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In case you were wondering what happened to the nudity, you get some this episode – which includes Otis.
| Directed By | Ben Taylor |
| Written By | Sophie Goodhart |
| Aired (Netflix) | 1/17/2020 |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Episode Recap
Too Confusing To Talk About: Ola, Lily
Rather than continue to dodge Ola, who is very adamant about having a conversation about what happened, Lily just tells Ola she did something which confuses her, and now she doesn’t want to be friends.
That’s What Friends Are For: Viv, Jackson, Dex
With his arm out of a cast and his white mom ready to send him back into the pool, Jackson is contemplating hurting himself again. Vivian learns about this just before Jackson hurts himself, and with her expressing concern he could end up harming himself repeatedly, he goes off on her. But, with her feeling like she has a real connection to him, not one which is necessarily romantic, but close just the same, she reveals to Jackson’s mothers that he hurts himself.
Now, whether or not she revealed why, well that’s for the next episode.
You Can Breathe Much Easier Outside The Closet: Adam, Eric, Rahim, Ola
Otis has a huge party, and at that party, Ola learns Lily doesn’t want to be friends, and Adam tries to speak to Eric, but Rahim is there. But, luckily for Adam, he still has some realm of influence over Eric so when he leaves, Eric follows and leaves Rahim inside. However, as Eric talks to Adam, who is dealing with major insecurities, he realizes he has outgrown him. In fact, Eric has long outgrown Adam and to try to fit himself back into a box, or closet, just to make Adam comfortable would be a disservice to the journey he went on to self-love.
So, as much as Eric has feelings for Adam and feels bad for him, he can’t go back to not getting to hold a guy’s hand publicly or kiss whenever and wherever he wants. It would just be moving backwards. But, luckily for Adam, there could be something on the horizon with Ola, considering they bond over breaking stuff and with her being pansexual and him coming out as bisexual, it could mean something could happen.
Douche: Anwar, Rahim
Anwar wants to do anal sex but doesn’t know how to clean himself out. So, a small bit of the episode is dedicated to male douching. Though, in the long run, Rahim recommends Anwar talk to his boyfriend rather than him. For, in Rahim’s mind, if you can’t talk to your boyfriend about cleaning yourself out for anal sex, why are you planning to do it with him?
Liberation For One Is A Punishment For Another: Jean, Michael, Maureen
Maureen is free from Michael, experiences pleasure, and while lonely, due to lack of friends, she is happier than ever. However, in terms of Jean, who she can now count as her friend, she misses her ex and may plan to get him back. For as much as Jean relishes her independence, it seemingly was because Remi made interdependence something that didn’t make her safe in her vulnerability but in danger.
Heck, taking note of him talking about them working again, since he has an interest in her research, it shows that old dog can’t learn a new trick. However, in terms of the old dog known as Michael, with being the principal of young impressionable students, he knows how rumors spread, and people get ruined. So, with Otis stealing one of Jean’s notebooks and putting it into his locker, he opens Otis’ locker and reads what Jean said about Maureen and decides to make copies of the pages for circulation. Which, in the long run, may benefit Otis since at least he can keep things confidential.
The Number Of Kind Boys Are Depleting: Otis, Ola, Ruby, Maeve, Isaac
During Otis’ party, he makes an ass of himself and reveals he never loved Ola like he felt for Maeve, and says Maeve is fake and manipulating, like in terms of her bringing Isaac to her party. This, as you can imagine, upsets both ladies and makes Otis look like an ass. But, the positive thing that does come of this is Ola connecting with Adam, Isaac getting to solidify his place in Maeve’s life, and with a banging party, it seems Ruby lets Otis bang her.
Other Noteworthy Facts, Moments, and Random Thoughts
- Warning: Around 30 minutes in, when Anwar and Otis speak, Otis vomits into a cup multiple times.
Review/ Commentary
Highlights
Eric Possibly Over Adam – 85
While it is unfortunate Eric does have the time or patience to guide Adam through the journey he has been on, at the same time, it isn’t like Adam is a willing participant in taking those steps forward. Which for Eric, it would mean having to relive the trauma and pain of secrecy, and as much as guiding someone out of the closet is an altruistic thing to do, that would mean Eric would have to stop his own journey going forward. A journey that, with Rahim there, he can go far beyond what Eric might be comfortable with for weeks or months. Instead, he can experience affection, intimacy, and maybe have sex soon. And considering Rahim knows about douching and who knows what else, while getting head from Adam might be nice, with Rahim he can do so much more than climax.
Viv Revealing Jackson’s Secret – 90
I’m not sure if Viv has any feelings for Jackson, besides him being a friend or like a brother, but her revealing his secret was ace of her. For one, Jackson is a coward and his mom a lowkey bully, so the possibility of him hurting himself to the point of doing something which can’t necessarily heal was there. Yet, I think what really matters here is that Viv didn’t leave him to his own devices.
