Sex Education: Season 2, Episode 3 – Recap/ Review

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Otis tries to complicate Jakob integrating into his and Jean’s life as Meave deals with birthday blues, Jackson with joining a school play, and Rahim takes Eric on a date.

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Directed By		Sophie Goodhart
Written By		Sophie Goodhart
Aired (Netflix)		1/17/2020
Introduced This Episode
Malek	Armin Karima
Maureen	Samantha Spiro

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Plot Synopsis

Topic 1: Erin and Maeve

While most would be happy to see their mom on their birthday, that isn’t the case for Maeve. For with her mom showing up due to her now ex-boyfriend not liking the fact she has previously had kids, it doesn’t bring warm and tingly feelings. It’s just another reason for Maeve to hate her birthday.

Topic 2: Maeve and Aimee

Though, for most of the day, Maeve has the worst/perfect distraction from her birthday: Aimee being assaulted. Well, to be more explicit, someone ejaculates onto her pants and while Aimee originally downplays it, Maeve digs in far enough that it makes Aimee a bit more conscious. Thus showing how ignorance is surely bliss.

Topic 3: Maeve and Otis

But, while a lot of meh situations happen on Maeve’s big day, Otis continues to be a silver lining in Maeve’s life. At least his kind gestures, such as a 5-year diary with her birthday ripped out. Making it so she wants to say she likes Otis yet with knowing he is happy with someone else, it seems she doesn’t want to complicate things.

Topic 4: Otis, Jakob, Ola, Jean

Thing is, however, they are already complicated. For beyond him dating someone who could become his technical sister, Otis doesn’t really appreciate Jakob interrupting his routine and how he is, in Otis’ mind, invading his home. Jakob is often there in the mornings, using up all the hot water, and when there is a family dinner, he completely ignores Otis’ personal space and takes food, by hand, off his plate. Leading to him having a bit of a confrontation with Jakob that Jakob doesn’t take to the next level, but does recognize he needs to back away a bit.

Now, as for how Ola feels? Well, considering her boyfriend’s rash series of decisions, which includes flipping a monopoly board, she is surprisingly cool, calm, and collected. Well, maybe a little disappointed in Otis, but with Otis giving a weak apology to Jakob, she moves on.

Topic 5: Jean, Maureen, Principal Gruff, Malek, Olivia, Maeve, Otis

As you could imagine, Jean offering her services for free conflicts with Maeve charging people. Yet, the benefit of Otis over his mom is he is a bit more delicate than Jean. For example, Olivia and her boyfriend Malek are having sex, and she isn’t comfortable with him seeing her orgasm face. So, to deal with that, she covers his face with a pillow and when Malek talks to Jean about this, she lists off a string of fetishes that freaks Malek out. Otis, on the other hand, when he speaks to Olivia, gives the kind of advice which helps solve the issue and makes it so Olivia and Malek reach a new level.

But, there remains the issue of free help vs. paid help. Though, for Principal Gruff, the bigger problem may not be Jean’s continued presence, and how that might change his sex curriculum, it may more so be his wife, Maureen, coming to the school and growing close to Jean. If not discussing personal matters that he’d rather not circulate.

Topic 6: Jackson, Vivienne, Lily, Mr. Hendricks

Despite initial apprehension, Jackson takes Lily’s advice and tries out for “Romeo and Juliet” and asks of Vivienne to help him with his lines. Not in terms of practicing them but more so understanding them. Which she does, including understanding the rhythm of Shakesphere, leading to Jackson reading for Romeo and Mr. Hendricks, and Lily, agreeing he deserves the part.

Topic 7: Rahim, Adam, Eric

Rahim finally asks out Eric, and while the date starts off awkward, at first, as Eric chills out and Rahim opens himself up, the two have a good time – they even passionately kiss. But things get awkward when Eric goes to Rahim’s home and runs into Adam, who works for Rahim’s father. With seeing him, Eric is left in a bit of an odd place and decides against continuing the date and rather go home. Mind you, with no real mention of his past with Adam and Rahim not picking up on the mood shift.

