she shouldn’t be giving advice to 15-year olds. Olivia thought Malek was 15. On the way out, Malek tells Jean that Otis gives out sex advice for payments and that’s the reason why he went to her for free advice — big bombshell for Jean.

Jackson talks to Sofia who is hurt — she wanted to feel like she was his real mum and that swimming connected to them. Jackson admits swimming doesn’t make him happy anymore.

Back to Otis and he asks Ruby if she gave him consent — “When I’m sad I make out with nerdy boys”. She likes how clingy nerdy boys get. Otis asks how his sex was and she described it as not great but not terrible. Otis wonders if she was sad about her father.

The girls are still trying to find something in common; Ola calls Maeve out for trying to steal her boyfriend and as the pair argue, Aimee begins crying and admits to not being able to get on the bus. Aimee tells the girls her attacker had a really kind face which was confusing. They all talk about their disturbing experiences with men — they’ve found common ground. Emily Sands finds out who was writing on the mirrors about her — it was Kyle, who is in love with her.

Jean rummages through Otis’s room and finds the money from providing sex advice. She meets Jakob to talk about it and then asks him if he wants something to eat and he declines — “It was one stupid kiss,” and she asks for forgiveness. Jakob tells Jean he does not want the experience of that pain again and claims she’s not ready for that kind of intimacy. Jean accepts his decision and walks off; the heartbreak hits her suddenly and she cries.

With the girls feeling united after they reveal their experiences, they head out to smash stuff to “let it all out”. Aimee feels a sense of release to let all her anger out. Maeve finally admits to Ola that she tried to steal Otis. Lily and Ola walk home together; Lily admits that boys were part of her plan, not girls. Ola apologizes for confusing her — Lily explains that they cannot just be friends and they kiss.

Sex Education Season 2, Episode 7 ends with Otis returning home after helping Ruby. Jean asks about the sex advice he has been handing out and he lies — “You look just like your father when you lie”.

Isaac tells Maeve that her mother is pretending to go to work. The next day, Maeve stays inside the caravan and catches her mother coming home after pretending to go to work. Maeve accuses her mother of using drugs again but she insists she’s not — “Lie to me one more time and you are out”. The chapter ends with a great moment. Aimee’s friends join her on the bus — “It’s just a stupid bus”.

Index Cards

• Adam asks Otis about Eric. Otis says he will “mess him up” if Adam hurts Eric.
• Adam has managed to train the shop owner’s dog. He accidentally keeps the shop door unlocked. The shop was trashed.
• Eric takes Rahim to his church. Rahim reveals that he is an atheist. He’s very open about it. Eric reveals he does believe in God. They agree to disagree and they tell each other they love each other. Eric’s mother says Eric acts differently around Rahim and that means they are not right for each other.