Samantha Lewis
Netflix has announced that the beloved and relatable TV show, Sex Education, has started filming its fourth season – what a relief!
The last season of the hit comedy was released at the end of 2021, and concluded by leaving viewers on a cliff hanger. Since winning at the Edinburgh TV Awards, it was made certain that the show was to make a comeback, but what can we expect from its latest season?
Changing to castings, plotlines and airing dates are now finally in the works, but first let’s recap the previous three seasons of Sex Education since its initial airing in January 2019…
this is what you’ve been waiting 4. we're back bébés. welcoming @danjlevy as Mr Molloy. pic.twitter.com/drjWwSBek8
— sex education (@sexeducation) August 19, 2022
SEX EDUCATION – THE STORY SO FAR
Set in Britain, Sex Education‘s first season primarily focuses on awkward teenager Otis Milburn, whose mother happens to be a sex therapist.
Otis is initially ambivalent about sex, however, when he accidentally gives one of his peers sex advice, he teams up with fellow student Maeve in running an underground sex therapy clinic at school. During this time, he became attracted to Maeve, in turn creating problems for their venture.
During the second season, there were a substantial number of new students which caused the scene to change. Otis surprisingly gets into a relationship that doesn’t involve Maeve alongside a chlamydia outbreak at school.
Season 3 exploded when Otis’s mum has a baby on the way, he’s got yet another girlfriend -Ruby- and there’s a new head teacher – Hope – who aims to alter the schools image through policy changes.
Seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix now.
THE PLOT FOR SEASON FOUR
We know for certain that in season 4, the students in the series are left with no choice but to transfer to Cavendish Sixth Form College following Moordale’s closure.
“this new college is another level”
Netflix has also teased fans on what to expect: “Following the closure of Moordale Secondary, Otis and Eric now face a new frontier—their first day at Cavendish Sixth Form College. Otis is nervous about setting up his new clinic, while Eric is praying they won’t be losers again. But Cavendish is a culture shock for all the Moordale students—they thought they were progressive but this new college is another level.
“There’s daily yoga in the communal garden, a strong sustainability vibe and a group of kids who are popular for being…kind?! Viv is totally thrown by the college’s student-led, non-competitive approach, while Jackson is still struggling to get over Cal. Aimee tries something new by taking an Art A Level and Adam grapples with whether mainstream education is for him.
“Over in the U.S., Maeve is living her dream at prestigious Wallace University, being taught by cult author Thomas Molloy. Otis is pining after her, while adjusting to not being an only child at home, or the only therapist on campus.”
CASTING FOR SEASON FOUR
There’s a slight shake-up to the casting of the popular series, with Season Four welcoming newcomers and saying farewell to others.
For starters, fans have been curious about whether Ncuti Gatwa would be leaving the character of Eric Effiong behind, due to his commitments of undertaking the role of the Time Lord in Doctor Who and the upcoming part in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. Good news though – Gatwa is confirmed to return!
“Schitt’s going to get real”
Schitt’s going to get real as Dan Levy of Schitt’s Creek joins the cast Sex Education in a recurring guest appearance as Maeve’s tutor – Thomas – at the Ivy League College in the US.
In a follow-up tweet, Netflix confirms who else is returning:
Dan joins a returning cast that includes Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Aimee-Lou Wood, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Mimi Keene, George Robinson, Chinenye Ezeudu, Dua Saleh, Alistair Petrie and Samantha Spiro.
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) August 19, 2022
AIRING DATE
There’s no confirmed release date yet, but with filming only kicking off in August 2022 and Netflix having confirmed season 4 will continue to be in production in 2023, it’s a safe bet to say that we won’t see the new season until late next year.
“pop September 2023 into your calendars”
Bearing in mind that the two previous seasons both launched on Netflix in September, pop September 2023 in your calendars and keep your fingers crossed.
Featured image courtesy Mathieu Stern via Unsplash. Image licence found here. No changes were made to this image.
Sam Lewis
Samantha Lewis is a journalism graduate with a first class honours. She is currently a freelance journalist based in Leeds