Netflix’s surprise hit continues to amaze, with Sex Education’s second season remaining intensely humorous, but with a depth and maturity that lends it an unrivalled level of heart. It builds on its foundations by leaning into previously sidelined characters, but it does struggle to balance this with new additions to the cast and a sense of aimlessness with some of its main characters too.

Only a few weeks ago, I was singing Sex Education‘s praises as my personal highlight in entertainment for 2019 (read that article here!), thanks in large part to just how much it took me by surprise, offering a surprisingly profound examination of relationships and teenage adolescence under the guise of a vulgar sex comedy. Before I knew it, the January 17th release date for the show’s second season had crept up on me, and being far more eager to get stuck in than I was for the first season, I’m glad to say I’m not disappointed.

Spoilers ahead!

A near-flawless transition between seasons; Sex Education continues to uphold a strong sense of identity with its unique take on a British setting and bold aesthetics, but nothing tells you that the series is back in full swing more than it opening on an eyewateringly crass masturbation montage, as main character Otis’ (Asa Butterfield) newfound openness to sexual pleasure at the end of Season One has descended into a full blown addiction. Thankfully, it doesn’t dominate his character beyond the first episode really, and Otis continues to be a compelling protagonist as he explores his first foray into romantic relationships and sex, and as he returns to offering sex advice to his fellow students, we see that it also serves to help him explore and understand his own experiences; taking what was arguably the series’ best element already and adding an extra layer of depth to it. It’s a shame to say that Otis’ counterpart, Maeve (Emma Mackey), doesn’t really feel up to par in terms of writing this season. Her storylines deal with her drug-addict mum and younger sister coming back into her life, as well as her academic pursuits and blossoming friendship with her new neighbour Isaac (George Robinson). While the script does well to balance these plotlines and have them interconnect as necessary, Maeve herself feels spread a little thin, especially when she continues to interact heavily with Otis and act as a mainstay of the clinic-related plots too. Ultimately the ceaseless stream of payoffs to these arcs ends up feeling diluted, and I was left with the feeling that Maeve lacked any focused direction in the story, and the writers instead decided to throw a bunch of ideas at the wall to see what would stick.

As for the rest of Sex Education‘s vast ensemble cast, there’s a bounty of passionate, moving subplots to be found across the second season. Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), much like Otis, also navigates romantic struggles as he is torn between his lingering feelings for the headmaster’s son Adam (Connor Swindells), and a flourishing relationship with newcomer Rahim (Sami Outalbali), while Adam must also deal with his repressed sexuality and constant judgement from his father. The story also takes a darker turn as Aimee is faced with the psychological repercussions of a sexual assault, and the subject is handled with a delicacy and realism that permeates all of Sex Education‘s storylines, reminding me that certain issues can be explored in a way that doesn’t cater to an entirely ideological worldview. Of the many returning characters, most, if not all get their own little arc and moment in the spotlight, but I was particularly pleased to see that the adult cast of characters was more fleshed out, with more of a focus on their relationships and personal problems. Headmaster Groff (Alistair Petrie) even has a turn as a bit of an antagonist as he tries to discredit Jean (Gillian Anderson) for therapising his wife, which introduces – albeit briefly – a whole new dynamic to the series, whilst comic relief music teacher Colin Hendricks (Jim Howick) even seeks Otis’ advice for help with dirty talk, proving that the show knows just how to keep its characters from feeling one-dimensional. I think the only regard in which Sex Education fails its characters is when it comes down to its newest additions – they seem to lack the same level of depth that much of the original cast received, and they feel more like props in the plotlines of other characters rather than solidified players in the narrative themselves, so I’m hoping this can be corrected in the surely inevitable third season.

I’m unsure whether I liked it more or less than the first season, but the second bout of Sex Education certainly didn’t disappoint. The characters continue to be the strong foundation on which the show’s plotlines are constructed, and the writing manages to maintain the heart the series finds in both its humour and more sincere side. The fact that its level of quality has remained so seamless with the first season is a merit in itself, and as such I look forward to where the series goes next.

7/10