Sex Education season 4: release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know
Sex Education season 4 reunited us with the Moordale lot for one last season of fun in September 2023.
Netflix consistently drip-fed us with small bits of info about one of the best shows on Netflix leading up to the series release, and now it's finally arrived, you can catch up with all the drama as the cast made the move from Moordale to their new school, Cavendish College.
The streamer promised that the Sex Education cast would be getting 'a proper send-off' in this fourth and final outing. Here's what you need to know about Sex Education season 4...
Sex Education season 4 release date
Sex Education season 4 is now streaming on Netflix after being released on Thursday, September 21.
Is Sex Education season 4 the last one?
Sadly, yes. Netflix confirmed that season 4 would be the series' final outing at the end of the official teaser.
Whilst speaking with Tudum, Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn revealed that they hadn't planned to conclude the show when the team began writing the fourth season, but it sort of came to a natural end. She said: "during that process, it just started to feel very clear that the stories were coming to and end, the characters were being left in a place that I felt really good about it.
"I felt happy for them, and I felt like I've said everything that I want to say with these characters at this time", Nunn added.
That being said, the door apparently is still open for more Sex Education after season 4. Later in the same article, Nunn added: "I'm definitely taking a break and thinking about other things, but 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."
Maybe we'll return to see how some of our favorite characters are getting on later down the line?
Sex Education season 4 cast
Many of our favorite Sex Education stars returned for this final season. Chief among them are Otis (Asa Butterfield), Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), and Gillian Anderson as Jean Milburn. In addition, we know that Connor Swindells (Adam), Aimee-Lou Wood (Aimee), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Jackson), Duah Saleh (Cal), Mimi Keene (Ruby), Chinenye Ezeudu (Viv), George Robinson (Isaac), Alistair Petrie (Michael Groff) and Samantha Spiro (Maureen Groff).
Emma Mackey also came back as Maeve Wiley, though she told the Radio Times that she wouldn't be appearing in the fourth series 'as consistently' in 2022.
As for new castmates, Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek, Haunted Mansion) has joined the show as Maeve's American writing instructor, Mr. Thomas Molloy. Anne Boleyn star Jodie Turner-Smith also joined the show; she revealed that Ncuti Gatwa had personally invited her to participate in the series. (via Variety).
Thaddea Graham (Doctor Who) joined the series as a rival sex therapist at Cavendish called O. Plus, Marie Reuther, Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa, Alexandra James, and Imani Yahshua joined as "The Coven" (Cavendish's equivalent to Moordale's Untouchables), plus we also welcomed Andi Osho as Cal's mum, Nicky, and Lisa McGrillis as Jean's sister, Joanna.
For a while, it felt like it would be easier to list who wouldn't be returning for Sex Education season 4, as there was a period where the only news we got about the show's fourth series was confirmation that multiple stars wouldn't be back.
Before the show launched, we knew that Bridgerton season 2 star Simone Ashley wouldn't be returning as Olivia Hanan. Plus, Patricia Allison (who played Ola Nyman), Tanya Reynolds (Lily Inglehart) and Rakhee Thakrar (Miss Sands) confirmed they wouldn't be reappearing, either.
Sex Education season 4 plot
Netflix's synopsis for Sex Education season 4 reads: "Following the closure of Moordale Secondary, Otis and Eric now face a new frontier - their first day at Cavendish Sixth Form College. Otis is nervous about setting up his new clinic, whilst Eric is praying they won’t be losers again. But Cavendish is a culture shock for all the Moordale students - they thought they were progressive but this new college is another level.
"There’s daily yoga in the communal garden, a strong sustainability vibe and a group of kids who are popular for being… kind?! Viv is totally thrown by the college’s student-led, non-competitive approach, while Jackson is still struggling to get over Cal. Aimee tries something new by taking an Art A-Level and Adam grapples with whether mainstream education is for him. Over in the US, Maeve is living her dream at prestigious Wallace University, being taught by cult author Thomas Molloy. Otis is pining after her, whilst adjusting to not being an only child at home, or the only therapist on campus…"
Sex Education season 4 episode recaps
Below we've included links to each of our Sex Education season 4 recaps, and the episode synopses from Netflix for each one.
Maeve butts heads with a prickly professor. Oceans apart, will her connection with Otis sizzle or fizzle? An attempted nude leads to a hairy situation.
When a popular couple is on the rocks, Otis eyes an opportunity. Eric finds community. Surprises in the bedroom leave Jackson questioning his sexuality.
A scathing review rattles Maeve's resolve. Adam and Michael bond over life as a bachelor. Ruby helps Otis with his campaign — and his loneliness.
Tragedy brings a familiar face back to Moordale. Jean's saving grace is Otis' worst nightmare. Ruby does recon. Aisha asks out Cal — but there's a twist.
Jean struggles to find joy in motherhood. Between heated debates and a hot date with a grieving Maeve, can Otis perform? Jackson has an identity crisis?
Goodbyes are never easy, but this one's a mess. With emotions firing on all cylinders, Maeve finds the right words. Aimee gets inspired; Eric gets real.
Elevator inaction sparks collective action. A sisterly argument years in the making finally boils over. Maeve makes things right — and makes a choice.
Cavendish rallies to search for Cal. As Eric finds his calling, Jackson discovers his roots. Much like love, truth takes many forms — and it will out.
Sex Education season 4 first-look images
We were teased with a bunch of new images from the show a way out from its release. In them, we can see Maeve hard at work at Wallace University, Otis and Jean with her new baby, and Adam having a picnic with his father on the hood of a car. Check them all out below:
Is there a Sex Education season 4 trailer?
The final Sex Education season 4 trailer opens with a very frank admission about his history to date, before giving us a snapshot of what you can look forward to seeing in this new season.
A second trailer arrived a few days before release. Beginning with a raunchy intercontinental text exchange between Otis and Maeve, before unleashing the Moordale lot on their new school. Amidst the chaos, we see Otis grappling with learning there's another sex therapist working at the school already, Jean's dealing with being a mum to a new baby (and Otis is missing out on her attention a little), and Maeve is hard at work over in the US. It looks like an emotional final season!
You can also find the first Sex Education season 4 teaser embedded below. In it, we endure Otis making a complete mess of introducing himself and the Moordale Secondary team to their cohorts at Cavendish College. Along the way, we get a bunch of glimpses at some of our ensemble in action, including seeing Maeve getting to grips with life at college over in the US.