Other Noteworthy Facts, Moments, and Random Thoughts

• Where is Ola’s sister? Heck, where is Eric’s family?

Review/ Commentary

Highlights

Maeve’s Crush on Otis

To us, there is more value in Maeve having a crush on Otis, than her being with him. For as we see Erin, her dealing with rent pressure, and all that, it makes the long game towards her maybe being with Otis better than what could be. After all, imagine Otis flipping a board game with Maeve? Considering all she has been through, that might be a trigger. Heck, taking note of how he talks and treats his mom, it could also become an issue for at least Otis’ mom is consistent, available, and reliable.

Hence why we note it seems like Ola is prepping Otis to be a better person, so if he and Maeve do happen, all these little eccentricities that could make him a bad match for Maeve will be handled.

Understanding Ignorance Is Bliss

One of the things Aimee has always given us was this certain level of naivety which was the key to you looking beyond how simple she comes off. Yet, in Maeve breaking that, so comes this weird sense she lost some of her innocence. Now she is more aware than ever of the world and experiences fear in a way she hasn’t before. Leading you to wonder if this is going to be a major shift for her considering her storyline had gotten a bit stale since her saga with Adam ended.

Getting To Know Maureen

Maureen has rarely been featured on the show and hasn’t been more than a meek voice trying to maintain her family. However, with her meeting Jean, and Maureen the type who seems in desperate need of a friend, it pushes you to wonder if we may get to see and know more about her. Maybe even beyond her relationship to the principal but who she is, what makes her happy, and even what makes her tick?

Vivienne

Even though Vivienne firmly revolves around Jackson, she increasingly has this draw to her that makes you want to peerless at what is going on in his life and question what is going on in hers? What drives her to achieve so much? Does she care about relationships or anything like that, or should we expect some sort of “No one ever wanted me and no one ever will” speech?

Rahim & Eric

What we love about Rahim is that he challenges Eric, and Eric does the same for him. Rahim, with his mystery vibe, did seem like he’d just be a pretty face who would be a basic love interest for Eric. However, just because a lot of young adult shows are stale and predictable, that doesn’t mean “Sex Education” deserves to be dumped with the rest.

As we saw with their date, Rahim pushes Eric to take very public risks, and Eric pushing Rahim to make private ones. For, based on how we see things, Rahim is the type who cares only what certain people think. He wants Eric to see him as cool, sexy, and things like that and, in many ways, Eric is the same way. With him being out, proud, and colorful, he is used to and doesn’t care about how outsiders see him. Yet, he wants to be loved, validated, and appreciated by friends and family. Hence why, despite Otis knowing nothing about dating, Eric asks him questions and seeks advice to calm his nerves. For when it comes to Eric and Rahim, living out loud is easy but operating in one on one or more close-knit interactions is far more difficult.

On The Fence

Otis Is So Childish

Taking note Otis is a teenager and a lot of new things are coming about in his life, from his mom seriously dating to him doing the same, it is hard to excuse his behavior when it comes to Jakob. Yet, in a way, you have to appreciate how he can calmly figure out other people’s deep personal problems but struggles with his own. Specifically, the idea of his home environment no longer being just him and his mom and his mom’s random assortment of suitors. Now there is a constant in Jakob who is disruptive. He isn’t gone in the morning but lingers. Also, while he hasn’t really pursued a relationship with Otis, we see Otis preemptively bringing up the idea of Jakob never being his father.

But the real kicker here is he has this attitude towards Jakob in front of Jakob’s daughter who is also his girlfriend. This lack of shame, this lack of maturity, really helps you understand that Otis is far more complicated than given credit. For as much as he can communicate with peers, and has clearly absorbed a lot from his mother, he is still a child. One that isn’t used to being challenged, who can’t handle shifting and changing routines, and that isn’t necessarily used to masculine energy like Jakob’s.

I mean, type-A personalities like his mom and Maeve he is fine with, as long as it possesses some form of feminine energy. However, it seems Otis never adapted to interacting with a masculine male presence, and while I wouldn’t say it makes him feel inadequate, it does appear he feels threatened. So it should be interesting to see how Otis and Jakob mesh or repel one another as time goes on.

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