Season 1 Discussion

[OtterMommy]

New Netflix show

[paulvdb]

Trailer & Key Art Debut - Netflix's "Sex Education" - A Contemporary British Love Letter to American High School TV Shows
 

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Netflix presents a funny, heartwarming and cringeworthy (in a good way!) look at the universally awkward coming-of-age experience full of good times, wild times, tough times, and the time of your life.

Sex Education launches globally on January 11th telling the story of Otis, a teenage boy being raised by his sex-therapist mother Jean played by Gillian Anderson. The eight-episode dramedy takes on conversations about sex, identity, love and the ups and downs of young adult life in a frank and truthful way and proves "Experience is Overrated!"

Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) is an inexperienced, socially awkward high school student who lives with his mother, Jean (Gillian Anderson), a sex therapist. Surrounded by manuals, videos and tediously open conversations about sex, Otis is a reluctant expert on the subject. When his home life is revealed at school, Otis realizes that he can use his specialist knowledge to gain status. He teams up with Maeve (Emma Mackey), a whip-smart bad-girl, and his best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and together they set up an underground sex therapy clinic to deal with their fellow students' weird and wonderful problems. Through his analysis of teenage sexuality, Otis realises he may need some therapy of his own.

Trailer:

[Shaynaa]

This doesn't get its own forum? :(

I meant to only watch the first few episodes but I ended up marathoning all 8.  I was watching for Gillian but it wound up being a really good show.  Maeve is awesome and needs some good things to happen to her.  Eric was a great character and I wasn't thrilled how Otis treated him.  Doesn Gillian have a clause in her contract that she always has to be put in the most awful wigs possible?  Because it keeps happening.  Note:  Trigger warning for LGTQ violence in episode 5.  I don't think any press has mentioned that.

[Dminches]

I have only watched episode 1 and really enjoyed it.  I am a sucker for good coming-of-age drams.  Makes me feel young again.

[greekmom]

Went down the binge rabbit hole with this one and was pleasantly surprised!!  Loved it and hope it gets a renew for season 2.

Felt sorry for Otis with his cringe worthy mom.  Loved Maeve and hope something good happens for her (like she doesn't get kicked out of school).

Wishing some revenge on the Headteacher.  He knows that Maeve wrote that essay for Adam.   And I knew it that Adam and Eric were going to hook up.  There was a vibe there from episode 1.

I liked this one much better than Derry Girls. 

[pinkglove]

I loved the show so much that I even started to like Asa Butterfield. Not that I didn't appreciate him before but since I watched "Merlin," it had always been in a "dude, you creep me out" kind of way. 

I wanted to punch Otis' mother (sorry Gillian) for the better part of the season. The first time I felt bad for Otis was when Adam came to his house and Jean really crossed all the boundaries she could. And by the end of the season, with her new book idea, I was very angry. Not only because it made it clear that she cared way more about her career and herself than about her son, but also because it showed what a hypocrite she was in more ways than Otis' pointed out. She pushed her son to be honest and didn't have to think twice about putting him in a vulnerable position. But she seemed scared of exposing herself,  of being vulnerable, so all her work and all those talks were nothing more than empty words. 

I agree that Maeve was awesome, though it kind of went unnoticed how she betrayed Otis' trust way more than he did hers. When Otis advised Jackson on how to make Maeve like him, he got caught up in the situation. The advice he gave was out of his kindness and he kind of took the money for it by accident. I know that Maeve might have overreacted because it overlapped with her realizing she has feelings for Otis, and him helping Jackson made his feelings for her less certain. But either way, what he did was more out of his social awkwardness, while she tried to sabotage him and Ola by telling her he was a virgin. (Not to mention, she gave away his secret, while he only told Jackson what she likes.)

I also agree that Eric was great, his journey was probably the most impressive one. I liked how his father came around and his dance with Otis was a cute way to make up. 

Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the girl whose life goal was to lose virginity, was it Lisa? She was an awesome character too, and actually, on paper she was a good match for Otis. But I guess the awkwardness between the two of them would be too much. I liked that she seemed to really care for Eric, as a friend, when he lashed out at the music teacher. And that despite her control issues, she was very brave. And funny, too. If the show gets renewed, I hope... well, that she makes peace with whatever happens in her sex life. 

Some of my favorite moments that I didn't mention above:

- "It was my vagina" - I can't help it, scenes like that one always get to me, and I loved how the dumb headteacher was overpowered by students' solidarity. 

- The moment just before the abortion, when Maeve holds hands with two other women and they start acting weird to comfort themselves. 

- Maeve's blond friend in the last episode (or last two episodes? I can't remember), mainly how she discovered the joys of masturbation and how she dumped the bullies for Maeve. 

 

Also, the show doesn't strike me as a British love letter to American high school TV shows. More as a love letter to Hal Hartley's movies. 

[lh25]

2 hours ago, pinkglove said:

- "It was my vagina" - I can't help it, scenes like that one always get to me, and I loved how the dumb headteacher was overpowered by students' solidarity. 

I knew I loved this show when that scene made me both laugh out loud and cry at the same time.  Hubby started watching this first, we ended up watching them all yesterday and today.

[phalange]

Watched this over the last two days, and really enjoyed it. Hope Netflix renews it.

Otis is a great character. He isn't perfect but he's a good kid who tries his best. I love his and Eric's friendship and it was good that he apologized for skipping out on Eric's birthday, even if it was because he was trying to help someone else. But his apology at the dance and then the two of them dancing together and having a great time, not caring what anyone else thought was one of my favorite scenes of the whole show. Otis' friendship with Lily is wonderful, too, especially how he even researched a medical condition to try to help her. 

I really like Ola's character, but oh man, when Maeve showed up at the house at the end and saw Otis and Ola kissing, I felt so bad for her. When she saw the trophy Otis swiped for her, I knew she'd end up going to see him and when it showed Otis with Ola, I watched through my fingers cause I knew Maeve was going to see it and be heartbroken. Plus, her family is the worst. Her mom and dad are shitty absentee parents and her brother is no better, leaving her all alone, only to show up and cause mayhem at the dance, let Maeve take the fall for him, then skip town again. At least she has a good friend in Aimee, and it was gratifying when Aimee ditched the popular bullies for her.

Eric was definitely a stand-out and his storyline was my favorite. It seemed at first like his family wasn't accepting of him, but it was really just that his dad was already scared for him and didn't want Eric to get hurt. Their scene when he drops Eric off at the dance was lovely, especially when he said he learned from Eric how to be brave. The only thing I didn't really like was Eric and Adam since Adam was bullying him from the beginning. 

