sex education maeve essay

The Evolution Of Maeve: A Character Analysis

MAEVE WILEY

Maeve Wiley is the female protagonist in the Netflix Original Show “Sex Education”. She has had a troublesome life, but has persevered through all challenges she had encountered. Maeve is an empowering feminist, who doesn’t let others change her beliefs. This is my I’m depth analysis of Maeve Wiley as a character thus far.

Personality:

Maeve is confident in a reserved way. She often intimidates people with her resting expression, and her grunge appearance. Even though at first glance she appears tough, her inner core is soft and empathetic. Through the show her personality has stayed consistent. Although, she has opened up to her new friends and love interests.

Relationships:

Maeve’s relationships are complicated. Her family members are all missing from, either in jail or selling drugs. In season one her brother Sean came to visit but left immediately. He got Maeve in trouble because he sold drugs. Maeve blamed herself to protect her brother and Otis. Even though she is treated poorly by most people that she knows, she is kind to them. Maeve’s mother returned in season two with her kid. Maeve began trusting her mother, until she discovered her mom was still using. She called social services at the end of the season, shattering their relationship further. Maeve’s love life is complex. She dated the most popular student, Jackson. This was a new experience for her, and she wasn’t ready for a relationship. During her relationship with Jackson, she developed feelings for Otis. Jackson noticed this and they broke up. Maeve then went to tell Otis she liked him, but Ola made a move on him. In season two, while Otis and Ola were dating, Maeve finally shared her feelings. This completely failed because he was already in a committed relationship. Even though these relationships were toxic, Aimee is the light in Maeve darkness. She is her best friend. Aimee even ditched the untouchables to be Maeve’s friend. Aimee’s sweet and giving personality, brings joy to Maeve’s dark days.

Maeve’s aesthetic is soft grunge. She wears smokey eyeshadow, and a light pink lipstick. She often wears her leather jacket, and tassel jacket. Most of her clothes are dark coloured, with an exception of a few cool tones in her wardrobe. Her style has remained consistent during the series thus far!

Accomplishments:

Maeve has accomplished many things in both seasons. In the first season, the essay she wrote for Adam was awarded. Otis stole the trophy and gave it to her. She also got managed to make it back as a student at Moordale Secondary. She found evidence of cheating, and fake scores to increase the schools average. She also told Mr. Gruff the school’s average would suffer without her. Maeve also helped the Quiz Heads win their tournament. Another accomplishment Maeve had was helping Aimee get back on the bus along with the other girls. Maeve always helps people and has plenty of talent! She will be successful in her future!

Conclusion:

Maeve Wiley is a strong women. She’s been through a lot, but has fought through it all. Her character is static (stays the same), but she is slowly becoming more comfortable around her peers. I can’t wait to see Maeve’s character development next season!

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Sex Education season 2 binge recap: Episode 1–8

School is back in session, as Sex Education ' s second season has hit Netflix . The U.K.-set dramedy returns with all the things you loved about the first season—stellar performances from its ensemble cast! British accents! High school nostalgia! Adorkable teens!—and even more of the things that, if you're like me, made you cringe—horribly awkward parent-child conversations! Immensely humiliating, raw, and over-the-top sex crises! Let's dive into all the wonderfully weird and wild action that unfolds on Sex Education' s newest installment.

Otis & Ola

In last season's finale, Moordale High's resident virgin sex therapist Otis Milburn ( Asa Butterfield ) finally masturbated—but now he can't stop and keeps getting accidental erections. A montage of these incidents—in the shower, during an assembly, while biking home—culminates in Otis pleasuring himself in his mother's car while she runs into the store. As he climaxes, his mother returns and, well, things get messy.

Amid dealing with that, Otis begins worrying about his girlfriend Ola finding out about his problem. When he eventually tells her, though, she is unphased and says they'll deal with it together. # Couplegoals?

As rosy as that conversation ends, Ola is clearly threatened when Lily tells Ola about Maeve and Otis's friendship. Trouble in awkward paradise…

Otis & Jean

Otis's professional sex therapist mother Jean ( Gillian Anderson ) has been carrying on a secret relationship with Jakob, her plumber-turned-lover who happens to be Ola's father.

The cat gets out of the bag in a hilariously awkward fashion when in the middle of fooling around with Ola at her place, Otis, in embarrassment over his masturbation/erection problem, runs out of Ola's room with his pants down and falls down the stairs—literally stumbling upon Jean and a half-naked Jakob also fooling around.

Otis is quite displeased that Jean's involved with Jakob.

Meanwhile, Maeve is working at a mall pretzel shop, since she got expelled from school for claiming her brother's drugs were hers to protect him. Suddenly she finds herself having a reunion with her estranged drug-addict mother (and her half-sister).

Her mother is supposedly one year sober, working on step nine (amends) of the Narcotics Anonymous program, and is dating a nice man…who doesn't know Maeve and her brother exist. Maeve is unforgiving, and she and her mother part on bad terms.

However, the interaction inspires Maeve to quit work, dye her hair black, and return to school to fight for re-enrollment.

She arrives at Headmaster Groff's office with essays she wrote for other students and threatens to report the school for cheating. Groff is busy with another crisis (more on that soon) so he dismisses her and runs off to meet the Moordale's board chairwoman.

But before Maeve leaves, she starts reading the essays over the school speaker system. The chairwoman, Groff, and Maeve's English teacher Ms. Sands convene on Maeve. When the chairwoman asks what's going on, Ms. Sands slyly creates an explanation that forces Groff to re-admit Maeve in order to save face. WIN!

Maeve also receives a gift from her mother later: an envelope full of cash.

At the start of the episode, Otis decides not to do the clinic without Maeve. But then the school erupts into chaos over a perceived chlamydia epidemic (people erroneously think it can be transmitted by spit or air). Everyone wants Otis's help. He resists, but when a classmate, Fiona, says her friends are falsely saying she started the outbreak, he relents.

He instructs Fiona's two accusatory friends to make a list of their sex partners. He and Eric talk to everyone on the list—which includes Jackson, who hates Otis for his unwitting role in Jackson's breakup with Maeve—but have no luck finding the culprit.

Things between Fiona and her friends escalate into a physical fight. Maeve soon learns from Eric that missing from the Patient Zero suspect list is the girls' fellow a-cappella teammate Owen, whom both have been sleeping with in secret out of embarrassment. Just then, Otis gets punched out by one of the girls while trying to break up the fight. Post-fight, Owen and Otis have a heart-to-heart about honesty, and Eric and Otis conclude the clinic needs Maeve.

Otis and Maeve then agree to resume the clinic together.

Odds & Ends

• Sick of the pressure and his mother's fighting over his swimming career, Jackson purposely fractures his hand, putting him out of swimming for at least six weeks.
• There's a new attractive kid in school turning heads. His name is Rahim, and he's French. A girl from the "Untouchables" popular clique "claims" him but Rahim pays her no mind. He does, however, compliment Eric.
• When Groff holds a parent meeting about the chlamydia crisis, Jean explains the epidemic is mostly a crisis of exaggeration due to misinformation. She suggests updating the school's sex education program. Later, the board chairwoman asks Jean to lead the program revamp.

Otis researches online how to perform digital penetration and finds something called the "clock" method. Google at your own risk? When he uses it on Ola, she pretends to enjoy it but later tells Lily it was awful. Lily relays this to Otis.

Distraught, Otis seeks the advice of a lesbian classmate ( who better to ask about pleasing a girl than a girl #amirite?) . After demonstrating his technique on an orange (a la Call Me By Your Name 's peach scene) the classmate tells him different things work for different girls, so he should just ask Ola. So, after school, he rushes over to Ola's house and apologizes for not listening to her. She welcomes him into the house.

