Created & Written by Laurie Nunn
Directed by Ben Taylor
Starring Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Connor Swindells, Aimee Lou Wood, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Mimi Keene and Dua Saleh
We had to wait a bit longer for this third instalment of Sex Education (Season 3).
Every season has received raving reviews due to its fabulous cast and the important issues and subjects this show addresses.
In this season of Sex Education (Season 3) our beloved characters have to deal with a new headteacher and relationships go through some serious tests.
Our focus is normally with Otis who tries to navigate through love and life.
However, this season puts a spotlight on other characters instead, and Otis kind of comes along for the journey with a smaller story.
NEW CHARACTERS ARE INTRODUCED IN SEX EDUCATION SEASON 3
Credit: Netflix
Read more: Sex Education Season 3’s Release Date On Netflix Revealed
Where do you begin with this show?
The whole cast fits perfectly together and after three years it still works well.
There are new additions to the cast this year from Jemima Kirke as Headteacher Hope and Dua Saleh as Cal. It’s interesting that these two new characters are introduced and also have their own story which we get to see throughout the season.
Hope is introduced as a new hip and young headteacher and yet she slowly reveals that she is more like Umbridge from Harry Potter.
While it felt important to have a character like Cal introduced.
Non-binary hadn’t yet really been touched upon in this show and it was nice that it was finally given its spotlight.
AIMEE DEALS WITH THE TRAUMA FROM LAST SEASON
Last season Aimee Lou Wood had an intense storyline as Aimee was sexually assaulted on the bus.
That is one of the most remembered and stand out moments of Sex Education Season 2.
Well, in this season Aimee is struggling to deal with what happened.
Wood does such a good job at performing this role and making us feel empathy for Aimee.
Her character feels very relatable and a lot of people can relate to her.
There are characteristics to this character that feel very real, like Aimee not wanting to upset anyone so always tries to please everyone.
Wood’s performance is always very genuine and that is what makes Aimee so loveable.
She makes scenes lighter because her character is nice but also brings some light humour to scenes.
Some scenes could have felt very flat or awkward without Aimee there.
It is nice how far this character has grown in this season and I wonder what else Aimee can do now as she is learning to be more confident.
ADAM AND ERIC’S RELATIONSHIP IS PUT UNDER THE ULTIMATE TEST IN SEX EDUCATION SEASON 3
Credit: Netflix
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I have to say that Connor Swindells was the standout star in Sex Education Season 3 for me.
Adam went on a huge journey throughout all eight episodes.
He started off as the school bully in season 1 and now we end season 3 with Adam being a good guy who has learnt that he has a heart.
Adam and Eric’s (Ncuti Gatwa) relationship made up most of this season and it was great to see this pair together, because it was all we were hoping for in the previous season.
Obviously, no relationship is perfect and it was quite obvious that Adam and Eric had their differences.
Yet what I liked is that Adam is a closed off guy who struggles expressing himself and yet we saw in this season he was slowly opening up.
This season wasn’t as funny as the previous two, but Adam brought joy into scenes.
His admission to watching the Kardashian’s is so unexpected but the way Swindells delivers the line is perfect.
It was emotional watching Eric and Adam together at times and both actors did a great job with this.
At times they were funny and it worked and other times their relationship was painful and emotional and both actors did it justice.
Speaking of Eric, he had a huge story this season.
We see Eric go to Nigeria and deal with what it is like to be gay in a world where you still need to hide who you are.
JEAN GOES THROUGH A LOT ALL WHILE BEING PRENANT!
Sex Education Season 3 doesn’t just focus on the teenage characters but there is more focus on the adult relationships between Adams parents and Jean (Gillian Anderson) and Jakob.
We watch Jean go through a lot in this season and all while being pregnant.
I cried during the final episode as Jean had a tough ride.
It shows how invested we become with these characters. Anderson is fabulous this season and I love the cliff-hanger we are left on with her.
Talking about growth, Mr Groff (Alistair Petrie), Adam’s father and ex-headmaster goes from strength to strength.
He hit rock bottom and is trying to build himself back up.
He is still in love with his now ex-wife, but what is quite sad is that he still doesn’t show any care for his son.
I don’t think we had any interaction between the pair the entire season and considering Groff is trying to be better you’d think he’d want to make up with his son.
It’s interesting how this season has made us love some of the characters that we hated last season.
OTIS TAKES MORE OF A BACKSEAT IN THIS SEASON
Credit: Netflix
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It does feel as if Otis (Asa Butterfield) is no longer the lead of this show and instead the show has turned into more of an ensemble show.
I don’t have an issue with that but this show has changed so much in just three seasons.
Otis doesn’t disappear in this season; we watch Otis the geek have a relationship with Ruby (Mimi Keene), the most popular girl in school.
I was surprised how much I came to like this pairing.
However, what I really liked was that we got to see another side to Ruby and Keene delivered.
DO WE FINALLY GET THE MEAVE AND OTIS OUTCOME WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR?
We still deal with the slow burn of the will-they-won’t-they dilemma between Otis and Meave (Emma Mackey), but this is where the season is at its weakest is with these two.
We have gone through the same routine twice now and it’s just not as interesting anymore.
It was fun to watch the conversation about the voicemail but what came after felt predictable and done before.
Mackey has hinted she may not come back for Sex Education Season 4 so now looking back this season does feel a bit of a goodbye to Meave.
She gets a home with her sister and she is noticed for how intelligent she is and offered an amazing opportunity.
The future of Meave is unknown which means the future of Meave and Otis is the same.
SEX EDUCATION TALKS BRINGS IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE SUBJECTS INTO THE PUBLIC EYE!
Credit: Netflix
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Such important issues are talked about in this season and with some fantastic performances.
We end this season on many mini cliff-hangers and with the school closed down, it’ll be interesting to see what Season 4 will bring as all our characters could potentially split up and in many different schools to finish their education.
I won’t lie when the credits ran on the final episode of this season I was left feeling as if that was it.
I expected a bigger cliff-hanger, we got many small ones with the likes of Jean and Adam’s poem but there wasn’t anything that made me go WOW!
Don’t get me wrong, it was good finale but it didn’t blow me away, it felt as if I was missing something.
I enjoyed Sex Education Season 3 but I’m surprised that I left it loving the characters that I disliked last season and the characters I loved last season I don’t like this season.
The writing is perfect in this show and it always approaches difficult a sensitive subject well.
Sex Education Season 3 was good but I wouldn’t say it was best season.
It doesn’t feel as funny but there are moments that make you laugh.
This season was good but I did feel a tad let down by the cliff-hanger we were left on with Meave and Otis.
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