I think Jean is a good mother overall, and did raise her son to be a kind, empathetic feminist, but she really does need to learn boundaries regarding Otis. Barging in his room, following him to the party, getting high with one of his classmates, and of course, the book, which is just...yikes. It seems like she isn't planning to publish it after Otis confronted her and she did apologize, but she never should've written it to start with. I do feel for her though, because her ex-husband is an asshole who not only cheated on her, but with a client which is beyond unethical, and did it while his wife and son were at home. I like her with the plumber guy, but with Otis and Ola together now, that's gonna end up being a mess. 

10 hours ago, pinkglove said:

- "It was my vagina" - I can't help it, scenes like that one always get to me, and I loved how the dumb headteacher was overpowered by students' solidarity. 

- The moment just before the abortion, when Maeve holds hands with two other women and they start acting weird to comfort themselves. 

These were my other two favorite scenes. I got teary-eyed seeing all the girls band together and I laughed at Goff's increasing exasperation as more and more girls stood up. That scene at the clinic also got to me. Very well done.

[pinkglove]

2 hours ago, phalange said:

I really like Ola's character, but oh man, when Maeve showed up at the house at the end and saw Otis and Ola kissing, I felt so bad for her. When she saw the trophy Otis swiped for her, I knew she'd end up going to see him and when it showed Otis with Ola, I watched through my fingers cause I knew Maeve was going to see it and be heartbroken.

At this point (I hope there will be Season 2), I have mixed feelings about Ola. Every other character is flawed and it's what makes them awesome, Ola seems too perfect. Maybe it's because we don't know her very well (yet, I hope). But she has perfect grades, a job, she knows how to fix the sink, she kind of seems to be above the pains of adolescence that others are going through, she's very brave and confident, etc. Perhaps what she went through with her mother made her immune to many less serious things, but... well, everyone has some darkness and hopefully if she's there to stay, they will show hers. 

I felt bad for Maeve too, but it seems to me that just like she was torn between Jackson and Otis, Otis isn't as sure that he prefers domestic cats to lions as he would want to be. I still wonder whether he chose Ola, or if he thought that Maeve is out of his league and convinced himself that he'd rather be with Ola. 

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The only thing I didn't really like was Eric and Adam since Adam was bullying him from the beginning. 

I guess I could forgive that too. It looks like Eric realized how much pain Adam was in when he watched him telling his father that he hates him. Also, he knew that the bullying came out of fear. Sure, on some level it always does, but if I were Eric, I would give Adam a chance and see if he could change. (I suppose it won't happen now, sadly.)

[Chaos Theory]

This was aaaalllllooooootttttt better then I thought it would be.  People are way to literal about people and places?  Is that a new thing?  There is an 80s movie astestic bit it is set in the current era of British schools.  

All the characters had an interesting and believable trajectory.   I know some people won’t lije Adam and Eric but I found it potentially sweet.  I can see that relationship growing from the pain of Adam’s father not really caring who his son is.   

I loved the relationship between Otis and his mom.  She is so clingy but at the same one the kind of mom other kids would see and think is awesome.  Even though all the times she tried to talk to Otis about his issues was awkward I do think the only time she really crossed the line was the book.

[ichbin]

To think I almost decided to skip this!  It was a far cry from the silly teen-age series I expected it to be.  Wound up watching it all over two days.  Loved it.  Hope there will be more.  

[Pallida]

I appreciated that across the 8 episodes, we got small insights into Jean's experience with her marriage - and how her professional life was intertwined with her personal life. I liked that I had to piece together these tidbits to understand - but not approve - how she would write about her son without truly thinking through the ramifications. It's a topic that her ex-husband knows nothing about since he's rather absentee in Otis's life.  

[ruby24]

Okay, so I mostly liked this show a lot. BUT...I am so fucking DONE with love triangles. I can't do it. I can't handle it. At all. As soon as I saw that's where this was going I almost quit watching. I'm sorry, but there is absolutely NOTHING I hate more than a drawn out will-they-won't-they and phony love interests thrown in as obstacles to keep it from happening. 

I just can't do it anymore. I can't. I don't care about Maeve and Jackson, I don't care about Otis and Ola. They did their best to make Jackson and Ola their own characters but I don't care. I DO NOT LIKE TRIANGLES. It's old, it's cliched, it's irritating as fuck and I HATE IT. I hate having to sit through them, I hate the fact that we're going to have to watch him be in a relationship with Ola the entire next season (you know that's what will happen), just waiting for the thing they set up to finally come to fruition. I honestly can't stand it. After all the shows I've seen it in my whole life, I never want to see it again. I'm done. Get your fucking couple together in the first six episodes or I'm out. Or if you're not going to do that, at least don't make me sit through pointless relationships with other characters I'm supposed to pretend to care about, because I don't- I know it's just a stall tactic.

By the end I was more invested in Adam and Eric. 

Edited January 14, 2019 by ruby24

[IntrovertGal]

On ‎12‎.‎01‎.‎2019 at 9:04 PM, greekmom said:

Went down the binge rabbit hole with this one and was pleasantly surprised!!  Loved it and hope it gets a renew for season 2.

Felt sorry for Otis with his cringe worthy mom.  Loved Maeve and hope something good happens for her (like she doesn't get kicked out of school).

Wishing some revenge on the Headteacher.  He knows that Maeve wrote that essay for Adam.   And I knew it that Adam and Eric were going to hook up.  There was a vibe there from episode 1.

I liked this one much better than Derry Girls. 

I totally agree with the bolded part. There was sexual tension between Adam and Eric from the very first time they interacted. I hope Netflix will renew this show for a second season and Adam will come back from military school so that their story can continue. Loved their scene in class after their hook-up when they kept inching closer and closer to each other so they could touch.

I ended up enjoying this show quite a lot. There were a few scenes in the early episodes that I didn't like all that much but the second half of the season was much better and by the end I was properly invested. My favourite characters are Maeve and Eric and I thought both actors did a great job with their respective roles.

[Racj82]

I agree with most thoughts here but I rolled my eyes at the It's My Vagina scene. Sometimes this show leaned into clichés and sometimes they bucked the tropes. They leaned right into it with this never would happen in any reality moment and I just didn't buy it enough to care or be moved. 

Also a blind man could have seen where Eric and Adam were headed. No insult to those who may have seen it coming but it was telegraphed like a mofo. It's also a cliché I'm tired of. The guy is super aggressive and bully ish to the guy they actually want to be with. It's played out and tired.

Eric's whole journey was tired to me. Rather just see a gay character just be gay. I don't need these constant struggles with family, etc. It's not because that stuff isn't true to life. It's because most of the time it's very trite at this point in the same way will they/wont they and love triangles are. 