However, the Maeve jealousy issue presents itself again throughout the episode. When will it boil over?

The Clinic—mother and son's

The episode opens with Ms. Sands and Mr. Hendrix having sex. Sands wants Hendrix to talk dirty but he fails epically. At the fair, Hendrix seeks Otis's help. Otis suggests he write a script. Hendrix heeds the advice, but things still go awry.

However, after Otis's talk with his classmate about fingering, he shares the same advice with Hendrix. So, Hendrix goes to Sands' house and asks why she likes dirty talk. She says she wants to feel sexy since she doesn't get to feel sexy at work. He figures out what to do and the two have "dirty" makeup sex.

Meanwhile, Jean jumps into revamping the sex education program with an assembly talk which she completely bombs, humiliating herself and Otis. Still, she convinces Groff to let her audit Hendrix's sex education lessons so she can learn about the existing program.

When Hendrix is overwhelmed by students' questions—i.e. what type of lubricant should be used for anal sex — Jean swoops in with answers, impressing the reluctant Groff.

Now back at school, Maeve is in an accelerated class. But when Ms. Sands asks everyone to read their essays on their 10-year dreams, Maeve refuses.

Then, when Ms. Sands asks the class if anyone wants the last spot on the school's quiz team, Maeve hesitantly raises her hand.

When Maeve and Sands see one another at the fair, Maeve admits she was embarrassed about her essay because her dream is simply to have a house in which she could be happy and alone. Sands insists Maeve should and can have bigger dreams.

The next day, Maeve is selected for the quiz team. Otis passes by as she hears the news and he congratulates her but rushes off to find Ola. Maeve finally admits to herself that she still likes Otis.

• Groff assigns Jackson a tutor to improve his grades while he's recovering. During their first session, the tutor, Viv, tells Jackson jocks without a backup plan usually end up in dead-end jobs. This prompts Jackson to peruse the school bulletin board looking for other activities the next day, and while he's contemplating, Lily hands him a flier for Romeo & Juliet auditions.
• When we first see Adam at military school, he's scolded for gun mismanagement. He later gets help from two guys and they bring him along for their clandestine pot-smoking session in the woods. Adam finally opens up to people and seems like he might be happy but then… he walks in on the guys pleasuring each other. He promises not to tell anyone but the guys plant marijuana on his bed, getting Adam kicked out to protect their secret. Adam's dad picks him up from school and says if he screws up again, he's out of the house. Adam is mean but also can he please catch a break?
• Rahim sits next to Eric during an assembly, then at the fair, joins Eric on the Ferris Wheel. When the ride ends, Rahim walks off, leaving Eric confused. Then Rahim hints at his sexuality with a question about gay sex during the sex education class. Eric's going to land the hottie…

Jean now has her own classroom in which to meet students who want to discuss the sex education program with her. In addition to generally resenting her presence at the school, Otis worries that his mother will find out he's been running a sex clinic at school.

His secret seems to survive this episode, but he finds another reason to fight with his mother.

She plans a dinner with Jakob, Otis, and Ola, and Otis spends the whole time insulting Jakob until finally, he flips over their monopoly game and storms off. He apologizes the next day, at Jean's request, but the apology isn't very sincere and it's clear he's still not on board with Jean and Jakob.

The episode opens with a student, Olivia, having sex with her boyfriend. She's on top, and as she climaxes, she puts a pillow over her boyfriend's face, to his confused dismay. At school that day, the boyfriend, Malik, tries to make an appointment with Otis for advice about it because the pillow thing annoys him, but he doesn't have enough money so Maeve rejects him.

Malik goes to Jean instead. She suggests it may be part of a fetish—breath play, encasement fantasy, or paranormal fantasy. Malik is freaked out and snaps at Olivia for "wanting to f--- a ghost."

Olivia seeks Otis's help and admits to him that she covers Malik's face because she's ashamed of her orgasm face. Otis says it's normal to feel insecure but sex is about feeling good, not looking pretty. She should create that trust with her boyfriend to share their vulnerabilities.

At the end of the episode, she heeds Otis's advice and before having sex with Malik covers their faces in tape to make them look silly. Malik goes along with it and the two make up.

Aimee & Maeve

Since Aimee stood up for herself and Maeve to the "Untouchables," she no longer rides with them to school and must take the bus. It's Maeve's birthday that day, so Aimee has baked a cake and brings it along on the bus, precariously. While on the bus, though, she experiences a horrid incident: a man masturbates against her backside, getting his ejaculate on her jeans. She gets off the bus and walks the rest of the way, but when she tells Maeve about it, she's nonchalant.

Maeve, however, is appalled and insists they go to the police.

At the station, Aimee won't let the officer call her mother, because she doesn't want her mother to make a bigger deal of it. Throughout the statement process, Aimee is reluctant and is dependent on Maeve's influence as if Aimee herself isn't really that bothered by what happened. When she gets home that night, though, after making the report, she cries, and the next day, can't bring herself to get on the bus.

Rahim finally asks Eric on a date but tells Eric to pick where they go since Rahim is new to the area. Eric overthinks his outfit and the place. He picks a fancy restaurant but when Rahim arrives, he realizes Eric is out of place. Rahim asks Eric to take him somewhere that makes him happy. So, they go to an arcade and play a Dance Dance Revolution-type game. Eric shines and Rahim loves it. He kisses Eric, sending him into shock and ecstatic joy. Eric walks Rahim home but a surprise awaits: Rahim lives above a convenience store, where Adam just began working at upon his return from military school. Eric is flustered seeing Adam and tells Rahim he has to go. Adam looks on broodingly as they kiss goodbye on the cheek.

• Jackson decides to audition for the play and seeks Viv's help in understanding Shakespeare enough to read it well. She explains that poetry is rhythm, and once he gets that, he says he needs to tap into the emotion of it by relating it to his own life. He crushes the audition.
• Maeve's mother arrives at her door at night with a bruise on her face. Her boyfriend didn't like learning she had other kids. Maeve grants her mother and half-sister refuge in her trailer.
• Otis gives Maeve a birthday present—a diary with her birthday ripped out of every year since she had said she hates celebrating birthdays. The gesture prompts her to almost confess her feelings but ultimately chickens out.

Bravery was definitely a theme of this episode.

Otis's client in this episode is a girl in the school play who feels ashamed that she, unlike her friends, doesn't think about sex. Otis advises her to not care what people think. She leaves the session unsatisfied and winds up consulting with Jean.

She tells Jean she doesn't have an interest in sex but she does want romance. Jean explains she may be asexual (no sexual desire), and some asexuals don't want the romance part, some do. Jean says sex doesn't make people whole, and the girl leaves in a much better state. Representation!

Jean gets an unexpected additional client too…Groff's wife Maureen. Maureen hesitantly tells Jean that her husband hasn't touched her in six years. Jean invites her to share more about their relationship, so she can help advise Maureen on rekindling the flame.

Maureen attempts to seduce her husband that night with a sexy look but he dismisses her. She retreats, silently crying. This guy is the worst, can he be canceled, please?

One night, after Eric unsuccessfully tried talking with Adam about their pre-military school sexual encounter, Eric is woken by rocks thrown at his window. It's Adam. Eric meets him outside and follows him to a junkyard-type place where they spend the night smashing glass. It's a bizarre but adorable sort of non-date date .

As the sun rises, they walk home to Adam's place and share a very drawn-out, awkward goodbye before…Adam kisses Eric.

That morning at school, though, Rahim asks Eric to be his boyfriend. During this scene, a song about choosing a devil or an angel comes on. Well done music department.

