Sex Education 4: From They/Them Pronouns to Maeve's Grief Processing, 5 Subtle Sub-plots in Finale Season We Need To Talk More
A lot of things in Sex Education's finale season has been effective and brilliant. But for us, these little details stood out! Here are five of them.
Sex Education on Netflix had its season finale last week. This series is more than just discussions about sex. It exposes people to new dimensions and a spectrum of people present in this world. It has important call-outs and remarkable storytelling. In its four seasons, this series has made us more aware of diverse gender and sexuality than anything else. But this series is also about interpersonal relationships, ground realities, growing up, and coming of age. A lot of characters have splendid arcs. Season 4 too treads the same path but we have noticed a few subtle additions to the storytelling which deserves conversations. Sex Education Season 4: Netizens React to Ruby and Otis’ Ending in Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey’s Netflix Show Finale.
Yes, Adam's (Connor Swindles) rapidly improving connection with his father Michael (Alistair Petrie), Eric's (Ncuti Gatwa) dilemma of marrying his truth with God's beliefs, Ruby's (Mimi Keene) fight to regain popularity in new surroundings are all well crafted. But for us, these little details stood out! Here are five of them.
Aimee facing her trauma head-on
Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) had the most interesting journey from being a slow yet popular girl to a woman who faced her trauma on her own. The assault she goes through in one of the previous seasons puts her in a shell even when she continues to be a great friend to Maeve. She chooses art to express and goes back to the bus stop, the crime scene. That becomes the subject of her next photo series. The fact that she had stopped wearing the jeans that she was in when the assault took place says a lot about how deep-rooted the damage was. But she fights it and HOW!
Joy breaks Jean
Dr. Jean Millburn (Gillian Anderson) is one of the spunkiest and unabashed characters in the series especially because she is a sex therapist. Her solutions and comebacks were both snappy and mindful. But this season her Joy, her eight weeks old kid, breaks her. She is nothing of her old self, plunging deep down into post-natal depression.
The They People
The writers very smartly inject the They/Them pronounces in the dialogues and you don't notice till it's the fifth or sixth episode. Talk about normalising gender pronouns...brilliant writing.
Joy's gender reveal or not?!
In one of the initial episodes, Jean's sister Joanna casually mentions Joy as 'she' and then there's no talk of Joy's gender. We wonder if this was a conscious decision to not assign a gender to her as Sex Education is after all a series that acknowledges people's choice to choose who they are. If yes, this is incredible! Simone Ashley Will Not Return for Sex Education Season 4.
Eric and Aimee's support for grieving Maeve
Maeve (Emma Mackey) loses her mother to a drug overdose and her way of dealing with the loss is finishing a crossword. What's amazing here is that Aimee and Otis (Asa Butterfield) are waiting for her in the parking lot of the hospital but they never try to go in and smother Maeve with attention. It's so beautifully shown. They spend the time in the car playing cards while giving Maeve a wide berth grieving in her own way.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2023 07:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).