But, overall I did enjoy the show. Shows with teenagers are harder and harder for me to get into as get older. I just end up rolling my eyes at the angst and over reactions in a way I didn't years ago. This show dialed into the characters in a way that elevated above standard teen fare.

[palmaire]

1 hour ago, Racj82 said:

Shows with teenagers are harder and harder for me to get into as get older. I just end up rolling my eyes at the angst and over reactions in a way I didn't years ago.

Tell me about it! I keep trying with teen shows but probably should just admit defeat. I gave up on this midway through the third episode even though it's well done. It was upsetting watching Eric being bullied and the actors being in their 20s bugged me, but mostly I just don't care about anyone's masturbatory hangups or sex life. The title should have clued me in.  ;)

[Chaos Theory]

For anyone interested British "sixth form" or college is more like American High school  the "college" part kinda threw me but translating British to America can get complicated.    The school they all went to looked seemed like a really nice public school.  Which is why Maeve went there.  She lived technically in the district despite being living rough.  

From Wikipedia;
 

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At age 16 the students typically take exams for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or other Level 1/2 qualifications. While education is compulsory until 18, schooling is compulsory to 16, thus post-16 education can take a number of forms, and may be academic or vocational. This can involve continued schooling, known as "sixth form" or "college", leading (typically after two years of further study) to A-level qualifications (similar to a high school diploma in some other countries), or a number of alternative Level 3 qualifications such as Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge Pre-U, WJEC or Eduqas. It can also include work-based apprenticeships or traineeships, or volunteering.[12][13] 

Edited January 15, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[juno]

On 1/14/2019 at 1:59 AM, ruby24 said:

Okay, so I mostly liked this show a lot. BUT...I am so fucking DONE with love triangles. I can't do it. I can't handle it. At all. As soon as I saw that's where this was going I almost quit watching. I'm sorry, but there is absolutely NOTHING I hate more than a drawn out will-they-won't-they and phony love interests thrown in as obstacles to keep it from happening. 

I just can't do it anymore. I can't. I don't care about Maeve and Jackson, I don't care about Otis and Ola. They did their best to make Jackson and Ola their own characters but I don't care. I DO NOT LIKE TRIANGLES. It's old, it's cliched, it's irritating as fuck and I HATE IT. I hate having to sit through them, I hate the fact that we're going to have to watch him be in a relationship with Ola the entire next season (you know that's what will happen), just waiting for the thing they set up to finally come to fruition. I honestly can't stand it. After all the shows I've seen it in my whole life, I never want to see it again. I'm done. Get your fucking couple together in the first six episodes or I'm out. Or if you're not going to do that, at least don't make me sit through pointless relationships with other characters I'm supposed to pretend to care about, because I don't- I know it's just a stall tactic.

By the end I was more invested in Adam and Eric. 

Word x infinity.

I have said this many times. If you want to wreck a show put in triangles and start shipping characters. What happens is that the show becomes only about the triangles and the shipping and not about the story. The story itself is interesting and fairly original but the characters all seem to be from old John Hughes movies. Thank you Ruby24 I also hate pointless relationships when I am trying to enjoy the story. What a waste of Anderson and major waste of Asa Butterfield.

[Miles]

On episode one:

While the show was going for a psychological explaination the more apparent explaination would have been that with this big penis (even though it didn't seem two coke cans big and instead quite possible), he would have been in pain in a normal sized condom and thus would have had a massive problem staying hard not even to mention ejeculating.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Miles

[jcin617]

On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 3:04 PM, greekmom said:

Wishing some revenge on the Headteacher.  He knows that Maeve wrote that essay for Adam.   And I knew it that Adam and Eric were going to hook up.  There was a vibe there from episode 1.

I actually thought the cause of Adam's performance problems in episode 1 was going to be that he was actually gay.    Since Otis's advice/Adam's resolution to the situation seemed to have helped I assumed I was wrong.   But then the more he bullied Eric thought:  OK, either he actually likes Eric, which would be a typical trope, or he's just "passing the anger" along.    I guess it was all of the above!     

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 4:24 AM, phalange said:

Otis is a great character. He isn't perfect but he's a good kid who tries his best. I love his and Eric's friendship and it was good that he apologized for skipping out on Eric's birthday, even if it was because he was trying to help someone else. But his apology at the dance and then the two of them dancing together and having a great time, not caring what anyone else thought was one of my favorite scenes of the whole show. 

Speaking of; I couldn't quite tell if Otis ever found out exactly what happened to Eric, or just thought Eric was mad at him for ditching him.   Obviously Otis didn't know the night they had their big fight, but seems like if Otis found out Eric was actually beaten up he would have sought him out sooner or expressed even more guilt.    They never really made it clear how much Otis knew about what happened.   

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 6:14 AM, IntrovertGal said:

I totally agree with the bolded part. There was sexual tension between Adam and Eric from the very first time they interacted. I hope Netflix will renew this show for a second season and Adam will come back from military school so that their story can continue. Loved their scene in class after their hook-up when they kept inching closer and closer to each other so they could touch.

What I liked about that was that it was Adam who reached out to Eric.  I'm not a huge fan of the "I bully you because I like you but then we realize it and it's ok" type story, but Adam's home life is pretty crappy and the actor did a good job showing that Adam is very conflicted inside.

Edited January 18, 2019 by jcin617

[pfk505]

Just finished it tonight, and on the whole I definitely enjoyed it. Called Adam/Eric in episode 1 like everyone else. I love Ola. I both really like Maeve as a character and hate the fact that Otis and Maeve are so obviously fated, which is cliche as fuck. Eric annoyed me from the get go but I came to like his story best of all. Gillian Anderson rules and I hope her and Jacob can be happy together. Jackson did nothing wrong. Headmaster Groff is a prize dickhead. All these mixed feelings means I cared a lot about the characters and really hope we'll get more of this story.

With that said, I was recommended this show as people in a Skins forum were talking about it. Skins was, for me, a frighteningly realistic depiction of high school life. Sex Education... was not. It was over the top fun, but if you want the real deal check out Skins.

Edited January 20, 2019 by pfk505

[Cranberry]

I really enjoyed this.

I loved that, while Otis was clearly in love with Maeve, he was never a "nice guy" who hung around waiting for her to fall for him. Sure, he had a momentary blip where he tried to sabotage Jackson, but when that failed, he accepted it. He stayed Maeve's friend and supported her, and he found someone new to focus his romantic attention on. I also loved how he was with Eric (insensitivity on Eric's birthday aside). He was never weird about having a gay friend. How many straight teenage boys would dress up in drag to go see Hedwig, or dance with their gay best friend in front of all their peers? It was great. 