Otis & Ola & Maeve

At the beginning of the episode, Ola and Otis decide to have sex the following night. Otis takes extra care getting ready that morning. He's still nervous, though, because he's always wanted his first time to be with someone he loved and he and Ola haven't said that to one another yet. Still, he decides "really like" is enough and he's going to do it.

Refreshing that Ola is the driver and Otis, the guy, is the one who wants to wait for love .

However, Otis is delayed from getting to Ola's after school, first with a client, then with helping Maeve.

Maeve has her first quiz team competition after school, but right before it starts, her mother shows up and asks Maeve to watch her half-sister while she goes to a job interview. Maeve agrees, then asks Otis to watch her sister while she competes. Otis agrees, but during his session, the girl disappears.

Otis finds Maeve after the competition and the two search frantically. Maeve berates Otis because she's tired of people letting her down. After they find Maeve's sister safe, Otis asks how the competition went. Maeve crushed it but the team voted her out because she didn't collaborate with them on answers. When Maeve relays this to Otis, she says she messes everything up. As Otis is about to leave, she segues that into saying she messed things up with him…because she liked him and didn't tell him out of fear, and then he met Ola. Otis is completely thrown, and lashes out at her for waiting this long when he liked her all along and only just moved.

He storms off to meet Ola. But the sexual mood is ruined when Otis receives and reads a text from Maeve while Ola is undressing him. Ola reads the text—"I'm sorry, I feel like an idiot"—and kicks Otis out. The next day she gives him an ultimatum: stop hanging out with Maeve, or they break up.

• Lily comforts Ola about Otis and amid this interaction, the two share a very intimate moment… Definite new ship foreshadowing here…I'm for it, but we shall see if it comes to be.
• Jackson has gotten the part of Romeo but needs more help from Viv, so they strike a deal. She'll help him if he helps her land her crush, Dex, her quiz competition teammate (played by Game of Thrones actor and surprise glow-up sensation Lino Facioli).
• Maeve's mom comes home and says she got the job. Maeve is snippy with her about dumping her sister on her and coming home late, but when her mother instructs her not to put her feet on the table, she listens, prompting her mother to smile with a sense of motherhood victory.
• Otis's father Remi turns up unexpectedly at Jean's house. Otis isn't there but Jakob is. Jean, Remi, and Jakob end up having dinner together. Remi is wildly obnoxious toward Jakob. After Jakob leaves, wine-drunk Remi and Jean reminisce, kiss, and start to hook up but are quickly interrupted by Otis's arrival.
• Two guys moved into the trailer next door in episode three and Maeve has another interaction with them in this episode, though it's brief. So far it seems insignificant, but my Spidey senses say one guy may be a love interest to thwart Maeve and Otis.

Otis & his parents

All the Milburns have a lot of relationship drama.

In the aftermath of kissing Remi, Jakob's annoying flaws become heightened to Jean. She explodes at him and confesses the kiss. Jakob leaves, not saying much.

Meanwhile, Remi takes Otis and Eric on a camping trip. However, out of arrogance and self-centeredness, he doesn't really connect with Otis properly, and the trip goes awry. They get lost, it downpours before they set up the tents, and Remi gives up angrily. They go to a hotel instead.

While at the hotel, Remi yells in his room. Otis checks on him and Remi tells Otis his wife Delilah is leaving him for someone else. However, Jean gets a call from Delilah saying "I couldn't change him either," and then Otis sees a woman leaving Remi's room in the morning. Otis realizes his father is still a cheater, and the only reason Remi came to see Otis is that Delilah kicked him out and he had nowhere else to go.

Remi later admits to Jean that he's a sex addict, but says he's going to get help. He says he wants to be a good father. Jean asks, "to which children?"

Otis & Eric

While on the camping trip, with Otis dealing with the Maeve-Ola issue and Eric dealing with his own Rahim-Adam issue, the two fight. Otis says Eric lets himself fall for people who treat him like crud because he hates himself, and Eric says Otis is pretending to love Ola when everyone knows he loves Maeve.

Eric and Otis make up of course, though.

Then Eric agrees to be Rahim's boyfriend and later ignores Adam when he comes around that night.

Ola & Otis

The episode opens with Ola having a sex dream in which Otis morphs into Lily. Wondering what it means, she takes a quiz about sexuality and her result is pansexual. She's not surprised… and has another dream about kissing Lily later.

Meanwhile, Otis struggles with deciding between Ola and Maeve. But not wanting to be a cheat like his father, he finally chooses. On the way home, he texts Maeve to tell her they can't hang out anymore.

Then at his house, he tells Ola he loves her. She says he doesn't really, and she doesn't love him. She thinks they're meant to be friends since they're so different—she likes to live in the moment, and he's so uptight. She breaks up with him. He seems crushed. Though he's probably sadder about the text to Maeve.

Then Ola runs to Lily's. When Lily opens the door, she kisses her. Lily kisses her back but then shuts the door in Ola's face.

Maeve's mother Erin asks her to attend a family and friends Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Maeve reluctantly agrees. But during the meeting, when Erin talks about being sorry for abandoning Maeve and her brother and all the other pain she's caused, Maeve feels the speech is more an excuse than an apology.

Maeve storms out of the church where the meeting is being held and runs into the new neighbors—Isaac, who uses a wheelchair, and his brother. She winds up joining them for a dance class. Isaac makes her dance with an elderly man and she reluctantly enjoys it. She learns more about Isaac and his brother. They were orphaned and passed around the foster system. He tries to get Maeve to talk about Erin but it sets her off and she cusses him out.

Back at her trailer, she finds her mother crying. Erin apologizes again. Maeve softens once more and asks Erin to paint her nails for her. Perhaps Erin is sincere and their reconciliation sticks.

The next morning, Maeve finds a present from Isaac. Just then, she gets Otis's text and is infuriated.

• Jackson helps Viv flirt with Dex, first by calling Dex out for thinking her name is "Bev," then by making him jealous by saying he and Viv are hooking up. It seems to work—Dex and Viv hit it off and Dex asks for her number…for a work-related thing technically, but close enough. On their walk back, Viv calls out Jackson for not liking girls for their personalities. He swears he really liked Maeve, but Viv is skeptical. In other news, she urges Jackson to tell his family about doing the play.
• Aimee is still traumatized by the bus incident. She's having trouble being intimate with Steve.
• Adam masturbates to a movie poster in his room but can't decide whether to look at the female character's breasts or the male character's abs.
• Headmaster Michael Groff's wife Maureen asks Jean what happens to your vagina's pleasure sensation if you haven't been touched in years. Jean gives her a vibrator. Maureen later uses it, victoriously. A few scenes later, she tells her husband she wants a divorce. At the end of the episode, he packs his things and leaves. Adam is seemingly indifferent to the situation.

This episode's sex question, courtesy of "Untouchable" member Anwar, is about douching. Anwar is afraid to have sex with his boyfriend because he's a virgin and doesn't know proper practices. He asks Otis for help. Otis consults Rahim. Rahim ultimately tells Anwar directly that if he can't handle talking about douching with his boyfriend, he isn't ready to have sex. Anwar realizes he's right and later confesses to his boyfriend about his inexperience and concerns. His boyfriend warmly offers to teach him. #Couplegoals?

Otis wants to prove to Ola he's not uptight, so he hosts a "small gathering." But thanks to Eric, it ends up being a wild party with the whole school.

Otis refuses to invite Maeve because he blames her for ruining things with Ola, but Eric invites her anyway.

Maeve and her mother share an achingly rare, normal mother-daughter moment over Maeve getting ready for the party. Maeve grants Isaac's request to join her at the party. When they arrive, they ask Jackson to help get Isaac down Otis's long stairway to the house. Isaac picks up on and addresses the heartbreak-based tension between Jackson and Maeve.

