Sex Education Season 2 - What We Know So Far
In February 2019, fans of the hit Netflix series Sex Education got some great news: the show was being renewed for a highly anticipated second season. Season 1 of Sex Education followed Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), a high school student whose mom Jean (Gillian Anderson) happened to be a sex therapist. His classmate Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) wondered if they could somehow capitalize on Otis' know-how and presented him with a business opportunity: Otis could become an unofficial "sex therapist" for their self-conscious peers, who'd ask him all the questions they'd been afraid to bring up in health class. Of course, Otis ended up developing a not-so-subtle crush on his business partner, which complicated their entire situation while a cast of engaging and relatable supporting characters made every episode feel refreshingly realistic.
Sex Education isn't afraid to explore difficult issues, but there's plenty of humor to balance it out. The season 1 finale left several open-ended storylines to set up for future episodes, and now that season 2 is officially on its way, fans will finally get the answers they've been waiting for. Here's where the characters ended up in Sex Education's first season finale — and all the hints the cast has dropped about what audiences can expect from season 2.
What's Sex Education season 2's release date?
So far, Netflix hasn't announced a release date for season 2 of Sex Education. The first season was released on January 11, 2019, so the show had barely been on the platform for three weeks before it was granted a second season. The cast and crew started filming the new episodes in May, so if fans are lucky, they might get to watch season 2 by winter of 2019 — but it probably won't be released until early in 2020.
Netflix hasn't released an official trailer for the new season yet, but there are a few new clips for fans to enjoy while they wait for the season 2 premiere. There's a short season 2 announcement video, which features all of the main cast members in a funny Mean Girls spoof. There's also a video showing the actors' reactions to the season 2 scripts at their first table read for the upcoming episodes. Finally, if you're in the mood to laugh, Netflix put out a season 1 blooper reel in April, so you can see the whole cast crack up over their silliest screwups on set.
How many episodes will Sex Education season 2 include?
When Netflix confirmed that Sex Education would be getting a second season, they also confirmed that the new season would have eight episodes, just like the first. In season 1, every episode was around 50 minutes long, give or take a few, so it's safe to assume that the episode lengths for season 2 will be the same — Sex Education doesn't seem like one of those Game of Thrones-style shows that tacks an extra 20-30 minutes onto the season finale.
Although there's no doubt that fans would love to get an extra episode or two in season 2, the pacing in season 1 was a strong point for Sex Education. There was plenty of time to get to know each character and fully explore their individual arcs, but the plot didn't drag its feet as the show got closer to the finale. Plus, eight episodes is just the right length if you want to binge the entire new season in a weekend.
Which Sex Education cast members will return for season 2?
If anyone was worried that their favorite characters from Sex Education wouldn't be making an appearance in season 2, there's nothing to stress over — the entire main cast from season 1 has signed on for the new episodes. Although nobody had been definitively written off at the end of season 1, there was some uncertainty about the status of two characters in particular. Adam Groff (Connor Swindells) was sent to military school, while Maeve took the fall for drugs found at a school dance to protect Otis and her brother Sean (Edward Bluemel). After defending herself in front of a tribunal, the decision of whether she would be expelled was deferred, leaving her fate up in the air.
Neither Swindells nor Mackey have given away any concrete details about their characters' storylines in season 2, but Netflix confirmed that both actors would be returning, along with Patricia Allison (Ola), Aimee-Lou Wood (Aimee), Ncuti Gatwa (Eric), Kedar Williams-Sterling (Jackson), and Tanya Reynolds (Lily). But just knowing that these characters will be part of the season doesn't answer two very important questions that have had viewers waiting in suspense for months. Does Maeve end up getting kicked out of Moordale Secondary School? And will Adam end up staying in military school, or will he be returning to Moordale?
Where did Sex Education season 1 leave off?
Before we dive into the clues the Sex Education cast has let slip about season 2, let's back up and take a look at where things left off for the main characters in the season 1 finale. Maeve was up for expulsion, with her future at Moordale (and her friendship and partnership with Otis) in the balance. Jean attempted to break things off with her new fling Jakob (Mikael Persbrandt), but despite Otis' concerns about their relationship, her resolve weakened, and she couldn't bring herself to do it. Jackson was heartbroken after Maeve confessed that she didn't love him, but he still fought for her to stay at Moordale. Adam and Eric were stuck in detention together, and after months of bullying, Eric finally stood up to Adam – but their fight took an unexpected turn when the two hooked up.
