Sex Education Season 4 marks the end of a significant chapter in the lives of its adolescent characters and bids them a heartfelt farewell. The Netflix series created by Laurie Nunn debuted in 2019 and now finds the Moordale high schoolers on the cusp of adulthood. Here’s what we loved about the bittersweet conclusion.

Otis and Meave try out a long-distance relationship

Season 4 begins with the characters scattered, having experienced significant life changes. Maeve (Emma Mackey) enrols into a college in the US, while Otis (Asa Butterfield) continues with his studies in the UK. Moordale is no longer the central setting as everyone faces the challenges of adulthood.

Otis and Maeve decide to try out a long-distance relationship, and Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) remains a supportive friend while dealing with his own issues. Adam (Connor Swindells) chooses to get a job instead of going for higher education, and Otis’s mother Jean (Gillian Anderson) is faced with single parenthood.

New characters in the mix with a focus on the old

The final season introduces several new characters: Dan Levy as Thomas Molly, Maeve’s American writing instructor; Lisa McGrillis as Jean’s sister Joanna; and Thaddea Graham as O, a rival sex therapist at Cavendish, the new school where the gang gets admitted to. And then there are Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa and Alexandra James, the popular students at Cavendish. Some of them (Dan Levy, for example) don’t contribute significantly to the story. However, these additions don’t overshadow the core characters’ trials and tribulations.

Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) turns to art for healing, Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling) faces uncertainty due to a health scare, Ruby (Mimi Keene) reveals more about her personal struggles, and Isaac (George Robinson) discovers that their progressive new school has its own issues. While you feel the absence of some of the characters from the previous season, it was necessary to focus on saying goodbye to the core group.

The right balance on humour and sadness

As the season progresses, it becomes apparent that the show has matured. It moves beyond sex jokes, highlighting the characters’ comfort with themselves and their emotions as they transition into adulthood. For instance, Maeve’s monologue sums up her personality with grace and depth.

Sex Education has been messy, silly, funny and nothing but sincere through its four-season run. The finale maintains this delicate equilibrium while introducing unexpected shifts and conflicts. There’s the right balance of humour and sadness in the proceedings and Season 4 could well be one of the best series finales in recent times.

Farewell to the goofy kids — it was a pleasure to watch them grow up.