Meanwhile, at the party, Eric urges a frantic Otis to relax and let loose. So, he begins drinking…and doesn't stop. Tipsy Otis tells Ola to come to get her stuff so he can rub the party in her face.

When Otis runs into Jackson at the party, he learns Maeve dumped Jackson for Otis. This prompts Otis to approach Maeve and Isaac and dance (awkwardly).

Then, Ola confronts them. The girls soon become upset with each other and with Otis and try to leave but Otis insists they stay. He gets everyone's attention and launches into a speech in which he praises Ola but then says he always liked Maeve more than her, then says Maeve likes to play with other peoples' emotions and is selfish and fake.

Both girls leave deeply hurt, and Otis continues partying. He pukes, dances, and ends up sleeping with Ruby the "Untouchable."

Maeve & Isaac

Back home after the party, Maeve learns Isaac uses a wheelchair because he fell out of a tree he climbed while Joe and Isaac were being neglected by their deadbeat parents. In turn, Maeve shows Isaac where she burned herself trying to make her own breakfast as a child because her mom was in a drugged-up sleep. Isaac says Otis isn't right for Maeve because he couldn't ever understand her troubled past.

At the beginning of the episode, Jean finds herself missing Jakob.

At school, Ola seeks Jean's advice about Lily. Otis sees Ola and Jean together and becomes desperate to know what they discussed. He steals Jean's therapy notes. As he puts it in his locker, Headmaster Groff walks by and nefariously notices the book.

Jean meets up with Maureen Groff that night for fun. They discuss relationship problems, get drunk, and go dancing. Feminist win for a scene normalizing older women having carefree, active fun.

When Maureen returns home, Michael is there and begs her to take him back. She rejects him, and he blames Jean. Infuriated, he steals Jean's notebook and makes copies of all the pages.

Jackson gets his cast removed, and immediately his mother Sofia resumes pressuring him about swimming. Then at the party, everyone bombards him about swimming and becoming the golden boy again. It overwhelms him and he escapes to a quiet room. He's considering injuring his hand again when Viv finds him.

Jackson tells Viv he hurt himself before on purpose. She hugs him and at first, he accepts her comfort. But when she urges him to tell his parents and seek help—because people who self-harm are at high risk of committing suicide—he snaps and insults her. When Jackson returns home that night, Viv is there. She told Jackson's mothers about his injury.

• When Rahim picks Eric up for the party, he meets Eric's mom but Eric rushes them out. Rahim asks if his family knows he's gay. Eric says yes, but they don't talk about it—or anything—much.
• Lily avoids Ola at school. When Ola confronts her at the party, she says she doesn't want to be friends anymore because it's too weird.
• Maeve rejoins the quiz team. Before their next competition, Ms. Sands reminds her to be a team player, not a lone wolf. Maeve proves she's learned her lesson and works with the team well to win.
• Jean learns Remi's trying to commandeer her work—he told his book agent they might write together about raising a teenager and sex education in school. Jean tells the agent there will be no collaboration.
• At the party, Adam asks why Eric has stopped meeting him. Eric mentions his bullying, then says he can't be with someone who's so full of shame about himself because Eric worked so hard to get out of that place personally. Adam admits he's scared, but when Eric offers his hand for comfort, Adam slaps it away, proving Eric's point. Adam wonders why everyone hates him and Eric says it's because he hates himself.
• Aimee tries to enjoy the party but her bus assault plagues her.
• Maeve's mother returns home from work and looks as if she's been crying but tells Maeve it's nothing.

At school, chaos erupts because Jean's notes are everywhere, embarrassing all of her patients.

Groff calls Jean into a meeting with Malek and Olivia with their parents. The parents are furious Malek "received sex advice" from Jean. Groff "fires" Jean. Jean asks how her notes got shared, and he pretends not to know. On the way out, Malek spills the beans about Otis's sex clinic, and Jean later confirms it by finding a wad of cash in Otis's room.

Jean seeks Jakob's advice and comfort over Otis. Jakob helps, but when Jean asks him to dinner, he declines, saying she can't give him the intimacy he needs. Jean is devastated.

When Jean confronts Otis about the sex clinic, he denies it. She says he looks like his father when he lies.

The Bad Chicks Club

Thanks to the therapy notes, someone writes something cruel about Ms. Sands on a bathroom mirror. Olivia, Aimee, Viv, Maeve, Ola, and Lily become suspects and are sent to detention.

Sands orders them to create a presentation on what binds them together as women—à la Breakfast Club . A few scenes later while having sex with Hendrix, Sands jokes about it being an impossible task because female solidarity doesn't work.

Ola and Maeve bicker while they work on the assignment. Aimee yells at them to stop fighting and she starts crying. She tells everyone she can't get on the bus because of what happened. She no longer feels safe anywhere.

Then the girls share their own stories—Olivia was groped at a train station, a man followed Ola home from work, guys in Maeve's neighborhood cat-called her when she was younger and an older woman blamed Maeve for it, and a man flashed his penis to Viv in a public pool when she was a child and afterward, Viv's mother never took her back to the pool. They realize experiences with misogyny are something they all have in common. It's sad that's what binds them, but of course, it's sadly realistic.

Sands and Hendrix stumble upon the real message culprit repeating his crime, and the girls are set free.

Ola invites them all to the junkyard—Adam had brought her there when they were both sad after Otis's party—to blow off steam. Maeve and Ola apologize to one another about Otis' stuff.

The next day the group meets Aimee at the bus stop to help her conquer her fear. Pass the tissues, please.

Otis wakes up in bed with Ruby. They had sex, but aren't sure if they used a condom. They decide to get the morning-after pill. When the doctor asks Ruby about her family medical history, she says her father has MS.

Afterward, Otis asks Ruby if she gave consent and she assures him, saying whenever she's sad she makes out with nerdy boys because she likes that they think they're in love with her. Otis asks if she was sad last night because of her dad. She says yes. Otis also asks if he was good at sex. She says he was ok but too frequently asked how she was during it—though she appreciates it for how rare it is that a guy cares.

Rahim attends church with Eric and his family. But Rahim is an atheist and is surprised Eric actually believes in religion. Still, Rahim says their differences make him love Eric. Eric says he loves him back but later in his room, he thinks about Adam.

Eric's mother says Rahim isn't right for Eric because Eric doesn't act like himself around Rahim, and Rahim doesn't really make Eric "sparkle."

Jackson's mothers pick him up from school to take him to a counselor. But things go awry when they get a flat tire. While they're trying to fix it, his mothers bicker and finally, Jackson says they should get a divorce. He says his biological mother, Roz, is so mad at his other mother, Sofia, but pretends not to be, and Sofia is so concerned about Jackson not loving her the same as Roz that she just pushes both away.

Sofia says she's always been afraid Jackson wouldn't see her as his real mom and it hurt to hear him say that. She says since he didn't really come from her, she loved that they at least shared a passion for swimming. Jackson says his favorite part about swimming was spending time with Sofia, his hero. He admits he doesn't want to swim anymore because it doesn't bring him joy but it has nothing to do with their relationship—she'll always be his real mom. He then says she needs to let him figure out his other interests. She understands and they embrace. Then he tells her about the play.

• Adam teaches the store owner's dog how to sit. The owner is impressed and entrusts Adam with locking up. Adam is happy to have finally done something right. But then he doesn't lock up properly and the place gets ransacked. Poor Adam, one step forward, three steps back AGAIN .
• After the Bad Girls Club's smashing session, Lily asks Ola to walk her home. Lily tells Ola that her plans were for boys who smell sweaty, not girls that smell like vanilla. Eventually, Lily kisses Ola and Ola kisses back.
• Isaac spies on Maeve and her mother as they leave for work and school and sees Erin return to the trailer after Maeve leaves, change out of her work clothes, and turn on the TV. When Maeve returns home that night, Isaac tells her what he saw. The next day, Maeve catches her mom in the lie. Her mom admits she got fired but swears she isn't on drugs again. Maeve believes her but says if she lies again, they're done.