And as for Otis? After arguing with Jean about her intrusiveness, his relationship with his mother appeared to be on the mend. He kissed Ola for the first time — but Maeve witnessed the whole thing. This incident left Maeve and Otis' status as a will-they-won't-they pair unknown for now, but their lingering feelings will likely still be an issue in season 2.
Otis will still be front and center in Sex Education season 2
Although the supporting cast of Sex Education is full of great characters, the show is centered around Otis — and series creator Laura Nunn has confirmed that season 2 will still focus on him. In fact, even before season 2 was guaranteed, this was always the showrunners' intention. "Series one is very much Otis' journey," Nunn told Thrillist. "If we're lucky enough to get a series two we will always come back to Otis. He's a fantastic leading character."
But it's hard to predict the trajectory of Otis' story in season 2. His future as Moordale's resident amateur sex therapist is unclear. It's tough to imagine Sex Education without Otis dishing out relationship advice to his friends, but Maeve broke off their business partnership, and he was already feeling conflicted about his "job" after having to talk his client Liam down off a ledge. Will Otis open up his "practice" once again — and if so, will Maeve even be able to work with him? Perhaps Otis' path will be very different this time around, or maybe he'll accept that the students at Moordale really do need him and start offering therapy again, with or without Maeve.
Sex Education will refine its focus on the ensemble cast in season 2
Otis will still be the main character in season 2 of Sex Education, but is there a chance that some of the others will be getting some more screentime in the upcoming episodes? According to Nunn, that's also a possibility. When asked if she would be interested in getting deeper into the stories of side characters like Lily or Aimee, Nunn told Thrillist, "Yeah definitely. I'm just totally in love with all the characters and I just want to spend more time with them... It just feels like they could go anywhere."
Nunn has also mentioned that she wants characters who haven't spent much time together onscreen yet to forge new connections. With such a strong ensemble cast, there are lots of exciting possibilities for new relationships. "I love the idea of getting different characters together. If not together in a relationship, just together in the space," Nunn told Thrillist. "Like, I never thought those two characters would have a conversation and there will be loads of opportunity for that." It will be interesting to see who crosses paths this season — perhaps sparks will fly between characters who barely interacted in season 1.
Adam faces serious challenges in Sex Education season 2
Connor Swindell, who plays Adam, has had a lot to say about his character's future in season 2 of Sex Education. He hasn't given away any real spoilers, but he's been very open about where he thinks Adam is going.
Unfortunately, Swindell doesn't exactly have high hopes for Adam in season 2. Adam's father shipped him off to military school with the goal of reforming his behavior, but Swindell doubts that Adam has any chance of actually improving in that setting. Swindell says Adam is "not going to fare well in that kind of institution" — especially since he's grappling with his sexuality and his feelings towards Eric. And now, Adam has little chance at healing his broken relationship with his father.
Swindell feels Adam has lots of emotional depth, which is what he wanted to emphasize in his performance. "I hope people could see the vulnerability. And if a season two does come around his story is going to get a lot worse," Swindell told Express. "He's going to go to a very bad place before it gets better." Swindell's predictions don't bode well for Adam — his character certainly has his demons.
Jackson finds his way in Sex Education season 2
Jackson spent a good chunk of season 1 of Sex Education lusting after Maeve and doing everything in his power to win her heart. He jumped up on a table to serenade her in front of their classmates, he poured his heart out to her and listened to her open up about her dysfunctional family, and he even read her favorite feminist books. But it slowly becomes apparent that Jackson might not be the one for Maeve — he eventually admits that he paid Otis to give him advice on getting Maeve to fall for him because Maeve is "difficult." When Maeve finds out, she feels betrayed and confused, and the revelation marks the beginning of the end for this couple.