Maeve was my favorite character, hands-down. She reminded me of Tyra Collette from Friday Night Lights in some ways. I guess I'm a sucker for that "bad girl with a heart of gold" trope. All of the characters were great, though, and got to have real character development, even characters like Lily who would have been treated like a complete joke on some other shows.

I liked how subtle the show was. Lesser shows would have Maeve point out that Jackson never complimented her prom dress, or have her spell out that Otis recognized her essay while her boyfriend didn't. This show trusted us to get it, and I appreciate that.

[ahpny]

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Also a blind man could have seen where Eric and Adam were headed. No insult to those who may have seen it coming but it was telegraphed like a mofo. It's also a cliché I'm tired of. The guy is super aggressive and bully ish to the guy they actually want to be with. It's played out and tired.

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I'm not a huge fan of the "I bully you because I like you but then we realize it and it's ok" type story, but Adam's home life is pretty crappy and the actor did a good job showing that Adam is very conflicted inside.

His inability to finish during sex with his girlfriend was another rather glaring tell. But what distracted me more was his disparate apparent age. While pretty much all the other “teen” actors mostly looked like the 16-year olds they were supposed to be, “Adam” looked like a too-strapping guy in his late twenties. Google tells me the actor is only 22, but he looks more mature.

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I liked how subtle the show was. Lesser shows would have Maeve point out that Jackson never complimented her prom dress, or have her spell out that Otis recognized her essay while her boyfriend didn't. This show trusted us to get it, and I appreciate that.

Another aspect of this was sparingly few characters were entirely good or bad. Yes, the headmaster seemed to have no redeeming qualities, and going back on Jackson’s “Meave stays if I swim deal” was especially evil. And the Swedish plumber and his daughter were also a little too perfect. But all of the rest did both good and bad things – perhaps for understandable reasons – but did them nevertheless. For example, the brother's grifting dress purchase was wrong in almost all ways, but you had to give it to him for wanting his sister to look her best and doing the only thing he could to make that happen. While not a harmless crime, it was pretty low on the spectrum of reprehensibility. The drug dealing, not so much.

Not being familiar with economics of British "public schools," how can Meave afford to attend this school? All the other homes we saw signaled significant wealth. Who pays, not only for this school for Maeve, but pretty much everything else she needs? I didn't understand how a 16-year old would be living entirely on her own and going to what appeared to be an expensive, hard-to-get-into college-preparatory school. Are there scholarships involved? Without any background in how the UK deals with child custody and support issue raised by Maeve's "unlucky" family situation, this aspect of the show seemed off or at least questionable. 

[BooBear]

On 1/18/2019 at 3:05 AM, Miles said:

On episode one:

While the show was going for a psychological explaination the more apparent explaination would have been that with this big penis (even though it didn't seem two coke cans big and instead quite possible), he would have been in pain in a normal sized condom and thus would have had a massive problem staying hard not even to mention ejeculating.

I got to episode 6 but... while well made... I hated some aspects. 

First, Mave to me is unlikable and not worthy of Otis.  The only reason she gets any play is that she looks like Margo Robbie. Otis seems obviously to be very handsome (ok he isn't built but he has potential) and is a very good friend to Mave. She should thank her lucky stars but ignores him.  (admittedly have two episodes to go) but right now she is on my last nerve and I don't understand her relationship with Jackson other than she found the one guy she is least likely to ever get with really. Just waiting for the abortion secret to come out, probably in season 2. 

Adam was sooo obvious as gay. Amazing no one suggested it. But I always feel such plots are dangerous because they make gay kids think that people that don't like them... really do. A similar situation was made fun of in "he is just not that into you" for the heterosexual. 

I liked Eric but I didn't see how him and Otis could be friends.  They didn't seem to have much in common. There were a few scenes where Eric as much as realized he wasn't needed in the situation and just basically left.  The actors didn't have a friend vibe that worked for me. They were friends because the show demanded it. It seemed odd for Otis to be so free about dressing up in drag where for most of all the episodes he was very sensitive about being embarrassed in that way. 

Should I feel bad for GA? I thought her character and her acting was just awful. 

[MissL]

4 hours ago, BooBear said:

I got to episode 6 but... while well made... I hated some aspects. 

First, Mave to me is unlikable and not worthy of Otis.  The only reason she gets any play is that she looks like Margo Robbie. Otis seems obviously to be very handsome (ok he isn't built but he has potential) and is a very good friend to Mave. She should thank her lucky stars but ignores him.  (admittedly have two episodes to go) but right now she is on my last nerve and I don't understand her relationship with Jackson other than she found the one guy she is least likely to ever get with really. Just waiting for the abortion secret to come out, probably in season 2. 

Adam was sooo obvious as gay. Amazing no one suggested it. But I always feel such plots are dangerous because they make gay kids think that people that don't like them... really do. A similar situation was made fun of in "he is just not that into you" for the heterosexual. 

I liked Eric but I didn't see how him and Otis could be friends.  They didn't seem to have much in common. There were a few scenes where Eric as much as realized he wasn't needed in the situation and just basically left.  The actors didn't have a friend vibe that worked for me. They were friends because the show demanded it. It seemed odd for Otis to be so free about dressing up in drag where for most of all the episodes he was very sensitive about being embarrassed in that way. 

Should I feel bad for GA? I thought her character and her acting was just awful. 

Thank you on Gillian! I'm on tumblr and the blind loyalty to her is making me feel like I can't say anything there. Don't get me wrong I love her but she feels so off here. And there are people who are just crazy about her and Jakob but I find him completely unattractive and their "romance" unbelievable and chemistry free.

 

I know GA wants to do more comedy but...either she isn't good in this or the writing or directing is off. I don't know. She's usually wonderful. I found her funny in the xfiles when she did dry humor..maybe it's the broad stuff she can't do? Or maybe it's me and I'll never be able to get past Scully. 

 

Anyway. I love Eric. Just watched the ep where Otis ditches Eric on his birthday and I actually gasped when Eric was hurt. I think Otis really has a good heart and just messed up like a teenager does. Looking forward to seeing them make up. 

[Danny Franks]

I've just watched the first episode of this, after reading the various complaints about the stylistic choices. It is very odd. The British people in a very un-British school was an odd choice. Things like the school having no uniforms, letterman jackets, kids driving to school. It was all quite jarring.

And I spent the first twenty or so minutes thinking the show was set in the 80s, given what everyone was wearing, the hairstyles, the decor and even the 80s porn magazine Otis was trying to masturbate to. So I was baffled when Adam randomly mentioned Pornhub.

