Why there won't be a Sex Education season 5
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Sex Education season 4 spoilers follow.
And that, as they say, is that. After four brilliant seasons following the colourful lives of Moordale Secondary School's sexually frustrated, confused and obsessed teens, Netflix's beloved juggernaut Sex Education has reached the end of its road.
"Writing this feels bittersweet, as we've decided the fourth season will also be the final instalment of our show," the show's creator, Laurie Nunn, announced before the final episodes dropped.
She continued: "We are incredibly proud of Sex Education and feel indebted to our brilliant writers, cast and crew who put so much heart into making every episode They have worked tirelessly to bring you the final series, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
"Goodbyes are the worst, but let's celebrate all the good times we've had".
As heartbreaking as it may be, at least this last instalment tried its best to give everyone the ending they deserved.
Eric decided to become a pastor with a desire to make the church more inclusive, Aimee confronted her trauma from her sexual assault by cathartically setting the jeans she wore that day on fire, Adam embraced his bisexuality, and Ruby finally realised that she deserved way better than Otis.
Although Maeve and Otis didn't end up together, we wouldn't have had it any other way (sorry, Motis endgamers). After everything she's been through, this decision gives Maeve the opportunity to finally focus on herself and be brilliant in the States.
Basically, everything was tied up with a neat little bow. But why did Nunn and those behind the scenes on Sex Education decide to end the show here, and is there any possibility for another season in the future?
Why won't there be a Sex Education season 5?
The reason is pretty simple really: Nunn said that everyone's stories "organically" resolved themselves in the writers' room and it became clear that season four was the right time to graduate.
"In my mind I always felt like I could just write these characters forever and ever. Letting them go has been painful and I think I'm still processing that. But it happened very organically: when we did the writers’ room for season four we didn't set out for it to be the final series," she explained (via Harpers Bazaar).
"Something just started to happen through the writing process where I realised that by the time we arrived at that final episode, there weren't any cliffhangers and everything had just resolved itself, so I had this feeling that if I left the characters there, I would feel happy for them and hopeful for their future.
"And that's how I wanted to leave it and I think it would have felt wrong to keep pushing it forwards when the story had naturally come to an end. I needed to listen to that."
Plus, the show ended with Otis, Eric and co in their final year of sixth form, and Nunn previously told Popbuzz that she "feels teen shows should maybe stop before university."
Otherwise, she added, "you get to the point where people are 30 years old and they're playing teenagers." (*Cough* Riverdale).
While it’s clear the character of Maeve has been a career-changing role for Emma Mackey, she too noted the drawbacks of playing a teenager on screen as she and many of her co-stars have now entered their late twenties and early thirties.
"It's just always tricky. It's different when you're playing a character that is sort of stuck in time," she explained after winning the EE Rising Star award at last year’s BAFTAs.
"You know, we're playing 17-year-olds, and we're all almost 30. It is a bit weird."
But just because it's the right decision, doesn't mean it was easy for the show's creator.
"I think I’m still processing it a little bit," Nunn told The Hollywood Reporter. "I didn't go into the writers room for series four thinking that it was going to be the end. But the writing process is very fluid; we're sort of writing and rewriting all the time."
"It started to become really clear that the characters were coming to this natural conclusion, and I felt really happy about where they were going to be left. And it suddenly felt like the right time to end the show. There's pros and cons to that.
"I haven't had the last two years to process the fact that it's coming to an end. I'm just sort of coming to terms with it now."
However, even though this version of Sex Education has sadly reached its end, it's possible that a fresh generation of students could be introduced if Nunn wanted to revisit Moordale Cavendish in the future. (Think Skins).
After all, she did tell Tudum: "Moordale is a really rich world, and writing about teenagers is always a lot of fun. So, I think that there’s always potential for more to be explored in that world."
And if this is the end, it's too early to talk about legacy, but Nunn does have some clear thoughts on what she hopes its lasting impact will be.
"I find it quite hard to think about legacy," she said (via The Hollywood Reporter). "I think conversations are just moving so fast at the moment, and I think there's so much amazing television out there."
"I just hope that people connected with the characters in some way, and I hope that they're able to remember the characters. I guess the show is called Sex Education, and it's really about how to conduct sex and relationships in a healthier way, and hopefully, it started some conversations around that subject matter."
"The show is actually really about friendship. Even though it's called Sex Education — and it has these sex stories of the week, and it has big love stories and romantic stories — I think, really underneath it, it's about friendship and community and being able to kind of find your people."
Sex Education seasons 1-4 are now available to stream on Netflix.
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