WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for Sex Education season two!
One of the big recurring story points in Sex Education is virginity and how the main character, Otis, is a virgin despite being the one doling out all the useful sex and relationship advice.
It’s a story arc that’s been set up for a big pay off and boy does Sex Education pay it off in season two when Otis loses his V-card. However, his first time isn’t with his girlfriend Ola or with Maeve. Nope, his first time was a sloppy, drunken one night stand with none other than bitchy popular girl, Ruby.
A one night stand with Ruby certainly not the way Otis – or any of us – expected to lose his virginity and Sex Education mines this development for some great comedic moments. But after the jokes are done and dusted, the show begins to explore the aftermath of Otis’ hook up with Ruby, which proves to be the real pay off to this story as it is handled in a surprisingly sweet way.
After panicking over whether or not he used a condom, Otis ends up accompanying Ruby to get a morning after pill. That act in itself doesn’t warrant any applause – especially when you consider Otis has the most sex education under his belt compared to his peers. No, the back-patting bit comes when Otis offers comfort to Ruby.
When she gets angry after someone assumes she’s taken a morning after pill before (thus implying she’s a slut), Otis reassures her that taking the pill or any contraception is nothing to be ashamed of. Okay, the bit where he tells her that he’ll drop out of school and get a job to raise their possible kid was pretty cringey, but at least he meant well.
When Otis and Ruby get talking about what actually happened during their hook-up (i.e if he was any good), Sex Education turns their conversation into a nice little look into consent. Sure Otis wasn’t great in bed (it was his first time after all) but he did constantly check in on Ruby and asking her if she was okay, albeit “every 10 seconds.”
Every 10 seconds is a bit of overkill but it was appreciated nonetheless by Ruby who thanks Otis for checking in and saying that “a lot of guys don’t.”
The “Otis loses his virginity” storyline started as a bit of a joke but Sex Education ultimately turned it into a beautiful little exploration into the importance of respect and consent when it comes to sex, drunken one night stand or otherwise.
This arc also works on a character level for Otis as season two sees him stress over not wanting to be an asshole like his father and him comforting Ruby is a big step in his development. It’s great that Sex Education likes to teach us about sex, the show is at its best when it combines those lessons with some heartfelt character moments.
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