‘Sex Education’ Season 4 Review: A Brilliant yet Bittersweet Series Finale

By Lori Meek
Published: September 21, 2023 (Last updated: 2 weeks ago)
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Sex Education Season 4 Review
Sex Education Season 4 (Credit - Netflix)
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Summary

This is probably one of the best series on the subject in recent times. And Season 4 is no different.

The erotic teen dramedy Sex Education has been a hit for Netflix since season one premiered in 2019. It served as a career launch pad for many of its young stars, including Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, and Connor Swindells, and it won numerous accolades alongside widespread praise for its honest portrayal of sexual dilemmas. 

Now, the show’s 4th and final season waves farewell to our beloved Moordale Secondary characters as they embark on one last student sex therapy session. 

When season 3 ended, Moordale Secondary was closing down, and its students were forced to find alternative education options. Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Eric (Gatwa) are now studying at Cavendish College. 

Cavendish is student-led and significantly more progressive than Moordale (they have yoga). Former queen bee, Ruby (Mimi Keene), becomes a fish out of the water as the popular kids, Abbi (Anthony Lexa), Roman (Felix Mufti), and Aisha, are kind and generous here.

Eric spends the season growing apart from Otis while dealing with a crisis of faith. Otis is still pining for Maeve (Mackey), who starts the season studying at the prestigious Wallace University in the U.S. under the tutelage of famed writer Thomas Molloy (Dan Levy).

Opening a sex therapy clinic at Cavendish proves complicated for Otis, as the school already has one run by O (Thaddea Graham).

As for the adults, Jean (Gillian Anderson) is dealing with the challenges of single parenthood while balancing her career goals and her relationship with her estranged sister, Joanna (Lisa McGrillis). 

Michael Gruff is trying to rebuild a relationship with his son, Adam (Connor Swindells), who chose to pursue an equestrian career instead of going back to school. Their journey is probably the most heartfelt of the season. 

Characters like Isaac (George Robinson), Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood), Vivienne (Chinenye Ezeudu), Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling), and Cal (Dua Saleh) also get compelling storylines this season. Some of them are even more poignant than the main stories.

Sex Education is probably one of the best teen dramas ever made. And season 4 is no different. The storylines are heavier than ever. We see these characters deal with major health scares, death, severe body dysmorphia, and mental health issues. 

But there’s also plenty of humor and heartfelt moments to balance it out. It makes sense for the show to tackle more mature topics as the characters are entering adulthood.

Sometimes, series with such a large cast can get confusing, but Sex Education has a way of bringing viewers back to the heart of the story. However, while Otis and Maeve were the leads in season one, they get thrown to the sideline to make room for other characters, which reminded me of another Netflix hit, Orange is the New Black.

Sex Education’s final season is brilliant. The storylines are compelling and relevant, the humor is on point, and these characters are getting the send-off they deserve.

If you enjoyed the first three seasons, you’ll love season 4. And if you haven’t watched the series yet, now is a good time to start your binge.

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