Bibliographic Information:
Title: Sex Education
Creator: Laurie Nunn
Production Company: Eleven
Copyright Date: January 11, 2019
Genre/Format of the Title: Comedy, Drama, TV/Streaming (Netflix)
Running Time: 45min/ep
Film Rating: US TV-MA for sex, nudity, and profanity
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Emma Mackey
Awards or Honors: No awards as of the submission of this paper
Logline: “A teenage boy with a sex therapist mother teams up with a high school classmate to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.”
Plot Summary: Otis is a teenage virgin who has difficulty masturbating, despite living with his sex therapist mother (or is it because she’s a sex therapist…regardless that was a strange sentence). Everyone at school seems to be sexually active (or trying to be) and while Otis may not have experience, he has a ton of knowledge thanks to his mother (again, weird sentence). Otis decides to capitalize on this and with the help of the smart, mean outcast (and love interest) Maeve and Otis’s best friend Eric, they form their own sex therapy practice at high school.
Creator Background: Laurie Nunn is a screenwriter and Sex Education is her breakthrough project. She has been fascinated by TV since her twenties and has been writing since. When it comes to Sex Education, she feels most proud about the relationship between Otis and Eric, two male best friends. One of her goals for Sex Education is to begin a conversation with teens about safe sex and healthy relationships (BAFTA, 2019).
Critical Evaluation (Season 1): This show is hilarious! If you are a fan of raunchy comedies, this is a fantastic pick. Not only is this show funny, but it respects the audience by having clever writing and authentic characters with actual character development. Throughout the season, the show does a good job of exploring the diverse cast of characters and their unique experiences. Sex is a common theme in young adult content and this show leans into to make the audience laugh and (hopefully) more comfortable talking about the subject. The show also gets deeper than raunchy comedy and utilizes teenage sex to explore other themes related to mental health. Overall, this is one of the funniest shows I have seen this year and I would strongly recommend; the writing is great, and the characters are all complex and authentic.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Teen Services -- Safe Sex The library will provide an educational program discussing safe sex with teenagers. Topics such as consent, effective communication, and use of contraceptions will be covered. Much of this will be a conversation, so time will be made available for teens to ask questions in a safe, judge-free zone.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer: Everyone seems to be having sex, talking about sex, or thinking about sex. But Otis? Otis lives sex, not because he's doing it all the time, but because he grew up with sex therapists for parents. Otis never through this trauma would be helpful, but he suddenly has the opportunity to start a sex therapy service with his secret crush, Maeve. Will Otis find someone to have sex with before he graduates?
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: This is a sex-positive show. For parents who would rather avoid the topic of sex altogether, they would likely challenge this program. As a librarian, I would defend a person's right to view and discuss this show as it's meant to help teenagers grow into responsible, healthy adults. I would also argue that avoiding the topic of sex would be completely counterproductive as teens will seek out information on their own and may grow to distrust their parents.
Reason for Inclusion: The show has a positive message of acceptance, growth, and, well, sex. It encourages teens to ask questions and learn about their bodies and needs in a healthy way. The show does a great job of tackling sex misconceptions and topics they may not feel comfortable talking to their parents about. The premise of the show is a teenager providing sex therapy services in high school. Other teenagers feel comfortable approaching Otis because other teenagers trust him. This show can serve as a space for a curious teen to find the words to verbalize their questions, helping in their own, healthy sexual development.
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