Sex Education: Season 2 Episode 2 Recap/ Review

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As Otis hits a major obstacle with Ola, Jean makes her presence known, as do the newest members of the cast, Rahim and Vivienne.

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Directed By		Sophie Goodhart
Written By		Laurie Nunn, Mawaan Rizwan
Aired (FreeForm)		01/17/2020
Introduced This Episode
Rahim	Sami Outalbali
Colin Hendricks	Jim Howick
Vivienne	Chinenye Ezeudu

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Plot Synopsis

Topic 1:  Mr. Hendricks and Ms. Sands

The SRE/ Biology teacher, Mr. Hendricks, and Ms. Sands, the person who usually saves Maeve, are dating, and he is terrible at sex and dirty talk. At least until Otis advises him to ask what she wants and why to understand and adapt.

Topic 2: Adam

For a little bit, it seemed Adam could do well at military school. He made friends, who he learned jacked each other off, and while not wanting to join, having people who were cool and could understand was awesome. However, they plant drugs on him, possibly to hide their secret, so he gets kicked out of school.

Topic 3: Rahim and Eric

Despite Ruby thinking she can nab Rahim, he seems very much into Eric. He goes out of his way to talk to him, be next to him, and with asking about gay sex in a class they share, Eric is pretty sure he is about that life. However, it takes Otis to help him see Rahim is into him.

Topic 4: Maeve, Ola, and Otis

With Maeve still into Otis, which she tells Aimee, it creates some issues. Mostly in the form of those two competing and Ola now having a reason to worry about Otis and her doing the sex clinic together. Though Ola also has the issue of Otis being terrible at fingering. But, thankfully, Lily breaks Ola’s confidence and tells Otis who is willing to communicate now so that he can get better.

Topic 5: Jackson and Vivienne

Due to Jackson’s hand being where he can’t swim, so comes the question of what is his backup plan? The answer is nothing, so Principal Gruff pairs him with Vivienne, who is top of her class. But, while the two mostly get along, Vivienne is a straight shooter who doesn’t necessarily like jocks, because they tease her. So it seems Jackson will have to prove he isn’t like the others and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Topic 6: Principal Gruff, Jean, Colin

The principal isn’t fond of change and seems to be misogynistic. Which I say solely due to him repeatedly forgetting to give Jean her proper title, which is Dr., not Ms. But, while he doesn’t respect her, he does fear Maxine, and as Jean sets up Colin to look like a fool and make herself look good, it seems clear she isn’t going anywhere and definitely is going to push Gruff out of his comfort zone. Maybe a few parents as well.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

Only boring people get bored.
Rahim | Sex Education 2.2

Review/ Commentary

Highlights

Mr. Hendricks and Ms. Sands

With Jean and Jakob not necessarily being cute, by any means, we didn’t really have an adult relationship on this show which was loving and beautiful. So “Sex Education” allowing us to see who Ms. Sands is outside of school and also Mr. Hendricks, it provides us a consistent couple that can prove some of these adults actually know how to be in a relationship.

Mind you, Mr. Hendricks went to Otis, rather than his mom, WHO IS A DOCTOR, for sex advice, but perhaps all that should matter is he wanted to make Ms. Sands happy, right?

Adam’s Smile When He Thought He Made Friends

In season one, it was made clear that Principal Gruff is far from the best father and, in many ways, Adam is the product of the environment he grew up in. Which, in many ways, would lead you to think at a military academy, he would either find himself bullied or maybe thriving. Well, for a little bit, he had the potential to thrive and that came from him finding the type of comradery he didn’t have at his dad’s school. There, he was the principal’s kid, the dude with a massive penis, and was also very much closeted and felt a bit too seen by Eric.

However, imagine if the two boys didn’t screw him over. I’m not saying they would participate in a circle jerk or anything like that, but Adam could have developed real friendships. Heck, maybe even a relationship that wasn’t formerly based in violence and intimidation?

Rahim And Eric As A Couple

I won’t say Rahim is like Otis, but I do think Rahim has a bit of Otis’ awkwardness but on a whole new level. So, with that in mind, I hope we get to see Rahim chill out a bit and be less intense. For with Eric being the type of character who is adorable with whoever he is paired with, it makes you really want to see him be happy with someone. Especially so he doesn’t seem made solely to comment on Otis’ life.

Ruthie’s Appearance

Otis has counseled so many people, and while some, like Ruby and her friends, are constant presences, the rest aren’t. However, seeing Ruthie, who I wish was around as much as Lily, was a special treat. One that hopefully is repeated by some means or method. Granted, she is intense and doesn’t like Otis that much, but maybe Ola can pick up another friend, right?

Lily Is A True Friend

While we may not get a whole lot of Ruthie in the future, at least we got Lily. Someone who I hope gets to be more than Ola’s friend, but something is better than nothing, right? But, here is hoping she at least gets to have the kind of sex partner she wants and has something that is her own. For, increasingly, it is starting to feel like many characters don’t necessarily have their own thing which is comparable to whatever relationship they are in. Which for many of the supporting characters, it seems their main thing is being a soundboard more than a person who has their own life, goals, and dreams that they are actively pursuing.

Low Point

Principal Gruff

I’m just trying to wonder why is he a ***hole? Who hurt him, what trauma does he need to go over, and why is he a misogynist? Is it just due to him being old fashioned and the hole he hid in no longer protects him from the changing world?

On The Fence

Aimee & Jackson

While I like Aimee and Jackson had a well-built story in season 1, there is this feeling they got benched and now are in lackluster stories. Aimee, while you get she is supposed to be this comical persona, isn’t that funny anymore. Then with Jackson, even with him breaking his hand and being paired with Vivienne, which likely will be eye-opening for him, there is this need to ask that, without Maeve, can he really hold his own? Can he be the focal point of his own story?

And I know for many noted above, there was this question of why couldn’t there be something more, but Jackson doesn’t seem deserving of being a lead in his own story compared to so many others who draw far more interest.

Love Triangle Potential

As noted previously, there is a serious hope that Ola doesn’t end up being the one who trains Otis to be a good boyfriend and lover just so that she can lose him to Maeve. That would be some monstrous BS and while I get Maeve discovered Otis first, and he has a crush on her before Ola, that was then and this is now. Ola comes off as a much more stable girlfriend, and while we adore Maeve, she seems to be in the place where she needs supportive people around her, not a boyfriend.

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