If you gobbled up all eight episodes of Sex Education Season Two in one breathless weekend binge, only to leave you desperately wanting more, you’re not alone. In just eight 45-minute installments, Season Two spanned a dazzling breadth of subjects in addition to its usual forays into the weird and wonderful world of nascent adolescent sexuality, including mental health, sexual harassment, and addiction, among others. The only remedy is a third season, but we may have to wait awhile. Here’s everything we know thus far about a potential Season Three.
Will There Be a Season Three?
In a tweet, Netflix announced that Sex Education has been renewed for a third season.
Writer and creator Laurie Nunn hopes that Sex Education will continue beyond a third season. "I love writing these characters,” she said to LadBible. “It's such a big ensemble and I think the theme of the show--in terms of it being about sex and relationships--it really just offers up endless story opportunities. I think the show definitely has legs if Netflix are nice enough to let me keep writing it and let Ben [Taylor] keep directing it.”
When Will Season Three Come Out?
Netflix's announcement came with no official word on a release date, but the streaming giant's previous distribution patterns give us some clues. Season one dropped in January 2019 and season two dropped in January 2020, so it’s safe to speculate that we can expect Season Three in January 2021.
What Will Season Three Be About?
It’s anyone’s guess where the creative team will take the students of Moordale High in Season Three, but based on the loose ends of the Season Two finale, we have a few guesses. Life at the Milburn household is destined for upheaval, judging by Jean’s unexpected perimenopausal pregnancy. Sex Education has done remarkably sensitive, heartfelt storytelling about abortion before, so it’s entirely possible that Jean may choose to terminate her late-in-life pregnancy. In any case, Jean will likely need to inform Otis and Jakob, adding new dramatic tension to her already-fraught relationships with the men in her life.
Romantic pairings may also be in for a shuffle when we ring in a new season. Season Three will likely address the fallout from Eric’s decision to very publicly end his relationship with Rahim and take up with Adam, who, in a grand gesture at the school’s galactic production of Romeo & Juliet, declared both his bisexuality and his love for Eric. Meanwhile, Season Three may also provide clarity on the season two finale cliffhanger about Maeve and Otis. In a surprising act of duplicity, Maeve’s lovelorn neighbor Isaac drove a wedge between Maeve and Otis, for which he will likely be held to account in a potential Season Three. As for Jean and Jakob, Jakob may be driven to revise his stance on getting back together when he learns about Jean’s pregnancy.
Who’s Coming Back for Season Three?
Barring any shocking cast exits, it’s safe to predict that series regulars Asa Butterfield (Otis), Gillian Anderson (Jean), Ncuti Gatwa (Eric), and Emma Mackey (Maeve) will return. As for the supporting cast, it’s hard to imagine anyone leaving but Anne-Marie Duff, who delivered a sensational performance as Maeve’s estranged mother, and who ended the season in the back of a social services van.
There you have it, folks. Season Three is a long way off, but we feel it's safe to say it's worth the wait.
This story originally appeared on Esquire.com. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
