Ep 1. To the People of the United States

To the People of the United States is the first episode of the second season of Sex Education. The episode starts off where the last season finished, with Otis finally being able to admit his feelings to Maeve, but due to certain circumstances, they are unable to act on them. In this episode, we see Otis struggling to come to terms with Maeve not talking to him and even ignores his messages.

Meanwhile, Jean, Otis's mother, has decided to explore her sexuality after her divorce. She goes out to a bar and hooks up with a stranger. Later, we see her struggling with the morning after pill and thinking that she might be pregnant. This sets up the storyline for the episode, as she tries to hide her predicament from Otis.

Also, we see Eric return from Nigeria after visiting his father. He had a great time there, and although he had some reservations at first, he seems to be embracing his Nigerian heritage. He also became friends with a boy named Rahim, who he met at a Lagos market. Rahim is a confident and outgoing, unlike Eric, who is more reserved and often feels out of place.

The new term starts at Moordale high, and immediately, we see that things have changed. The school is trying to recoup funds from the previous term's unsuccessful musical, and the headmaster is cutting costs. This leads to some unusual cost-cutting measures, like the school carpenter piecing together an old-fashioned sex ed bench from the original school's furniture.

We also see some new characters in this episode, like Viv, a new student, who is introduced as an activist working on a "Let Me Look" campaign, in which she is trying to get the school to allow girls to wear whatever they want at the gym. Moreover, we see that the school has hired a new head of pastoral care, Mr. Groff, who is more interested in principal behaviors and traditional discipline and less interested in guiding students' emotional well-being.

The episode lays the groundwork for some interesting storylines that will develop throughout the season. Maeve's personal life and her relationships are a recurring theme. We see her struggling to balance her responsibilities, schoolwork, and work, and it all comes to a head when she starts to realize that she needs more support.

Also, Eric's friendship with Rahim is teased, and there seems to be a more significant role than just a cute backstory. This could be a positive change as Eric seems to have finally found someone who understands him and accepts him for who he is.

In conclusion, To the People of the United States does an excellent job of setting the stage for what is going to be another engaging season of Sex Education. The episode introduces some new characters and storylines while tying up any loose ends from the previous season. It was great to see Otis and Maeve again, and it will be interesting to see where their relationship goes from here.