Sex Education Season 4: The Mind-Blowing Reason the Netflix Show Ended According to Its Creator

Summary

Sex Education showrunner Laurie Nunn believes season 4 was the right time to end the show due to the actors aging and not being able to play teenagers forever.

The actors in Sex Education, although highly talented and delivering convincing performances, were noticeably older than the characters they played. The show's choice to conclude with season 4 was a smart decision, as it provided a satisfying farewell to the characters while acknowledging the natural aging of the actors.

Sex Education showrunner Laurie Nunn believes that season 4 of the teen drama was the opportune moment to conclude the series. The British teen dramedy, which debuted on Netflix in January 2019, chronicles the lives of diverse adolescents and adults in the fictional town of Moordale as they navigate issues surrounding their bodies, interpersonal relationships, and sexualities. Since its inception, Sex Education has received widespread acclaim, not only for its inclusive writing and exceptional cast, but also for its willingness to tackle sensitive topics related to self-acceptance and identity.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter following the release of Sex Education season 4, Laurie Nunn elaborated on why this new season marked the appropriate time to bring the show to a close. The showrunner explained that although the series could have continued, the actors, who primarily portrayed teenagers, were gradually aging. Nunn viewed this as one of the primary factors influencing the decision to end the show. Read her complete remarks below:

How The Sex Education Cast Have Changed Since It Began

Our casting director, Lauren Evans, has an incredible knack for discovering exceptionally talented new actors. This is what makes working on a teen show truly exhilarating - collaborating with these skilled individuals and crafting characters around them. Ncuti's upcoming role as Doctor Who is undeniably impressive and adds another layer of excitement. While it is true that the show could have potentially continued, the reality is that all the actors have aged and grown since its inception. In a teen show, there ultimately comes a point where portraying teenagers becomes unrealistic. Therefore, it felt like the appropriate time to bring the show to a close. The progress and achievements of the entire cast have been exceptional, and it is truly heartening to witness their success.

As Nunn rightly pointed out, actors cannot portray teenagers indefinitely. In teen dramas, it is common for the young ensemble to be significantly older than the characters they portray. Despite this, the talented cast of Sex Education managed to embody their roles with convincingly youthful energy. However, time continued to pass for them. For instance, Asa Butterfield, the English actor who played Otis, was 23 years old when portraying a 16-year-old Otis during the show. By season 4, Butterfield was already 26, while his character Otis was likely between the ages of 17 and 18.

Emma Mackey, the British-French actress known for her role as the sardonic Maeve Wiley and her recent appearance in the Margot Robbie-led Barbie, was initially cast at the age of 23. By the conclusion of the show, she had reached the age of 27, while her character Maeve was only supposed to be around 18 years old. Ncuti Gatwa, the 30-year-old actor who has been selected as the new Doctor Who, portrayed the delightful Eric Effiong, who was also meant to be approximately 18 years old when the show concluded.

Many other cast members of Sex Education, who portrayed the beloved high school students that fans adored, also experienced considerable aging. Actors like Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, and Aimee Lou Wood, who played Adam Groff, Jackson Marchetti, and Aimee Gibbs respectively, are now in their late 20s, despite still portraying teenagers. Recognizing that the cast members were significantly older than their characters, the showrunners made the wise decision to conclude the series with its fourth season, while managing to provide a fairly satisfying farewell for the students of Moordale.

Source: THR