This episode's drama culminates at the school play—Lily's production of a space opera version of Romeo & Juliet . It's bizarre—there are characters with penis hands and vagina heads and, need I go on? Let's dive into what happens to everyone.

Jean and Otis

Things are still cold between Otis and Jean. Otis doesn't think the clinic was wrong, or that not telling her was wrong. Otis also boldly therapizes Jean and says her overreaction is about a fear of rejection—like she rejected Jakob (though, as Jean points out, Otis didn't help there). Then he essentially implies it's Jean's fault Remi left.

When Otis runs into Ola at school, he wonders aloud to her why he keeps upsetting people. Ola thinks he's so worried about being a good guy, he ends up doing bad. She adds that Otis is too afraid he'll end up like his father. Otis realizes she's right and rushes to see Remi, who's nearby for his book tour.

Otis asks Remi why he left. Remi says simply, "I'm an a--hole." Otis asks him how he can be better. Remi says it's about honesty and holding tight forever the people who love you despite your faults.

So, Otis goes on an apology tour. He leaves a heartfelt message for Maeve (more on this later). He apologizes to Jakob, and Jakob tells him he's a good man.

Then Groff interrupts the play. He calls it inappropriate and blames Jean for corrupting the students with her sex advice. Otis stands up for Jean and confesses he's the one that's been giving out advice. After the play, Jean and Otis further their reconciliation.

In the morning before school, Erin nonchalantly tells Maeve she won't make her quiz competition finals because she has a job interview. She asks Maeve to babysit. Then at least two more things unfold that hint Erin is a hot mess.

On her way out, Maeve asks Isaac to search her trailer for her hidden drugs. Sure enough, Joe finds paraphernalia. Isaac relays the intel before the quiz competition begins. Maeve reports her mother to social services, for her sister's sake. But during the competition, Erin shows up, catching Maeve off guard.

The team is down by a lot at the end of the round but Viv gives everyone a pep talk and they ultimately rally to win. Erin takes Maeve out to celebrate but then when they get home, social services is there. Erin is distraught to learn Maeve made the call. She admits to having slipped up with the drugs but says it's no big deal. Erin and her daughter are taken away for investigation.

Maeve feels awful. She cries and then goes to Isaac's. He assures her she did the right thing and invites her in. She accepts but then leaves to get things at the store.

At that moment, Otis arrives. Isaac pretends he hasn't seen Maeve. Otis asks him to tell Maeve to listen to her voicemail. Isaac gives his word but then he takes Maeve's phone, which she left behind, and listens to the message—Otis finished it by saying he loves her—and deletes the message. This is not ok! Isaac & Maeve need to happen ASAP!

Eric & Adam

Eric invites Rahim to the play (Eric is performing with the swing band). To Eric's shock and horror, Rahim says he doesn't like musicals but will come to support Eric.

Adam brings food to his father at school. He asks if he can return to school. His dad is impressed he hasn't been fired from his job—he doesn't know about the lock-up incident yet—and says he'll consider it.

On his way out, Adam sees Eric. They catch up and bond in a conversation that includes Eric learning Adam knows his instrument and may like musicals, laughing over the play flier (which Rahim sees and becomes envious of), and Adam acknowledging how he hurt Eric all those years.

Adam later fights for his job back so he doesn't have to tell his dad he was fired. Ola tries to help but they both end up getting fired. Adam asks why she helped him and she says they're friends. He hugs her, overjoyed someone has finally called him a friend.

Later, during a conversation about his dad, Adam's mother says when you love someone you have to let them know, no matter what. At this, Adam takes off running to the school.

He interrupts the end of the play to ask Eric, on stage in front of everyone, to hold his hand. Eric looks guiltily at Rahim but accepts. After the show, Eric introduces Adam to his family. Adam is happy.

Eric apologizes to Rahim outside. Rahim warns Eric that Adam might not be good for him.

• The episode begins with Ola trying to finger Lily but Lily has a condition where any penetration is painful. She's working on the problem with different dildos. So, Ola and Lily use them to pleasure themselves side by side. Later, after Ola and Lily share a passionate kiss in celebration of Lily's successful play, Lily uses a bigger dildo than usual (at home by herself) and triumphantly doesn't feel pain.
• When a nervous Jackson makes his debut on stage, he freezes. But he finds Viv in the crowd and her silent encouragement snaps him out of it and he delivers a great performance. Afterward, the two verbally solidify their friendship with a hug.
• After the play debacle, the board chairwoman orders Groff to take time off. Win for Jean!
• When she goes to the doctor about her chest pains, Jean learns she is both perimenopausal and pregnant—even though Jakob had a vasectomy.

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Sex Education season 4 ending explained: do Otis and Maeve end up together?

Everything that happened in the final episode of Sex Education season 4.

This article contains spoilers for the Sex Education season 4 finale.

Ahead of the show's return, Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn revealed that she "felt really good" about the place that the show's last-ever episode left everyone in. The tear-jerking feature-length finale was full of moving moments and happy reunions and saw many of the biggest rifts being healed, making it a fitting send-off for one of the best Netflix shows.

Eric and Otis made peace with their differences, Adam, Michael, and Maureen got to spend some time back together as a family, Jean headed back into the studio on her own terms (and reconnected with her sister), and Maeve fully opened up to Otis about her feelings, in her own way. 

Here's a full breakdown of all the biggest parts of Sex Education 's final episode.

Sex Education season 4 ending explained: Do Otis and Maeve end up together? 

Sadly, Otis and Maeve's love doesn't last. After Maeve made the decision to return to America in the previous episode, the pair decided to have no contact for a little while.

Otis spends the season finale upset over their break-up and is heartbroken that neither of them was brave enough to break the no-contact agreement. However, right at the end of the episode, Otis finds a note that Maeve had left him by his bedside.

In it, Maeve opens up about just how much the time they'd spent together had meant to her. She says that opening the clinic with him helped her gain the courage to start opening up to other people. 

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Even though they're both clearly devastated they can't be together, Maeve thanks him for everything that went down in Moordale and says she will carry part of him with her wherever she goes. 

Do Otis and Eric become friends again?

Even though Otis and Maeve didn't work out together, Moordale's resident sex therapist at least got his best friend back. 

Throughout the early parts of the episode, Otis and Eric both considered reaching out to one another, but never quite mustered the courage to do so. But after Eric returned from finding Cal, he found both the Coven and Otis outside his house.

Otis explained that he had been aware of the differences between him and Eric but he was worried about upsetting Eric and was scared that, if he said the wrong, he would lose him. Eric assures him that would never happen, and then invited him in to get ready for the Cavendish fundraiser with Aisha, Roman and Abbi. 

After the festivities, the pair updated one another on what had gone on since they cooled their friendship off. Eric has decided he wants to become a Pastor, and Otis tells Eric that he's split up with Maeve. The pair then fell asleep at Eric's house playing video games together. 

Did Adam and his dad fix their relationship?

Season 4's penultimate episode featured an outburst in which Adam confronted his father for making him feel anxious and like he's never been good enough. He also accused him of only trying to heal their relationship in order to get back with his mum.

In the season finale, Michael went to the farm Adam was working at in order to apologize to him. He told his son that he never hated Adam, but he might have hated himself, and the pair shared an emotional hug. Then, Michael got to see his son at work and even got to join in his first class where he learned to ride a horse. After class, Adam came out as bisexual to his boss, Jem, and she invited him out on a date.  