Other than that, the episode was actually pretty decent. I liked Otis and his friend, and Gillian Anderson is always great. The girl who plays the 'white trash' love interest distractingly reminds me of several other actresses, but she seems okay too.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Danny Franks

[Garden Wafers]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this show, but came away pleasantly surprised. As someone who also watched Bates Motel, I couldn't help but make comparisons between Otis and Norman and think: "Oh, this could've been Norman if he'd gotten even an ounce of help regarding his sexual hangups". That being said, I kinda think Dr. Milburn is terrible and she lucked out on having a kid who's fundamentally decent. Given her completely off-base analysis of Jakob, it just reinforces the idea that Otis' success as a teenage sex therapist is entirely due to his empathy rather than any pop psychology he's learned from his mother. 

 

I loved the Eric character and hated everything about his storyline. It annoys me to no end that the out gay Indian kid and the closeted headmaster's son are the two main sources of grief in his life, but the straight white boy is his best ally. If the show returns for a second season, I hope they make it clear the relationship between Adam and Eric is not healthy. What Adam needs is therapy - not the love of a good man. As someone else mentioned upthread, it's a cliched and dangerous trope that needs to be buried. 

 

I don't feel too strongly about Maeve, but gave a little fist pump when she flat-out said, "I'm really smart, sir." I don't actually consume that much media, so maybe I'm wrong, but seeing a woman unapologetically acknowledging her own intelligence still seems fairly rare.  I just thought it was a nice moment. 

[Danny Franks]

So I've watched the whole season now, and I really enjoyed it. 

I liked pretty much all the characters - Not only the main characters, but side characters like Aimee and Lily were hilarious. Lily's weirdness obviously grabbed the attention, but Aimee's completely good-natured, people-pleasing, without a malicious bone in her body, was really sweet. I loved that she finally figured out what makes sex good for her, instead of going through the motions she's presumably seen in porn.

As for Adam, I liked the actor. He had some really funny line readings, but was also able to come across as a genuinely scary bully. While it was obvious that he was going to be closeted gay (or bi), I wasn't thrilled with the way that played out. It just didn't feel like an authentic part of Eric's arc, that after he's decided 'fuck everyone, this is me' he hooks up with a self-loathing, homophobic dude who had made his life hell for god knows how many years. I don't think Adam needs to return in a second season.

Speaking of Eric, that was probably the biggest emotional roller-coaster of the season. A relatively light, optimistic character who has a horrible experience and really struggles with it, while falling out with his best friend. But then manages to discover who he wants to be. I have to say, I loved the performance of the actor playing his dad. Even without words, he immediately conveyed a far more nuanced attitude than 'my son is gay and I'm uncomfortable with it'. Yes, he was uncomfortable, but he was still more concerned for his son's emotional and physical safety, he just didn't know how to make that clear.

I do have to say, as much as I like Gillian Anderson, and enjoyed her performance, I don't think her character added a whole lot. And her quasi-love story with Jakob was a bit boring. The scenes she had with Otis were better, but they could easily have used a less known actress, and given her fewer scenes to create the same effect. I did like James Purefoy's near-cameo as his sleazy, suave dad, though.

I definitely found myself rooting for Otis and Maeve, even if they hit a lot of the tropes that have been played out. The actors really brought the chemistry and charm, and Emma Mackey, in particular, knows how to tell a story using only facial expressions. But I'm glad they didn't get together at the end. Because someone as insecure about sex as Otis currently is could never survive being in a relationship with Maeve. Even though he knows a lot of the stories about her are bullshit, he also knows she's far more experienced than him, and he'd overthink every encounter they had to the point that it would be torture for both of them. Far better for him to take his first steps with Ola, and for Maeve to just be his supportive friend for a while.

The sad part is, I really don't think Otis chose Ola, despite his claim he loves housecats. I think that, if he'd seen Maeve's reaction to them kissing, he'd have agonised for a long while, but eventually he'd have shot for the moon with Maeve. And I do loathe love triangles, but feel like this show approached them in a less angsty, deliberately tortuous way than most do. There wasn't much pining or passive-aggressive cruelty, Maeve and Otis both seemed aware that they had to be careful around each other, on the topic of relationships. What would really ruin it for me is if, in season 2, they have Otis realise he still loves Maeve just before, or after, she gets a new boyfriend.

[kieyra]

I’m only partway through so I’m skipping posts to avoid spoilers. I kind of like what the show is doing. I’m even giving them lots of leeway on this “80s American teen sex movie turned campy British teen dramedy” thing. 

But man, the actor playing Adam seriously looks thirty. These days, with good skincare and sunscreen, he could be 35. My only theory is that they wanted to be very clear they weren’t really showing a real teenager’s penis? I don’t know how those laws work. 

Also: that’s a wig they’ve got GA in, right? 

ETA: Oh, show. You can’t top Ian and Mickey in Shameless, I wish you wouldn’t have tried.

Edited January 25, 2019 by kieyra

[Irlandesa]

I just finished this last night.  I enjoyed it for the most part but I do have minor quibbles. 

I loved the location they selected.  The scenery was beautiful and Otis and his mom have a great house. I also liked that it felt retro even though it took place in modern times.  I am surprised Gillian Anderson is in this.  I thought her performance was fine but overall, she factors into this show much less than I thought she would when I heard she was cast.

Otis was giving me Frankie Muniz/Malcolm In The Middle vibes.  He looked so similar.

I liked Maeve but Maeve was a cliche.  Edgy girl who shows how edgy she is with pastel colored hair.  Edgy Maeve who hides the fact that she's smart until she's about to be kicked out of school for claiming her brother's drugs.  I wish they had kept her feelings towards Otis platonic this season and waited maybe another season before ramping up the tension between Maeve and Otis.

Let Otis date Ola, who I like a lot and seems to have the right vibe for Otis.  I wasn't a fan of how Maeve handled her love life.

10 hours ago, Garden Wafers said:

Given her completely off-base analysis of Jakob, it just reinforces the idea that Otis' success as a teenage sex therapist is entirely due to his empathy rather than any pop psychology he's learned from his mother. 

I  think her analysis of Jakob had more to do with wishful thinking than a true reading.  She slept with him after Otis asked her not to.  And if he was a player, then he could easily remain just one of her one-night stands and Otis would never have to know.

I don't know how I feel about Eric and Adam.  Eric letting Adam give him a blow job makes sense because it IS a blow job from a real live boy.  But clearly Adam has a lot of ish to figure out and Eric deserves better now that he has fully embraced who he is.  I did like the lesbian story where they kind of fell into a relationship because they were both out lesbians and yet the chemistry just wasn't there, or at least for one of them. 

[Danny Franks]

9 hours ago, kieyra said:

But man, the actor playing Adam seriously looks thirty. These days, with good skincare and sunscreen, he could be 35. My only theory is that they wanted to be very clear they weren’t really showing a real teenager’s penis? I don’t know how those laws work. 

