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Sex Education, season 3, Netflix: Laurie Nunn's sex-positive sitcom finally returns to Netflix, with returning performances from Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa. Jason Isaac also stars

Sex Education 3x01, CAST:
Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn
Mimi Keene as Ruby Matthews

When watching the first episode, this critic revelled in the return to writer/creator Laurie Nunn's fantastical town – sliding back into the throng of Moordale's citizens, who are either sexually liberated or stressfully repressed. And what better way to kick off a new season than with another (mostly) orgasmic montage, featuring the core characters (too many to name) having a lot of glorious sex in their own, unique ways.

Even Otis (Asa Butterfield) gets his end away. It shows his libidinal arc: starting with little sexual motivation in season one, copiously masturbating in season two, then having regular sex in season three. And with the most popular girl in school, too: the brilliantly savage Ruby Matthews (Mimi Keene).

In season three, the writers gather even more confidence in their style and characters – relaxing into them. They're less concerned with an overarching plot and focus on the thematic connections, which flow beautifully together in a multi-coloured confluence.

Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and his former bully Adam (Connor Swindells) are now a couple, and the latter struggles to leave his aggressive masculinity behind. This offers Swindells a wider emotional range for his performance, to the point where seeing him happy feels like a rare and heartwarming sight. Adam’s father, the former headteacher Michael Groff (Alistair Petrie), moves in with his hyper-masculine older brother Peter (Jason Isaacs) after being fired and separating from his wife Maureen (Samantha Spiro).

A new non-binary character, Cal (Dua Saleh), enters the frame and their gender identity is constantly challenged. Eric explores his roots, the series making a brave move to Nigeria. Otis camouflages himself into Ruby’s world to fit in and, as a result of the Maeve heartbreak last term, tries not to care about anything any more (‘things are easier when you don’t care – no one gets hurt’). And the lovably ditsy Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) still wrestles with the trauma from her sexual assault in season two.

This term also sees the entrance of a new headteacher, Hope Haddon (Jemima Kirke). She saunters into Moordale Secondary School like a cool and colourful teacher, but it’s obviously a front. Before long, the school resembles a totalitarian state: students are given uniforms, lockers are painted grey, and dividing lines are painted on the floor. More crucially: free thought from the students, anything that smells of change or liberal politics, is strangled to facilitate a metallic, Orwellian vision.

The regime change brings the students, all similar in their differences, together. They unite in their sex positivity and take pride in their identities. The series teaches, above everything else, to be harmlessly proud of who you are. To fight to be heard. The test in season three is maintaining that confidence in oneself, no matter the fragile, conservative powers that try to suppress it. Sex Education says it loud. A riotous, hilarious, and educational delight from start to finish.

Sex Education, season 3 is available on Netflix from Friday 17 September

An unorthodox sex clinic, in which Moordale High students Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve (Emma Mackey) gave their peers relationship advice provided the backbone for the glorious coming-of-age stories in Sex Education. The clinic was a vehicle through which Otis could share his wisdom (gleaned from his mother, an actual sex therapist played by Gillian Anderson) and students could confess their secret fears. In the third season, the clinic is no more – and the story suffers as a result.

Things fell apart for good reason at the end of season two. Otis and Maeve’s will-they-won’t-they friendship collapsed – and the school board took issue with Moordale’s burgeoning reputation as “the sex school”. Season three sees creator Laurie Nunn expand the show’s focus beyond Otis and Maeve, giving more time to Otis’ best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and his new relationship with former school bully Adam (Connor Swindells). Meanwhile, Otis’ mum Jean (Gillian Anderson) must come to terms with her new pregnancy by a partner who doesn’t completely trust her.

We also meet new non-binary student Cal (Dua Saleh, a revelation) who strikes up a friendship with head boy Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling); and the tyrannical incoming headmistress Hope (Jemima Kirke). Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) is still trying to process her sexual assault, and Lily (Tanya Reynolds) is questioning her devotion to aliens. In short? It’s a lot.

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