Sex Education: Season 4/ Episode 8 [Series Finale] – Recap and Review
“Sex Education” ends on a high note, but without some of the dream scenarios some may have wanted.
General Information
This section Includes information about the Director, Writer, and Cast.
| Release Date (Netflix) | September 21, 2023 |
| Director(s) | Alyssa McClelland |
| Writer(s) | Thara Popoola |
| Newly Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Jerome | To Be Determined |
| Ellen | Marie Reuther |
| Previously Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Joanna | Lisa McGrillis |
| Jean | Gillian Anderson |
| Otis | Asa Butterfield |
| Viv | Chinenye Ezeudu |
| Jackson | Kedar Williams-Stirling |
| Beau | Reda Elazouar |
| Roz | Sharon Duncan-Brewster |
| Celia | Hannah Gadsby |
| Sofia | Hannah Waddingham |
| Eric | Ncuti Gatwa |
| Cal | Dua Saleh |
| God | Jodie Turner-Smith |
| Maeve | Emma Mackey |
| Mr. Molloy | Dan Levy |
| Adam | Connor Swindells |
| Mr. Groff | Alistair Petrie |
| Ruby | Mimi Keene |
| Roman | Felix Mufti |
| Abbi | Anthony Lexa |
| O | Thaddea Graham |
| Aimee | Aimee Lou Wood |
| Isaac | George Robinson |
| Dan | Daniel Ings |
| Jem | Bella Maclean |
Plot Recap
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Love Defrerred – Joanna, Jean, Otis, Viv, Jackson, Beau, Jerome, Roz, Celia, Sofia
With Otis learning Jean advised Maeve and led to her returning to America, he is pissed. He considers them broken up, and as he has his tirade, Joanna shows up, defends her sister, and they have a moment. One that feels overdue, and later on, after Jean gets her show back Celia and gets to go solo, Joanna admits she has struggles, that Jean called out in an argument, and seems ready to begin the healing process with her sister by her side.
She isn’t the only one ready to accept what is and let go. Jackson decides to meet Jerome on his own, is rejected, and after his mother, Roz explains that, before she was with Sofia, she had an affair with Jerome, who was married, and he made clear he didn’t want anything to do with Jackson or her, he gets it. It’s understood it is his father’s loss.
Which leaves Viv and her situation with Beau. Despite apologies and explanations, Viv ends things – in a public space. Thankfully, this doesn’t lead to Beau trying to escalate things further but walk away.
Where You Are Meant To Be – Eric, Cal, God, Maeve, Mr. Molloy, Ellen, Jean, Otis, Jackson, Adam, Mr. Groff
Between taking T and general mental health decline, Cal decides to disappear, leaving everyone in a bit of a panic. Luckily, though, they are found safe and sound by Eric, then Jackson. Now, Jackson makes sense since they know Cal well enough to know where they would go to find peace. However, Eric? While familiar with one another, they aren’t close enough for Eric to instinctively know where Cal is.
That is where God comes in. After Eric refuses to be baptized and comes out to his church, leading to only his mom supporting him, his faith is shaken once more, but God makes it clear she didn’t make him this bright, this beautiful, this vibrant to be in the crowd. So, after Eric talks to Cal and makes them feel seen and calm, they realize they need to get into ministry, and Otis, whom they reconcile with, is the first person to learn about this.
Speaking of firsts, Mr. Groff has his first horse riding lesson via Adam, and it seems, despite Adam’s perception that his dad was using him, that isn’t the case, and now, separate from Maureen, they have their own relationship.
This leaves us with Maeve. She has returned to Wallace for school and learns Ellen, who got the internship under Mr. Molloy, forwarded her piece and is attracting publisher attention. Mr. Molloy catches wind of this and makes it seem that he was being hard on her because the business is, and a lot of talk that seems geared towards saving face. Maeve recognizes this and makes it clear to him that, as a teacher, he needs to be wiser with his words for, before she left to handle her mother’s funeral, he crushed her, and while she has found herself again, he needs to be mindful of the students he teaches.
Let It Be & Let It Go – Eric, Maeve, Otis, O, Ruby, Roman, Abbi
While things have ended for Otis and Maeve, both are left in a better place. As noted above, Maeve is on the brink of finally thriving, and while Sean is gone to the wind, she is at peace. Otis? He may have lost the election and then won it, but after getting to know O and why they do the sex clinic, he realizes it would be best to leave it to them and maybe visit the idea of sharing the responsibility at a later time.
Oh, and Ruby? After coming out as a former bedwetter and O apologizing to them, they end things on a high note as well by getting to join the popular kids. Of which, when it comes to Roman and Abbi, after O and Otis tag team to help them with their relationship, Abbi starts to move past her abandonment issues and starts being honest. With that, she is willing to have sex with Roman, and they both enjoy the experience.
Other Noteworthy Information
- Aimee and Isaac are a thing now, and Aimee seems to be moving past her intimacy struggles.
- Dan learns that he is Joy’s father
- Jem asks out Adam
New Character Description(s)
Jerome
Jerome is Jackson’s biological father, who rejects him due to him being born out of an affair he had with Roz.
Ellen
Ellen is Maeve’s college roommate at Wallace, who comes from privilege.
Review
Notable Performances or Moments
Maeve and Otis Ended Things (And Both Ended The Series Single)
There is always a push for some kind of end-game couple, for there is a legitimate desire to find the one and a hope the latest person you date will be the last. Yet, thankfully, in a way, that isn’t the case for Maeve and Otis. Both end the series single without any push towards who they might be with next.
Maeve seems completely focused on her literary career, and Otis? With ceding being his school’s sex therapist, it seems he isn’t just taking a break from other people’s business but hitting the reset button to a point. His mom inspired him, alongside the relationship with Maeve, to get into sex therapy, and in his desperation to hold onto some sense of power and influence, he may have guided people responsibly but also potentially did them a disservice.
After all, O masking their asexuality led to them reading and learning while Otis? I don’t know how often he read a book, asked his mom about things, or really pushed beyond empathy and thinking to himself, “What would my mother say?” So, while it isn’t clear what’s next for Otis, it does seem the sky is the limit.
Depiction Of Trans People Having Sex
I don’t think despite the thousands of episodes I’ve seen, and who knows how many movies, have I ever seen two trans people in love and have sex. But, what show beyond “Sex Education” would pursue depicting that? For too often, it seems a cis person has to be involved in trans stories and romance, similar to there often being a token White person in the stories of people of color. So while, yes, you could submit Otis was part of Abbi and Roman’s story to get to the point of having sex, take note an asexual person is the one that got them over the hill, making it so this was purely a queer love story and one of the best of the season, if not series.
Highlights
Eric Finding His Purpose
Though Eric’s path to deciding to be a pastor felt like it could have used more development, there is no denying that the path he is on is a interesting one. I’d dare say, out of where we leave any character, his might be the top one we’d love to see more of. After all, how many shows are there, movies even, about seminary school? Especially those on the path to become a religious figure, and not a demon fighter or something dealing with a priest who is a predator?
Also Worth Mentioning
- Jackson learning the truth
- Ellen doing Maeve a solid
- Jean and Joanna reconciling
