Class is now back in session for a lot of us, and you can guarantee we will be reading up on all things Sex Education this week. With the fourth and final season premiering on Sept. 20, fans will be saying goodbye to our favorite Moordale Secondary and Cavendish Sixth Form College students. As the series begins to wrap up its final episodes, fans around the world are devastated and determined to get answers to their burning questions (like will Ruby and Otis end up together? How is Maeve doing in America?) and also watch their favorite students become responsible, properly sex-educated adults.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ll be in mourning for the next couple of days as Sex Education takes its final bow. I have a feeling that after you finish binge watching all of season four, you may be looking for something to fill the void in your heart that has the same Sex Education energy. What makes this Netflix series so great are the spunky and funny characters, the secondary school settings, and of course, the life lessons we receive while growing up. These 5 shows may be different from Sex Education on many different levels, but they all have a few things in common: growing pains, romance, and coming-of-age stories.
- Derry Girls
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Set in the mid-1990s, Derry Girls follows a group of teenagers growing up in Ireland during the Northern Ireland Conflict. The group finds themselves in a variety of situations during their time at a Catholic secondary school, and often get into trouble by their headmistress and the adults that watch over them. Derry Girls is full of heart and humor as viewers watch the girls grow up and begin to grapple with their sexualities, political turmoil, and cultural differences in Derry, Ireland. If you loved the friend groups in Sex Education, I can guarantee you’ll love Derry Girls.
- The Sex Lives Of College girls
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If you’re looking for a more grown-up version of Sex Education, The Sex Lives of College Girls is the show for you!. The Max seriesfollows four young women — Kimberly, Leighton, Whitney, and Bela — as they learn to live together at the prestigious Essex College. The show follows each character as they begin to engage in sexual activities and the beginning stages of their blossoming relationships with other characters they meet on campus. The characters also learn more about their sexualities while finding themselves in the world as young adults.
- Chewing Gum
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Written and created by Michaela Coel, Chewing Gum tells the story of Tracey Gordon, a 24-year old woman who is entering her mid 20s and attempts to learn more about herself through sex. Tracey comes from a religious family, and begins to come to terms with growing up in East London. The series follows Tracey as she asks advice from her friends, and her budding relationship with Connor, an aspiring poet. Its humor and colorful energy, as well as the soundtrack, make this series stand out from others.
- Skins
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I feel like Skins truly is the blueprint for shows like Sex Education. Skins follows a group of teenagers as they attempt to balance their personal lives in Bristol, England, while also dealing with their own problems. Skins covers a wide variety of topics, such as the discussion of eating disorders amongst our youth, conversations about mental illness, and the pressures of having sex at a young age. The series has a large ensemble cast (some of which you may recognize, like Daniel Kaluuya, Dev Patel, Kaya Scodelario, and Nicholas Hoult) and discusses important issues that are still relevant in 2023.
- Totally Completely Fine
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One of my favorite shows of 2023 is lesser-known than some of the other shows on my list, but for anyone who is interested in shows similar in style to Sex Education, you should put this one on your radar. Totally Completely Fine follows a young woman named Vivian who inherits her grandfather’s cliffside house. The only problem: it is a suicide site where people choose to spend their last minutes. Vivian must put aside her personal struggles and run headfirst into saving those who are contemplating suicide while taking over for her grandfather after he passes away. Set in Australia, Totally Completely Fine has the same humor and heart as Sex Education, as well as gorgeous visuals.