He definitely looked too old, but I was impressed that they managed to find actors who look like they almost have to be actual father and son. To be honest, most of the actors looked too old. They always do in teen shows, but I think they mostly did a good job of inhabiting that combination of awkwardness and confidence that a lot of teens have.

[festivus]

I really liked this show. I practically binge watched it which is something I don't usually do. I was actually like, "No!", at the end when I realized it was only 8 episodes. I thought all of the teens were good and I liked that in the quadrangle there weren't any bad guys. Jackson is actually a really good kid but Maeve can't help that she has feelings for someone else.

Loved Eric. My favorite moment was him and Otis at the dance and the part before with his dad. I liked that him going to his colorful and happy church gave him back some confidence to be himself.

On 1/13/2019 at 6:27 AM, pinkglove said:

I guess I could forgive that too. It looks like Eric realized how much pain Adam was in when he watched him telling his father that he hates him. Also, he knew that the bullying came out of fear. Sure, on some level it always does, but if I were Eric, I would give Adam a chance and see if he could change. (I suppose it won't happen now, sadly.)

I'm not sure if I could but Eric was portrayed as the kind of empathetic person that would.  I really loved the actor, he is just beautiful.

 

I actually loved Gillian in this. Every time she would invade her son's privacy I was like, ah you're horrible but I felt like I understood her character and I think she understands herself. Like the scene at the end where she was connecting with Otis and then fell back on her psychobabble. She knows she's doing it she just can't seem to help herself. Shit, I hated her hair though. That platinum blond look doesn't do her any favors.

 

Finally, I loved Lily and her alien porn. She just wanted a penis in her vagina, y'all.

[tennisgurl]

I really liked this show, and I hope we get another season. The best thing about it was the empathy it clearly had for all of its characters, even the deeply flawed ones, like the mean girls, and the ones would otherwise be a joke, like Lily. They were all really well drawn and acted, and seemed very real, even if the show was often very broadly drawn. It wasn't really trying to be super real in its plots, and is more of a pastiche of classic high school comedy tropes, but I think they did make the characters likable and understandable. 

I liked the stuff with Otis and Maeve for the most part, but they really are pretty cliche. Nervous dorky boy? Tough girl from the trailer park with a hart of gold? Girl realizes she really wants sweet nerd instead of popular guy (although at least popular guy is a decent person and not a jerk) who has had a crush on her this whole time, only for her to see him with another girl, but he never sees her? Yeah, not exactly new stuff here. But, maybe if its a take off on teen comedy's, that on purpose?

Eric was my favorite character, and I really liked his plot. I did kind of pick up a vibe with Adam, and them holding fingers together in class was so adorable, it really made me want to see more of them, and less of the Otis love triangle. Loved Erics relationship with his dad, and that his dad wasn't actually homophobic like I feared, but was afraid that his son would be hurt if he was being his flamboyant self, and eventually told him how brave he was. And I loved the whole scene where he found comfort in church, it was just really uplifting. 

So yeah, enjoyed this a lot. Maybe not a classic, but really enjoyable. 

[Danny Franks]

11 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I liked the stuff with Otis and Maeve for the most part, but they really are pretty cliche. Nervous dorky boy? Tough girl from the trailer park with a hart of gold? Girl realizes she really wants sweet nerd instead of popular guy (although at least popular guy is a decent person and not a jerk) who has had a crush on her this whole time, only for her to see him with another girl, but he never sees her? Yeah, not exactly new stuff here. But, maybe if its a take off on teen comedy's, that on purpose?

This seems like an excuse (and it certainly makes for a convenient one), but I liked that the show seemed to be deliberately evoking a lot of those 80s teen fantasy movie clichés, the stuff we've seen in John Hughes movies. Tough, wrong-side-of-the-tracks girl and dorky boy who never dreams of rebelling is certainly an old pairing, but I always think that the right performances can elevate even the most tired tropes. And I thought Emma Mackey and Asa Butterfield really did a good job of making both characters likeable, sympathetic and engaging.

What I did like is that they both accept one another as they are. There's a throwaway bit in episode 5, after Maeve had dressed up for dinner at Jackson's, when Otis sees her he just says "why are you dressed weird?" Nor does Maeve try to encourage Otis to change his clothing or personality, or do anything else that might make him conventionally more attractive. Hell, the first time she thinks about kissing him, he's dressed as Hedwig.

[Anela]

Otis did NOT just call Ola a house cat. No, no. She's a great young woman. Maeve is great in her own way, but damn, she is no better than Ola. 

Edited February 12, 2019 by Anela

[PokerNerd]

On 1/30/2019 at 9:58 PM, tennisgurl said:

I really liked this show, and I hope we get another season. The best thing about it was the empathy it clearly had for all of its characters, even the deeply flawed ones, like the mean girls, and the ones would otherwise be a joke, like Lily. They were all really well drawn and acted, and seemed very real, even if the show was often very broadly drawn. 

I agree that one thing that makes the show great is is the depth of so many of the side characters.  Lily is awkward and weird but she doesn't seem to be upset by her eccentricity.  I like how she can be both empathetic and bluntly honest and the other characters end up kind of liking / respecting her. Compare Lily here to the fat chick Lola on Big Mouth who is just supposed to be disgusting and mean.

I liked the little foray into the mean girls clique, but I'm surprised Ruby wasn't a bit more reformed by the last episode.

Overall i love the casting in that everyone is compelling to watch. However, I fully expected Ola to be 5 years older than Otis. She is lovely but so much more self-assured and confident than everyone at the school. She looked more destined for the big sister role than the love interest.

I liked the actor playing Adam, but he also looked way too physically developed for the role, not that I minded when in the scenes he was barely clothed.

I lost a lot of sleep because once I got to episode 6 I couldn't stop. 

Agree that I love how the story line with Eric's dad played out and the way the church was portrayed as actually helping Eric find himself.

[Chas411]

While I liked the show.. 2 things I didn’t like:

the sudden love story between Eric/Adam. I predicted it early on but I still didn’t think it felt organic when it happened. There was chemistry between the pair but Adam suddenly being gay aMd pretty much fine with it just felt like a strange turn. I was more interested in their individual stories then the sudden relationship between the two. If Adam comes back id be far more interested in his relationship with his father and how he can evolve into a better person etc. I think putting him and Eric together just limits them both story wise.

I thought Maeve was a bitch to Jackson and it made me like her less. I get she just didn’t like him in the end and he suffocated her but he was a nice guy and i felt bad for him. Especially given she liked someone else as it would have been crappy for him to watch. 

[possibilities]

I was disappointed that Lily and Eric didn't become friends after that one afternoon they spent together. It seems like they'd have fun together, and Eric could use another friend besides Otis. Plus, Eric really could use a lot more practice with the music.