At the end of the episode, Michael brought Adam home after the pair spent the rest of the day hanging out. Although Michael tries to head off, Adam asks if all three of them could spend some time together, signaling that the family might be reunited later down the line.

Does Eric go through with his baptism?

Eric spent the season wrestling with his faith and had decided to go through with his baptism after all following a chat with Abbi in episode 7. 

However, he ended up refusing to be baptized during the ceremony after all. When he arrived for his ceremony, Pastor Samuel told him that the church council would not be accepting the money from the fundraiser because Cavendish promoted views that the church could not align with. 

He felt torn between his own sexuality and the church's conservative outlook. After making a speech about being proud of his sexuality and his faith, he ran into the stranger (played by Jodie Turner-Smith) he'd crossed paths with multiple times in the season. 

Her words strongly implied that she was a manifestation of God, and she told him he would help to 'change hearts and minds and let everyone know that I love them for who they are'.

Following this chat, he was shocked to encounter Pastor Samuel at the Cavendish fundraiser, where he said he was open to having discussions with the LGBT+ community about how they could be more inclusive. 

What else happened in the Sex Education season 4 finale? 

Maeve returned to America to complete her course. Whilst there, she received word from a publisher that they were interested in seeing more of her work. She shared the news with Thomas Molloy — the tutor who had told her she wasn't cut out to be a writer — and made him understand that, as a teacher, his words could have a big impact on his students. 

Cal's mother interrupted the preparations for Cavendish's big fundraiser to ask if anyone had seen Cal, as they had returned home the night before. The Cavendish students launched a search at a shopping center, but Eric and Jackson thankfully found Cal by the cliffside. Later, since Eric's church rejected the fundraising money, the students decided to donate it towards Cal's top surgery.

At the fundraiser, the results of the student election were finally announced. Connor was revealed as the winner, but he promptly turned down the role. Otis was the runner-up, but he also refused to take it, finally realizing just how much O loved being the therapist for the college.

After reconciling with her sister, Joy, Jean changed her mind about hosting the Sexology radio show. She returned to the studio and demanded to be left to run it the way she wanted. Later, Jo called into the show to share that she'd decided to seek therapy for the sexual abuse she'd suffered when she was younger. 

Plus, even though we didn't see the actual conversation, Jean presumably informed Dan that he was Joy's father. Dan had previously said he was keen to have children, so hopefully, this conversation was a positive one, though we never saw how he took the news. 

Jackson managed to finally track down who his sperm donor was, though Jerome promptly shut the door in his face when he mentioned it. When he finally confronted his mothers about his birth, Roz revealed that Jackson was actually the son of an affair between her and Jerome, who was already married and had his own family. 

They'd decided to keep the news a secret so Jackson didn't feel rejected; whilst he didn't take the news well to start with, he accepted the news and reconciled with his family by the time the credits rolled. 

Aimee and Isaac began to date after Maeve gave them her blessing. Viv also finally confronted Beau and told him to leave her alone after her friends helped her recognize his abusive and controlling behavior. And Ruby told Otis that she didn't want to try and continue being friends with Otis after he repeatedly hurt her over the season. 

Sex Education season 4 is now streaming on Netflix .

Martin was a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produced a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. Now he works for our sister site Tom's Guide in the same role.

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows , Bridgerton , Gangs of London , The Witcher , Doctor Who , and Ghosts . When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.

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Who is Emma Mackey From 'Sex Education'?

The French-English actress is a rising star.

The Netflix hit  Sex Education  has finally returned for  a third season  after an almost 18 month-long wait. Among the students of sex-crazed Moordale Secondary is brainiac Maeve, who uses sarcasm to hide a heart of gold and has been a fan favorite since the first episode. This season, French-English actress Emma Mackey has brought a new depth to Maeve, as the character opens herself up to help from others and finally moves forward with her feelings for Otis.

Mackey's star has steadily risen as  Sex Education  has gotten bigger, and the actress has some huge roles coming up, including a star-studded Agatha Christie adaptation and her first starring film role. Though she's notoriously private and a bit social media-averse, here's what we know about the rising star.

She studied English Language and Literature at Leeds University.

The 25-year-old actress was born in Le Mans in northwestern France. She grew up and graduated high school in western France before moving to England for university. She also seems to be a brainiac like Maeve; she studied English, French, and law at Leeds University, graduating in 2016.

She almost turned down Sex Education.

Sex Education was Mackey's first recurring TV role and big break, but she revealed in an  ELLE  interview that she almost didn't take the role.

"I wasn't sure if I was even going to do it. I'd never done [a TV series] before, so it was quite a momentous thing to take on. Luckily, it's been handled really beautifully and has been edited and cast really well. It sets the bar very high. Other jobs now, I'm kind of like, "Why isn't this like  Sex Ed ?'" she told the outlet.

When asked what made her take the role, she said that after reading the scripts, she became protective of Maeve as a character.

"It was a gift of a part; I couldn't really turn that down. I think any doubts I had were more about my nerves, my own sort of prudishness that I might've had at the time, being new and not knowing what was right for me."

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She loves gardening and cooking.

Though Mackey keeps her personal life quite private, she opened up about her hobbies to the  Sydney Morning Herald .  Recently she's adopted her mom's love of gardening, and she's also a vegan who loves to cook pan-Asian meals.

"I also love Middle Eastern food, big time. I love it so much I use za’atar on everything if I can. I’m like, let’s go! I’m not very good at presenting, though. That’s one thing I want to get better at, I kind of want to go to chef school," she told the outlet.

She has several huge roles coming up.

Mackey has been busy outside of  Sex Education . Her most recent film just released in France, a French-language romance called  Eiffel  where she plays a fictional muse for Paris' Eiffel Tower. She recently wrapped filming on her first leading role, playing the  Wuthering Heights  author Emily Bronte in the upcoming film  Emily . She's also set to appear in  Death on the Nile , the sequel to 2017's  Murder on the Orient Express , with director Kenneth Branagh.

She also wants a life outside of acting.

Though she loves acting, Mackey has also said that she wants to be a writer, or try directing one day. She attributes this to her restless brain, saying, "I've never been good at doing just one thing."

She told  ELLE,  "I'm very happy in my job, and I love my job when I'm in it. I very much feel like when I'm on set, I'm in my element, and it brings me a lot of joy. So I'm not going to stop acting right now. It’s just, only doing one thing—I can’t do that. It’s not possible for me. I like the idea of being a jack of all trades. And why not? Why not direct?"

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Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar , where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost , The A.V. Club , Elle , Vulture , Salon , Teen Vogue , and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama , recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.

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Emma Mackey Almost Didn't Accept the Role That Changed Her Life

The Sex Education star talks Otis and Maeve's will-they-won't-they romance, her uneasy relationship with social media, and what's next for the beloved dramedy.

“I've never been good at doing just one thing,” admits Emma Mackey. Perhaps this—the fact of her own restlessness—is what makes these sorts of publicity interviews a challenge for the 25-year-old actress. Certainly she loves talking about Maeve, her sour-on-the-outside, sweet-on-the-inside role in the Netflix teen dramedy Sex Education , but she's constantly swatting away the fear she'll be forever pinned as Maeve. It's the job that made her the sought-after star she is today, but it's also a job she wants to, someday, shed and outgrow. This agitation isn't exactly a new personality trait of Mackey's; before landing Sex Ed , she was similarly stretched thin at the University of Leeds, where she studied English language and literature. And French. A nd law.

“The job of acting, in that respect, is great because you can play a doctor for three months and then you can play a writer for the next three months,” she says. “It's kind of a beautiful thing for someone with a brain like mine.”