In season 2, Kedar Williams-Sterling hopes that Jackson learns it's okay to fly solo and do his own thing, rather than spending his time pining over Maeve. "I would love him to be a bit more independent — but then at the same time I think he's still growing," Williams-Sterling told Express. Maybe the audience will get to know Jackson better as an individual in the upcoming episodes, rather than as Maeve's love interest.
Things are looking up for Aimee in Sex Education season 2
Aimee got off to a rough start in season 1 of Sex Education. Her group of friends constantly put her down and mocked her for the smallest mistakes, she had a disastrous hookup with Adam, and she admitted to Otis during a therapy session that she was "always fake" around her past boyfriends. But as the season progressed, Aimee really came into her own and grew as a person. She ditched her old friends and got closer with Maeve, and after getting some sound advice from Otis, her relationship with her boyfriend Steve is better than ever.
While the rest of the characters are dealing with the fallout of reckless decisions and misunderstandings in the season 1 finale, Aimee is doing just fine, and she's starting off season 2 on the right foot. Aimee-Lou Wood feeds optimistic about her character's outlook. "Everyone else is in the s*** by the end of the series, apart from Aimee," she told Express. "It would be nice to see more of [Aimee and Maeve] together." Perhaps Aimee will continue thriving in season 2, but she'll likely have to face a few obstacles of her own.
A second chance for Maeve and Otis in Sex Education season 2?
Of course, we can't forget about the most important unanswered question after the Sex Education season 1 finale: is there any hope for Otis and Maeve to get together now? Otis had a huge crush on Maeve throughout season 1, but he didn't think he had a real shot with her, and when Jackson won her over, he was left dealing with the pain of unrequited love. Although Maeve did give Jackson a chance, her heart wasn't fully in it — because little did Otis know, she had feelings for him too.
When the finale rolled around, Otis and Maeve still weren't a couple. In fact, they weren't even friends. After getting into a fight at a school dance, they went their separate ways. But after reading an apology note from Otis, Maeve headed to his house to apologize, only to catch him kissing Ola.
So what does the future have in store for Maeve and Otis? The creators are playing coy. Before season 2 was announced, Nunn told Thrillist, "I guess with a classic will-they-won't-they they can never really get together. But obviously we will wait and see if we do get a series two then that might happen. You never know."
What will happen to Adam and Eric in Sex Education season 2?
Another potential couple in Sex Education faces an unknown future. Adam and Eric both left their passionate encounter feeling confused and nervous — Eric was shocked that the guy who had bullied him for so long was actually attracted to him, and Adam was terrified that his secret would get out. But there was no denying the connection between them. Both tried to be subtle, yet Adam couldn't resist reaching for Eric's hand in their last class together before he left for military school.
It's unlikely that this was the last these characters will see of each other. However, it's anyone's guess as to whether their hookup will develop into real romance. Swindell says the moment doesn't definitively mean that Adam is gay. Instead, he says it's possible that Adam just craved intimacy with anyone who could give it to him. "I don't think he knows what he is," Swindell told Metro. "More than anything, I think it was a chance for him to be intimate with someone for the first time and not to feel so alone."
However, Gatwa thinks that Adam's feelings mean more than that, and he assumed that Adam had a secret crush on Eric as soon as he read the scripts. "I did see it literally from the first moment that Adam pushes Eric into the lockers," he told Radio Times. "I was like, 'I bet you anything they end up together.'"
Will Sex Education get a third season?
Season 2 of Sex Education doesn't have an official release date yet, but it already looks fairly likely that the show will be granted a third season. There hasn't been any word about a potential season 3 from Netflix yet, but the production company behind Sex Education has asked for permission to continue filming in Caerleon, Wales through the end of 2020. Clearly, the creators seem fairly confident. There was some controversy over the production returning to Caerleon — residents filed several noise and traffic complaints while season 1 was being shot. But despite these hiccups, the cast and crew were able to return for season 2.
Obviously, the showrunners have high hopes for viewing numbers and critical reception for season 2 of Sex Education. They may be fairly tight-lipped about the specific events we can expect to see unfold in season 2, but that will just make the payoff even better when fans finally get a chance to watch it. There are so many directions these characters could go — we're likely in for a lot more hilarious mishaps, heartfelt moments, and surprise twists in season 2.