Otis really never actually did try to help Jackson "win" Maeve. He kept saying he couldn't help, and then losing his temper and shouting at him in frustration and anger at how badly Jackson was behaving. The one time he deliberately gave advice, it was supposed to sabotage Jackson's efforts. So... not great, not courageous, not even honest. But also not at all what Maeve thought he'd done.

I thought Otis's mother was way over the line when she went searching for and then washed his sheets after he asked her for privacy. But writing the book? That was waaaaaaay over the line.

When Adam's father was insulting Otis to Maeve, even after Otis talked down the suicidal kid, I just thought: wow, this dude is pure evil, they aren't even trying to give him any nuance.

Jackson trying to help keep Maeve in school, even after she broke up with him, I thought was a nice touch. I really liked that the show stuck with the "no means no" and "don't think you're entitled to someone else's love" message.... until they hooked Adam up with Eric without so much as the tiniest de-escalation in threats or violence. C'mon! I saw Adam's attraction to Eric from the first episode, but I don't like that it's somehow okay for Eric to be assaulted repeatedly and it's all somehow okay. I felt for Adam, but it's a terrible message to send about the worth of gay kids, that beating them up is somehow maybe romantic or some shit.

[ganesh]

I put this show in my queue a while ago because I read that GA was in it. I finally started watching on the plane today. I had zero ideas what the show was about going in. I really liked it after E1 and like Otis/Eric and Otis/Maeve. 

I'm mid E5. I liked at the bus stop where Eric was scared and the dudes ended up being totally cool. 

I like Otis is actually good at therapy but can't with Jean. 

I do like that Adam isn't the trope they were starting with but some of it is like of his fault too. 

I was dying when Lily was down to watch gay porn too. 

Edited April 4, 2019 by ganesh

[ganesh]

I enjoyed this and will be watching S2. I watched it on the plane. I know this isn't particularly flattering, but one of the things I liked was that the characters were kind of homely and not super pretty like 90210.

I liked that Otis and Eric reconciled and Eric basically immediately got right back into the groove - "wow women hate you." I also liked Eric and his dad. 

I think the criticisms here are fair. I'm not a fan of triangles either, but I don't think Otis/Maeve would work anyway, so it didn't bother me. There's wasn't much I cared about for Jackson. Although the crack about "I actually did like the Bell Jar." "Not the point." Was funny. 

Very glad they found Madam. 

I was surprised that Jean didn't learn about Otis and Maeve running the sex clinic.

I don't think Eric owed the other guy an apology. Just because you're one of the 2 gay dudes in he school doesn't give you a pass for being an asshole. He had it coming, and it wasn't because he was gay. You'd think he'd back off a bit, but was right back to bullying Eric the next day. I get that Eric had to be suspended for taking a swing at him, but every one has their limits. It's not fair that Eric has verbal abuse heaped on him daily, and I'm surprised he didn't say anything. I actually would have loved of Eric went over to the mother and said - I'm not a gay basher, your son is an asshole and had it coming. I was just the only one that could deliver it. 

[Bastet]

On 3/9/2019 at 10:53 PM, possibilities said:

I really liked that the show stuck with the "no means no" and "don't think you're entitled to someone else's love" message.... until they hooked Adam up with Eric without so much as the tiniest de-escalation in threats or violence. C'mon! I saw Adam's attraction to Eric from the first episode, but I don't like that it's somehow okay for Eric to be assaulted repeatedly and it's all somehow okay. I felt for Adam, but it's a terrible message to send about the worth of gay kids, that beating them up is somehow maybe romantic or some shit.

I watched this for Gillian Anderson, and wound up quite liking the younger set, too.  There's some good acting going on, even though several cast members don't have a lot of experience.

Anyway, the Eric and Adam thing was the glaring exception to my enjoyment.  Even after their hook-up, Adam was right back to threatening him.  But a little scooting up to each other in class, and it's all okay?  Very disappointing.

My favorite scene was when Maeve explained why she was helping the mean girl for free.  I teared up when she said she wouldn't let some boy kiss her at a party, so he told everyone she gave him head and bit him, so four years later she's still called "Cock Biter" to her face by people she doesn't even know, and there are all these wild stories about her.  These things stick, and if she can stop another girl from being shamed, she will.  I liked the "It's my vagina" scene, too, but it was Maeve's recounting of how she got her reputation that really did me in.

A lot of my favorite scenes revolved around Maeve, including the mini wave with the two other women at the abortion clinic.  I like the way they handled the abortion - it was a pragmatic decision she didn't agonize over or become traumatized by.  Most women who opt for abortion say "relief" is their primary emotion afterward, but TV just loves to present it as some haunting experience; I like that this show just got on with it.

I love the friendship between Otis and Eric, and their make-up dance was a great payoff. 

[Danny Franks]

13 hours ago, Bastet said:

Adam thing was the glaring exception to my enjoyment.  Even after their hook-up, Adam was right back to threatening him.  But a little scooting up to each other in class, and it's all okay?  Very disappointing.

I mean, I guess it fits into the 'abuse as romance' trope that is disconcertingly prevalent in a lot of modern television. The idea that the guy is just damaged and dreamy and when he hurts the girl/other guy, it's because he just cares too damned much.

It's thoroughly unpleasant, and I'd hope that the second season of Sex Education makes that clear. They've been quite smart about how they've explored sexuality so far, and I'd find it incredibly odd if Otis wasn't telling Eric that any entanglement with Adam is unhealthy. Especially after they already made it clear that, just because there's another gay guy in the school (Anwar), it doesn't mean Eric has to be into him.

[possibilities]

It really was a sour note in an otherwise sensible show.

[OtterMommy]

Now that we have a full forum, I have created a Speculation thread to discuss upcoming season(s) and I've moved some speculation-ish posts over there.  Please continue to discuss season 1 here.

Once season 2 drops, I'll create episode threads for discussion.

[pootlus]

Loved everything about this show after discovering it fairly late.  The only thing that really bugged me was the episode with the picture of the mean girl's privates being shared around.  Everyone stood up the end and shouted "It's MY vagina!" (even Jackson, which I thought was sweet and hilarious), but I shouted back at the screen "actually, it's your VULVA".  I was waiting for Otis to stand up and correct them, but he didn't.  It's such a common misconception that I wish they'd taken the opportunity to correct it.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, pootlus said:

Everyone stood up the end and shouted "It's MY vagina!" (even Jackson, which I thought was sweet and hilarious), but I shouted back at the screen "actually, it's your VULVA".  I was waiting for Otis to stand up and correct them, but he didn't.  It's such a common misconception that I wish they'd taken the opportunity to correct it.