This year, the actress is gearing up for two buzzy roles in Death on the Nile and the Brontë film Emily , but today, we're still talking about Maeve. Everything, ultimately, traces back to Maeve, Mackey's first recurring TV role and one of the most fascinating figures in the new season of Sex Education , which debuted Friday. Spiky but empathetic, brilliant but overlooked, Maeve is the kind of role actresses crave: She's a love interest whose most captivating scenes happen outside the orbit of her romances. A cutting intellectual and a deeply loyal friend, Maeve nurtures a revolutionary perspective on sex within the antiquated atmosphere of Moordale Secondary. It's her ideas—not her Margot Robbie-like looks—that first unite her with Asa Butterfield's quirky protagonist, Otis.

Ironically, it's her performance as Maeve that proves Mackey has the acting chops to eventually leave Maeve behind. Season 3, in particular, is fertile ground for both Maeve and Mackey's development, a tandem rise that's as fun as it is significant to watch. Below, Mackey discusses why she almost didn't take the job that changed her life—and how she hopes Maeve will develop into season 4 and beyond.

When you first signed on for Sex Education , did you have any inkling it was going to be the huge success it is now?

I had no clue. I wasn't sure if I was even going to do it. I'd never done [a TV series] before, so it was quite a momentous thing to take on. Luckily, it's been handled really beautifully and has been edited and cast really well. It sets the bar very high. Other jobs now, I'm kind of like, “Why isn't this like Sex Ed ?”

If you weren't sure at first, what made you decide to take the role?

It was a gift of a part; I couldn't really turn that down. I think any doubts I had were more about my nerves, my own sort of prudishness that I might've had at the time, being new and not knowing what was right for me.

Even then, I hadn't read all the script. I had only read a few [episodes], but I did get very protective of her [as I read]. At one point, I was like, “Maybe I would like to play her, because I think she's quite special.”

A lot of shows try to say something important about sex, but Sex Education is groundbreaking in a way most series can only dream of. If you could pinpoint it, what do you think is the show’s particular magic?

Because it's a kind of heightened, stylized world, I think the writers are able to create and explore topics that otherwise wouldn't be able to be done. Because we're in this very specific bubble, the characters are allowed the space to come to life.

[The show] also tries to fit in so many things that you're bound to recognize yourself at some point. Even on a practical, educational level, I think [the show] is reassuring a lot of people, making them come to terms with things they haven't really allowed themselves to come to terms with. It makes people actually take a step back and think, “What the fuck? Oh my God. This happened to me.” Or, “Oh, I was like that. That's why.” It helps people actually connect the dots, which is pretty formidable.

In season 3, we open with Maeve in a particularly challenging place. Her mother is refusing to speak with her. She didn't hear Otis's voicemail last season, so they're in an uncomfortable spot. She maybe has a crush on Isaac. What was the most interesting dynamic for you to explore?

I think what was really interesting to play is—also because I love [Anne-Marie Duff, who plays Erin Wiley]—all the stuff with [Maeve’s] mom is really important to me. It adds real depth and authenticity to Maeve. Everyone's home lives feed into and nourish who they are and why they act the way they act at school, and even how they might be with their sexuality. Is that because of their parents? It's honestly so many connecting dots that it's kind of mind-boggling. [Laughs.] I sound like Hugh Grant.

There's a particularly intimate scene between Maeve and Isaac this season. I'm curious how you and George Robinson worked together to translate that comfort, that ease.

It's not really a forced thing, and that's the magic of casting. That's why we do chemistry reads, and that's why [casting director Lauren Evans] is a genius, because she put us all together. So that's all done for us.

There was a lot of back and forth-ing on the intimacy scenes. It's always really important to to get the right messages across, to make sure they're done in a way that takes into account where the characters are and who they are. I wanted to be a friend for [George] and to make sure he felt safe and that he was listened to. He was so kind and so generous and so patient with me. Yeah, he's just a lovely, lovely boy and a lovely friend.

But again, we're lucky, because [all the cast members] do generally get on. It's a bit mad. It's quite incredible to have an ensemble of people all in their twenties, who get on so well and who see each other outside of work and who cultivate and nourish these friendships outside of work. I think it's so important. That's the main takeaway from this job that I love.

You and Asa Butterfield, as Maeve and Otis, have a really interesting arc over the course of this season. The two characters have danced around each other for pretty much three whole seasons, and then finally we have this momentous kiss, and they’re finally together! Then Maeve has to sail off to the States. Why do you think these two characters keep missing each other? Do you think they have a future?

Oh, wow. I've just always seen it as—it’s a timing thing. Which often it is, isn't it? I think they're both quite good at communicating how they feel, Otis perhaps more so than Maeve. But really, they needed to grow up and figure shit out for themselves.

Also, their whole world doesn't revolve around each other. They both have home lives. They're not satellites around each other. I think it's important to show that they have a whole rich life individually. If the time is right, it will happen, and I think that’s what we achieved this season.

What would you say is your favorite part of season 3, even if it doesn’t involve Maeve?

I was excited to see Cal (Dua Saleh) and Jackson's (Kedar Williams-Stirling) relationship evolve—I really like their dynamic. Also, I feel that [all the cast members] have become more grounded. Everyone is sort of at a level where we've got a solid foundation, and now we can play with it and make it more naturalistic.

You’ve mentioned multiple times in interviews that you have a general discomfort around the idea of celebrity. Have you grown more at ease with your following? Or is it still jarring to be thought of as a public figure?

I don't really care. I don't really care about it that much, and I don't want it to suck up every ounce of energy that I have. I think that's why I have spoken quite vociferously about Instagram and social media and all that, because I think it just doesn't correlate with who I am. I don't really see why [the world should follow] someone like me, who just wants a simple life—which is hilarious because I don't really think I’ve chosen the right job for it. [Laughs]

I'm sure [the attention] can bring some benefits to some people, but I don't think it works for me. It brings me a tremendous amount of anxiety and discomfort. I'm very lucky to do my job, and I know that it's now a part of the job to do that kind of stuff, but it doesn't have to be. I want to be able to make a choice on that matter.

You’ve also been vocal about your desire to explore a life outside of acting. Is that still the case? Do you see yourself as a writer, or someone behind the camera?

Yeah, and I think those shifts will happen naturally. I'm very happy in my job, and I love my job when I'm in it. I very much feel like when I'm on set, I'm in my element, and it brings me a lot of joy. So I'm not going to stop acting right now. It’s just, only doing one thing—I can’t do that. It’s not possible for me. I like the idea of being a jack of all trades. And why not? Why not direct?

Season 3 ends with Maeve leaving to study abroad in the U.S. I’m curious what you want for Maeve to get out of this experience. If season 4 does happen, how do you want her to change?

I'm excited for her to make some new friends, to open up a bit more and be exposed to a different culture, to a different kind of world. Because she's only ever lived in her little tiny bubbles. How is she out of that bubble?

It'd be really nice to see her actually living out a dream for herself. What does that do to a person, and how does that change you? What kind of happiness does that give you? And all the anxieties that come with being away from home. If we get to it, it will be a lovely thing to witness.

Finally, what has this show and this experience taught you about sex within our larger culture? Do you feel like your perspective has changed since you started working on Sex Ed ?

I mean, of course. I think that's kind of the point, isn't it? If anything, I think the main takeaway is that [the show’s] not prescriptive, and hopefully people don't see it as, “Oh, this is how [sex] should be.” It's more of like, this is a story that we're telling, and these are the characters we have to offer you. Do with them what you will, but go forth and discuss all of these topics. Even if you're not ready [to have sex] yet, just know that we have created this little bubble for you to dip into and to feel safe in, and to be reassured by.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

Lauren Puckett-Pope is a staff culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily covers film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE. 

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Sex Education Season 4 Ending Explained

Here's the ending explained to the fourth and final season of Sex Education.