Now, I will say Jackson going off on her as he did was perhaps the rare time on this show that we got some generic level writing. However, I think it says so much about Viv as a person, someone Jackson calls a robot, that she recognizes he was hurting and that he only said what he did to push her away. Also, him pushing her away probably was more about her knowing too much and starting to see his wounds, than anything else.
And that’s why I love these two. As a Black person, you can see them trying to help each other heal the wounds society has caused them. Jackson’s white mom treats him like this machine who, fresh from recovering from an injury, can go right back at it. All the while, his other mom, meekly, just watches or makes softball comments. Then with Viv, while we haven’t seen her teased, thank the gods, they live in a white majority town. You know it was boys built like Jackson’s friends who may be pushed her to double down on academics. Heck, if her life is similar to the girl from “The End of The F***ing World’s” second season, maybe her mom has drilled this into her?
Either way, there is something about them both seeing each other and being there for each other, even when they are at their lowest, which almost makes them rival Otis and Eric a bit.
Jean Admitting She Misses Jakob – 86
While not gone into heavily, Jean admitting she misses Jakob is a bit of a milestone. Why? Well, lest we forget, Jean’s phase of going through men left, and right was in reaction to Remi being a sex addict and her trying to numb herself. Which, she accomplished, even when the guy was a decent suitor.
However, with Jakob, it is different for it seems to be less about sex and more about being in a relationship. Mind you, one which needs far more communication than it previously had, but considering there is an effort to make one another happy and create a family, there is potential.
Aimee’s PTSD Getting Worst – 87
At one time, one could say Aimee’s PTSD wasn’t something to take seriously for whether we were talking about being came on or her reaction to Steve wanting to be intimate, it was made comical. However, those moments have passed and now Aimee is starting to really struggle. She sees the man who came on her repeatedly and it is freaking her out. Also, now she can’t deal with her partner touching her and what was once something light that Aimee made it seem she could brush off, it is serious. So serious that something needs to be done.
Michael Blowing Up Jean’s Life – 88
With Maureen and Jean noting they don’t have friends, it really pushes you to realize, like so many shows, that “Sex Education” doesn’t necessarily invest much in adult friendships. Rather, like the majority, if you aren’t family or a partner, then there is a question of what is your place? So it should be interesting to see, as Michael blows up Jean’s life, with revealing her notes, if she may lean on Maureen like a friend or seek out Jakob, Remi, or even Otis, to deal with the storm that is coming.
Recognizing How Adam Is Like His Mother Before Her Liberation – 89
Due to us seeing so many parents on the show, it is easy to see how the kids became like they did. Maeve’s mother was absent and unreliable, as is her brother, hence her being distant, independent, and difficult to get to know. Jackson has one overbearing mother and another who is meek, that is often bullied, and so he is quiet at home in her presence, yet just like her when she isn’t around. All so that he can hide that vulnerability and weakness.
Heck, even with Otis, you can see he is a product of his parents. His late bloomer status came from being overexposed to sex most of his life and his difficulties with Ola and Maeve came from his mom, his primary influence, not having a stable relationship and his dad being a sex addict. But, focusing on Adam, the person named in the topic, like Jackson, you can see both his mother and father in him. That need for power to hide some feeling of inadequacy, that comes from his dad. Yet, that soft nature, that person who doesn’t feel that they are good enough, that comes from his mom.
So here is hoping as his mother liberates herself, rather than Ola bear the burden of another person who isn’t ready for her awesomeness, her mom finally takes the reins and parents her son.
Low Point
What Will Happen With Lily Now
Lily lost that storyline about finding the perfect sex partner and was regulated to Ola’s friend and now crush. So with her rejecting Ola and Ola possibly moving on, what does this mean for her? Will she come around eventually or will she finally get to be the star of her own story? Heck, even in terms of co-directing the play her storyline has taken a step back.
On The Fence
Ola and Adam Together
All I’m going to say is, I don’t want Ola taking on the emotional labor of guys who aren’t ready to be honest with themselves and their partners over and over again. Also, I don’t want her to settle just because the one she wanted is unavailable. Someone, please give her a storyline that doesn’t involve who she has a romantic interest in at the moment.
Otis And Ruby?
We could definitely identify Otis’ naked behind in that bed, and he was dancing with Ruby, alongside another girl, but it seems Ruby was the one under the sheets. Now, could it be that they didn’t have sex and just ended up in bed together talking? Maybe with Ruby asking why Rahim doesn’t notice her and wondering if it is due to the whole vagina thing from the last term? If not Otis confiding in her knowing she won’t hold him accountable as Eric would?
Here is to finding out.
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