Calling it the vagina instead of the vulva bugged me, too (as it does whenever I hear it, which is frighteningly often), but I didn't even think about the missed opportunity in not having Otis correct them (either in the moment or later) -- that would have been a very Otis thing to do, and nice little PSA to boot.

[beeemkcl]

RESPONSES TO THE THREAD:

 

 

* It seems Maeve perhaps didn’t even know Otis existed before S01E01. She was already having sex with Jackson in S01E01 but clearly didn’t actually have strong feelings for Jackson. She only starts dating Jackson because of the advice Otis gave Jackson.

 

* Otis/Maeve didn’t happen in Season 1 because Maeve was continuing to date Jackson even though there was a ‘thing’ between Otis/Maeve.

 

Maeve knows from the beginning that Otis is sexually attracted to her. She largely uses his attraction to her to get him to do the clinic and sacrifice his ‘life’ for her.

 

Otis/Maeve also doesn’t happen in Season 1 because Otis literally couldn’t ‘make a move’ on Maeve. He literally stops theirs kissing by blurting out he’s a virgin.

 

-- Eric is the reason Otis/Maeve had any chance because Eric encouraged Otis/Maeve.

 

* Otis and Maeve are not ‘obviously fated’. Otis is initially interested in Maeve simply because she looks like Emma Mackey. His interest increased after learning she’s very smart and such.

 

But Otis is still rather nerdy and is not equal to Maeve’s looks. And Otis has a womanizing father and Otis is relatively very well off. Maeve lives in a trailer park.

 

Give Otis some popularity and sexual experience and he can then perhaps ‘do better’ than Maeve.

 

* Jackson liked Maeve mostly because she’s apparently the best-looking female student in the school. Otis likes Maeve also for her brain.

 

* The entire point of Maeve Wiley is her looks, her poverty, and her brain. The only reason the Clinic happens is because of those things: Maeve desperately needs money, she can run such a clinic, and Otis would initially do it because he’s so sexually attracted to her.

 

* Maeve becomes interested in Otis the moment she learns his sex advice in S01E01 worked. From then on, Otis/Maeve are never truly platonic. That’s largely the point of Season 1 and why Otis chooses Ola. He knew Maeve felt something for him but that she was still with Jackson and that she had been having Otis literally running around after her.

 

* Arguably, Maeve Wiley never was more popular than Otis. Even when Maeve was dating Jackson, Otis was the ‘sex guru’ of the school.

[beeemkcl]

* Before Maeve takes Otis to her ‘caravan’ park, how many students knew Maeve lived in a caravan? Jackson certainly didn’t before Maeve took him to her ‘trailer park’.

 

Maeve’s complete lack of popularity seems because Ruby (and the other Untouchables) keeps Maeve unpopular. The Untouchables know Maeve is friends with Aimee (one of the Untouchables).

 

Maeve arguably gains more popularity by being friends with Otis and doing the Clinic than she gained by dating Jackson Marchetti.

 

 

* I consider it likely the only reason Otis doesn’t have a car is Jean is so overprotective of him and doesn’t want his able to so freely travel.

 

- Sidenote: I don’t understand why Jean has such an old car.

 

 

 

MORE RESPONSES TO THE THREAD:

 

 

* Maeve’s reaction at the dance to learning Otis’s essentially ‘forced’ her to date Jackson and that then Otis give her the money Jackson gave him is because of what she considers that demonstrates about Otis’s feelings for and regard for her. And Otis knows that.

 

When Maeve at the dance tried to sabotage Otis/Ola, Maeve considered Otis would actually prefer to be with Maeve instead of Ola and Maeve was clearly about to dump Jackson. It’s highly unlikely Maeve even kissed Jackson after the dance much less have sex with Jackson.

 

From Maeve’s perspective, Otis however far from being jealous of Maeve/Jackson perhaps subconsciously forced her to date Jackson rather than try to date her himself. And Otis clearly sabotaged ‘the moment’ between Otis/Maeve when they were clearly about to kiss.

 

The money thing is obvious: it hits hard on Maeve’s insecurity regarding her socioeconomic status.

 

 

* Lily isn’t a good match for Otis Milburn. Otis clearly likes Maeve. If anything, Ola is a lesser version of Maeve. Ola also has a nose ring and has tattoos. Ola is shorter, less good-looking, etc. Ola is of a higher social class than Maeve, but Otis doesn’t actually care too much that Maeve lives in a caravan. And Ola’s family is ‘poor’ compared to the Milburns.

 

 

* It’s possible Maeve is ‘emancipated’—whatever the British version of that is. Maeve’s brother probably helped with the bills when he’s around. And Maeve was clearly struggling financially, probably got her clothes at thrift shops, etc.

 

The school doesn’t seem an expensive ‘private’ school. Maeve lives in the area and very likely tested very well.

 

 

* Headmaster Groff was trying to put all the blame and punishment on either Maeve Wiley or her brother for the ‘drug dealing’ and the ‘incident’ at the dance. Groff was essentially fully protecting Otis Milburn.

 

Jackson Marchetti is Head Boy, but Otis is a rich kid and Groff probably considers Maeve was trying to take advantage of Otis’s nerdiness. He tells Otis to ‘beware of the wild female’.

[Aulty]

2 hours ago, beeemkcl said:

* I consider it likely the only reason Otis doesn’t have a car is Jean is so overprotective of him and doesn’t want his able to so freely travel.

Otis is 16, isn't he? In the UK the minimum driving age is 17 - although you can apply for an early licence at 16 (which, I assume, is why Ola is able to chauffeur her dad around). I actually find it quite refreshing that they show them walking or riding their bikes.

[HurricaneVal]

I just found this show.  I'm on episode 6, and I cannot believe how good this is.  Subject matter subtext (or is that overtext) aside....this is an incredibly well written and well acted show with a cast that absolutely shines.  It reminds me of the best of Buffy and Glee and Veronica Mars, and the homage to American '80s/'90s teen "coming of age" and romcom movies is unmistakable.

So far as the over-text  is concerned, the producers must have made this a very safe place for these actors to "go there" like they do.  I'm amazed at how these very sexual scenes seem so natural and also humorous without seeming gratuitous or icky.

Case in point: when Amy dreamily tells Otis she's been wanking all night, thanks him, and pats his cheek in affection and gratitude, he gives her fingers a googly side-eye ......

As Americanized as the school feels, everything else is so very UK.  All that walking, bikes, public transport, manners.

Speaking of Glee....  The Eric and Adam story--so far as episode 6-- is  veeeery reminiscent of the Kurt and his bully-but-closeted-gay-and-fighting-it-by-bullying-his-forbidden-gay-crush Karofsky.