Sex education is full of lively characters but a few managed to grab attention from the first scene. In this world of Sex Education full of characters and subjective stories, the show not only engages the audience with teenagers but more than that. Each character gets their opportunity to shine and most are popular among the viewers. However, some managed to steal the show and became immediate favorites of the fans, whether because of their personality or storyline. Following is a list of top 5 Sex Education characters ranked by likeability and character growth. So, without further ado, let’s begin!
5. Jackson Marchetti
Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling) portrays the stereotypical perfect head boy of every school. He is athletic, handsome, popular, and everyone’s favorite. Unlike those headboys with conceited attitudes, Jackson is portrayed to be a sweet and understanding man. In the show, he was the first person to approach Maeve for a relationship, though it didn’t work out, he didn’t hold any grudge. It made him mature enough to open up to his parents. Jackson has two mothers who don’t have a common understanding. His mom wants him to be the perfect swimmer, she is never pleased with what he does. Jackson’s character growth throughout the season is not only engaging but simultaneously relatable. Anyone who craves perfection due to parental pressure or to please their parent would understand Jackson Marchetti the most.
In season 2, his friendship with Viv made him realize his artistic side which was new to him. He also tries to pursue a romance with Cal, who portrays the role of a non-binary person in the show, continuing his evolution as a growing adult.
4. Jean Milburn
Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson) is one of the most talked about characters of the show as Otis’ mom who is a sex therapist and someone who tries her best to maintain a healthy parental relationship with his son. She is a blunt, wise, and sexually liberated woman on the road to educate people about pleasure and de-stigmatize sex. Jean is not afraid to speak her mind or about her needs. Her guidance offers the kids at Moordale peace of mind. Throughout the show, especially in Season 3, we see Jean’s both fierce and vulnerable sides.
3. Ruby Matthews
Ruby (Mimi Keene) plays the typical mean girl of every school, with a wicked fashion sense and cruel one-liners, till you realize the mean girl has a heart. She portrays the mean girl’s personality to conceal how painful her life is. Though she didn’t get major screen time per season, fans wanted to see more of Ruby by the end of season 2. Her bond with Otis helps us see more of Ruby Matthews. She lets Otis into her life and shows him how not-so-charming her house and environment are. Ruby falls in love with Otis, but gets rejected as Otis has feelings for Maeve. In this scenario, we see a good bond between Ruby and her friends, who don’t judge her for her house and environment, and simply embrace her when she is heartbroken.
2. Eric Effiong
Eric (Ncuti Gawa) is like a breath of fresh air from the very beginning of the show. His outfits are show-stealer however it’s his personality that makes him one of the most-loved characters of the show. Eric and Otis’ friendship in Sex Education has a whole different fanbase. Eric’s journey portrays his coming to terms with himself and his sexuality.
Unlike most characters’ portrayals, Eric is not denying his sexuality or going through internalized homophobia, he is just ignoring the fact that he is unhappy within. As the story progresses, he will understand his happiness and independence are all about accepting and expressing himself. His father is not one of those typical homophobic fathers who will raise their hand on their son. Their vulnerable scenes are likely to make you cry. By the end of season 2, Eric will have his first boyfriend Adam. However, by season 3 Eric will realize they are not on the same page right now.
1. Maeve Wiley
Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) is hands down one of the most loved television characters. She is wise, bold, unapologetic, and has a huge heart. Maeve is a literature girlie and she has a separate fanbase among book lovers. I can’t explain how ecstatic I was with the references to A Room of One’s Own, The Bell Jar, Middlemarch, We Should All Be Feminists, among others. Maeve portrays the role of an independent teenager who is a victim of circumstances. Her character is intricate, and her life is a quintessential roller coaster. Her dynamic with her mom and brother who were barely there in her life shows how caring Maeve is behind her mask of I-don’t-care behavior.
She is fierce but this side of hers tries its best to conceal the scared Maeve who fears attachment and doesn’t know how to let people in. Otis and Aimee are the two characters in the show who are close to Maeve as they choose to see beyond the façade. From the beginning of the show, fans wanted to see Maeve and Otis together, although that happened in Season 3, Maeve made the right call to prioritize her education and moved to America for further studies.
Sex Education Season 4 starts streaming on Netflix on Thursday, September 21. Check out the trailer here.
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