Sex Education Season 1 Recap

February 4, 2019

Netflix’s Sex Education, a dramedy about a teenage sex therapist that honors the 80’s high school movie genre, had a strong first season full of ups and downs for its main character, Otis. To recap the first season, we’re taking a look at Otis and his relationships.

Otis and Maeve

At the start, Maeve intimidated Otis, but she barely knew who he was. Once she witnessed how he helped Adam, she saw the potential of a partnership with him. Otis would counsel students, while Maeve found clients and handled the money. Their sex therapy business turned into friendship where he was the only one she could count on to pick her up from an abortion. Otis had romantic feelings for Maeve, but she just started a relationship with Jackson. However, when Otis took Ola to the dance, Maeve was jealous and tried to sabotage them.

Otis and Eric

Sex Education Season 1 Episode 2 Recap

Best friends Otis and Eric had a rough start to sixth form. Eric joined Swing Band but wasn’t very good, and Adam constantly bullied him. While Otis seemed to be moving up in the high school world, Eric felt left behind. There was no room for him in the business. After an attack on his birthday, Eric tried to abandon his colorful personality. But after meeting someone older than him, who he identified with, he decided to embrace that side and not apologize for it.

Unbeknownst to Otis, a sexual encounter with Adam left Eric confused but hopeful. However, Adam’s trouble-making had gone too far, and he was shipped off to military school.

Otis and Jean

Sex Education Season 1 Episode 3 Recap

Having a prominent sex therapist as a mother was difficult for Otis. He felt constantly “therapized” and wanted Jean to respect his boundaries. Jean struggled with this but promised to make an effort. Unfortunately, Otis found the first chapters of the new book Jean was writing, and it was all about him.

Otis and Himself

The one big irony about Otis as a sex therapist was that he had his own personal hang-ups about sex. Masturbating and being sexually touched repulsed him. When he was a boy, Otis caught his father having sex with a patient, which led to his parents’ divorce. It’s possible that this incident was the root of his problems.

If you’ve missed a recap or want to revisit the entire first season of Sex Education, check out our full list of recaps below.