Sex Education Season 2: Netflix teenage drama that isn't perfect but feels good

Trust, talking and truth - Words said by Jean Millburn (Gillian Anderson) in the premier episode of season 2 - is an apt representation of season 1 of sex education which dropped on Netflix in 2017. Teens trust a kid in their class and talk to him about sex related issues who in turn speaks the truth to them. As a plot-line, this was refreshing and funny. The creators kept it simple. Season 2, however, expands the scope beyond this and it's three central characters - Otis, Maeve and Eric.

In terms of the story, Season 2 picks off from where season 1 ended.  As the school break gets over, Otis Millburn (Asa Butterfield) - the sex kid - and the rest of the class are back to Moordale High. Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackay) is back too albeit without the dash of pink hair which drew comparisons of Emma Mackay with Margot Robbie. The sex clinic is up and running as well saving the day for hundreds of helpless horny kids. But this time around they have competition from Jean, Otis's mother (a professional therapist), who gets involved in addressing the curriculum of school's sex education. In the process, she ends up setting shop at the school to provide therapy to kids. This paves the way for a mother son conflict down the road between Jean and Otis.

The subplot of a girl getting traumatized due to a sexual assault provides the season with some of its best moments. Between this and addressing questions on one's own sexuality i.e. from being homosexual to pan-sexual - it continues to educate its viewers on a variety of subjects staying true to its name.

However, very unexpectedly, it also resorts to clichés - two girls who are shown to be strong and independent fighting over a boy, a drunken house party gone bad and the show's main couple not getting together due to petty misunderstanding. From a show which largely avoided these tropes in the first season, this was unexpected.

The comedy drama does manage to retain some of the funny moments from season 1 particularly in the premiere episode. Scenes involving interaction among all 4 - Father-Daughter Jakob and Ola and Mother-Son Jean and Otis - provide for some good humour at the expense of Otis's frustration. At its heart, sex education is also a story of a single mother raising a teenager. The show focuses on the evolution of Jean and Otis's relationship. Frustration of being a 'primary care giver to a teenage son and getting the worst of his behaviour' (as she puts it) almost brings her character to an emotional breaking point. Gillian Anderson is brilliant here and holds the show together.

As far as Otis and Maeve are concerned, we saw them separated at the end of the first season. They do make progress this time around with Maeve expressing her feelings for Otis. However, there is no 'happily ever after' due to certain circumstances - at least not yet as the writers would want to keep this track open for further seasons. The wait for fans of #maevis continues.

A special shout out to the team that works on the background soundtrack. The songs represent the act on the screen brilliantly and are exhilarating.

This second instalment may not be as good as the first one but still delivers on various fronts. As Otis advises one of his clients - 'Sex isn't always perfect, it should be about feeling good and not looking pretty'. That for me sums up season 2 - it isn't perfect but feels good. Watch it, if nothing then only for the sex education it imparts. You'll be surprised at your lack of knowledge on the subject.

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