The Evolution of Sex Education: A Comprehensive Timeline Across 4 Seasons
Discover the captivating timeline of Sex Education, set in the late 2010s With a thrilling 2-year gap between Seasons 1 and 4, this popular series leaves viewers intrigued and yearning for more
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Sex Education.
Summary
Sex Education is set in the late 2010s and incorporates modern technology such as smartphones and tablets, indicating a timeframe after 2017. The storyline of Sex Education takes place over the course of roughly two years, involving time jumps both between years and within seasons.
Season 4 of Sex Education concludes with Otis and his friends embarking on their college journey at Cavendish, while Maeve departs for the United States on a writing scholarship. The highly-praised British coming-of-age series, which enjoyed considerable success on Netflix, has reached its end after covering a significant span of time from its inception. In its final installment, Sex Education masterfully resolves various long-standing narratives, offering answers to lingering questions and giving closure to its beloved main characters.
Sex Education Is Set In The Late 2010s
Sex Education, despite technically being an ensemble show centered around the students and faculty at Moordale Secondary, had three main characters who played pivotal roles - Otis Milburn, Eric Effiong, and Maeve Wiley. The finale of Sex Education season 4 effectively concluded their storylines, providing them with satisfying closures that brilliantly linked back to their origins in the series. Interestingly, despite its relatively short duration, Sex Education stood out among other projects by having shorter intervals between its seasons, allowing for a better understanding of its overall timeline.
The debut of Sex Education sparked confusion about its setting, as it made no direct reference to real-life events or specific timeframes. Without clear markers, viewers were left guessing which decade the show was set in. However, the overall aesthetics of the series, including the vibrant wardrobe and nostalgic soundtrack, led many to believe it was a period show taking place in the '80s. Nevertheless, the cast's use of advanced technology, such as smartphones and tablets, quickly dispelled that assumption. These devices clearly indicated that Sex Education unfolds in the late 2010s. Moreover, the mention of the Nintendo Switch, which only hit the market in 2017, strongly suggests that the storyline starts after that point.
2 Years Pass Between Sex Education Seasons 1 & 4
The events of the Sex Education timeline spanned approximately two years. The pilot episode took place on the first day of classes, and season 2 covered the entire spring term. Seasons 2 and three had a time jump during the summer break, when Ruby and Otis began dating. When Sex Education season 3 started, there were already significant changes at Moordale Secondary, including the new Headmistress Hope Haddon. During this time, Jean discovered she was pregnant and gave birth to Baby Joy by the end of the year.
After Moordale Secondary abruptly closed at the end of season 3, the students had to find alternative schooling options to complete their education. According to show creator Laurie Nunn, there was a time gap of a few months between season 3 and season 4, allowing the show to avoid addressing the consequences of Moordale Secondary's sale. In the end, Otis and his peers at Cavendish College began their college journey, while Maeve returned to the US to continue her writing scholarship.