Sex Education has come to an end at Netflix after four great seasons. Ending on a bittersweet note, there may be some lingering questions fans have in regard to the ending, so allow us to help.

Sex Education is a Netflix Original teen comedy series, and arguably one of the raunchiest and rambunctious shows the streaming service has ever released.

The series was created, written, and produced by Laurie Nunn, with Eleven as the production studio behind the show.

Maeve x Otis

Upon Maeve’s return to the UK, she and Otis awkwardly attempted to pick up where they left off their relationship. Between their family, friends, and more often than not themselves getting in the way of their relationship, fate seemed determined to stop them from at the very least, having sex. After numerous awkward moments, Maeve and Otis were eventually able to share one romantic night together, but ultimately Maeve would decide to return to the USA.

Before making the decision to return to the USA, Maeve had convinced herself she needed to stay in the UK. Even if that meant giving up her own dreams of being a writer. Ironically, Maeve was able to confide in Jean (Otis’ mother), who helped Maeve realize that she didn’t need to give up on herself.

Maeve’s return to the USA means it’s over for her and Otis, however, the pair will always remember each other as their first love and will hold a special place in their hearts for one another.

Maeve in the USA

Maeve’s working-class background meant her opportunity to study in America could be life-changing. Making good progress at the start of the term, Maeve’s writing failed to impress her teacher, Thomas Molloy, who ultimately gave an important opportunity in the program to her classmate, Ellen, over her and fellow classmate Tyrone. However, it is speculated that Ellen was given the opportunity thanks to her rich parents who donated to the school.

In the end, Maeve’s return to the USA had her confront her teacher calmly over his teaching methods, making him aware of the power he wields over his students. Meanwhile, Ellen has decided not to pursue writing and put forward Maeve’s work instead, giving her an opportunity to showcase her talent.

Eric’s Future

Eric is a proud gay man. However, the one aspect of his sexuality he has struggled to balance is his relationship with his religious community. Not wanting to go through with being baptized without the approval of the congregation, Eric came out loud and proud in front of everyone, however, only his mother was vocal in her support.

Throughout the season Eric had been seeing signs of God’s existence, which ultimately resulted in communing with God herself. At the charity fundraiser for Cal’s surgery, Pastor Samuel and other members of the congregation in support of Eric arrived. Pastor Samuel made Eric aware that conversations were ongoing within the congregation in order to make members such as Eric feel more accepted within the community.

Finally finding a balance between his sexuality and his religion, Eric decides he wants to dedicate his future to being a Pastor.

Cal’s Transition

Cal has struggled throughout their transition, which has resulted in body dysmorphia and major depression, especially as they had no access to funds for gender confirmation surgery,

Thankfully, the students of Cavendish rallied around Cal’s struggle and sued their annual fundraiser to provide Cal with the money to get the surgery they desperately wanted.

However, before Cal could learn of the fundraiser, they went missing, causing panic for their family and friends. Thankfully, Jackson came to the realization of where Cal was, however, it was Eric who found them. Thanks to the efforts of Eric and Jackon, Cal went back home.

The fundraiser was a huge success and Cal would get the help they desperately needed.

Jackson is Cancer-Free

Jackson spent most of the season worrying that he had testicular cancer and searching for answers about his biological father. Good news, Jackson is cancer-free! Bad news, Jackson’s father wants nothing to do with him, as Jackson is the result of an affair with Roz, Jackson’s mother. If Jackson suddenly came into his father’s life, it could potentially ruin his marriage.

Thankfully, Jackson has two extremely loving mothers to fill any void he may have felt without a father figure in his life.

Aimee x Isaac

With the help of Isaac, Aimee finds a new love and talent for photography. The pair grew extremely close throughout the season, and once Maeve gave the pair her blessing, it didn’t take long for them to officially become a couple.

Viv and Beau

Viv thought she had found the perfect boyfriend in Beau. Sadly, this wasn’t the case as Beau was deeply insecure, becoming jealous of Viv’s friendship with Jackson, and any other interaction Viv would have with another male person. One incident in the school corridor resulted in Beau hurting Viv’s arm, which would start the beginning of the end of their relationship,

With the support and safety of her friends, Viv ended her relationship with Beau.

Having quit school, Adam was unemployed and lounging about his mother’s house. With some encouragement, Adam was able to get a job at a stable where he would eventually learn how to ride horses and teach others to ride too.

Adam struggled but made the effort to reconcile with his father, which eventually resulted in his family coming back stronger than ever. It could be argued that for the first time in Adam’s life, he is truly happy.

Jean and Joanna

A newborn in Jean’s life was a radical change for the sex therapist, and it was abundantly clear that she was struggling to deal with postnatal depression. This resulted in Otis calling Jean’s sister, Joanna, asking for help.

Eventually, Jean came to terms with the fact she was suffering from post-natal depression and sought help from the doctor.

Meanwhile, Joanna had never come to terms with the sexual assault she had suffered as a child at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend. However, Joanna phoned Jean’s live podcast and admitted she needed to get help too. Ultimately, the siblings reconciled and ended up on the sofa watching TV together peacefully.

Jean and Dan

Despite not actually being privy to the conversation, the last we see of Jean and Dan is the former about to introduce Dan to his daughter for the very first time.

Does Otis close his clinic?

After battling out for clinic dominance against “O” in the end Otis decided to take a step back from being a sex therapist for Cavendish and allowed the talented O to take the reigns instead.

Did you enjoy the ending of Sex Education? Let us know in the comments below!

Jacob joined What's on Netflix in 2018 as a fulltime writer having worked in numerous other industries until that point. Jacob covers all things Netflix whether that's TV or movies but specializes in covering new anime and K-dramas. Resides in Norwich in the United Kingdom.

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Wiley Family

• Edit source

The Wiley family consists of five members: Erin and her three children; the eldest Sean and middle Maeve (from her relationship with unnamed partner) and youngest Elsie (from the relationship with James), plus unnamed ex-partner of Erin and father of Sean and Maeve, who left the family.

After they were abondoned by him, Erin (who was a drug addict) was arrested for drug dealing shortly after. A few months before Maeve reached sixth-form at Moordale Secondary School , Sean similarly abandoned her, coming back in episode 6 , but leaving her once again some time later in episode 8 .

In season 2 , Erin, Elsie and Maeve accidentally meet at the mall. Later, Erin begs Maeve to let her and Elsie temporarily move into her trailer, after James broke up with her after she told him that she had other kids besides Elsie. Maeve agrees. Erin attempts to reconnect with Maeve and the two then go on speaking terms. In the season finale, Maeve informs the police that Erin’s behaviour is potentially dangerous to Elsie after Joe and Isaac found drugs she's been doing in Maeve's caravan. Elsie is taken away by social services.

In season 3 , Elsie lives with her foster mother, Anna , while Erin is still angry at Maeve after the whole situation with Elsie.

Later in the season, Erin kidnaps Elsie while spending time with her on the playground by courtesy of Anna. Desperate, she tried to escape with Elsie to a different country by ferry, promising her daughter a new life for both of them, despite being threatened with a very long sentence if the police would catch her. Eventually, she was spotted at the port by Maeve and Aimee , and after a long talk, they both took Elsie back home while Erin was left there waiting for her ferry to arrive, crying as Elsie was waving and saying goodbye to her. Eventually, Erin stays in Moordale and comes to Moordale Secondary in episode 3.8 to see Maeve. She talks with her and gives her the money to go to America. The two have an emotional talk, during which Erin claims that she was the one who left Maeve behind and was letting her down over and over again. After a while, Erin and Maeve share a hug, after what Erin disappears.

Family members [ ]

• 2 Reece Richards
• 3 Otis Milburn