Netflix's Sex Education - Episode 2.06 "Episode 6"
Bouncing back is the only option, so Otis throws a small gathering that turns rowdy, and Jackson deals with the healing. Who can handle the truth?
In 2019, the television industry aired 532 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Netflix's Sex Education.
"Episode 6" was written by Sophie Goodhart and directed by Ben Taylor
Otis is out of control. It's humorous at first to watch him try to control this party as it slowly gets out of hand. But it quickly escalates to cringe-based tragedy as he alienates himself and hurts so many people just to prop up his own sense of self worth and importance. He has always been insanely jealous. He doesn't want others to have a special relationship with his mom. When he sees Ola leaving Jean's office, he can't handle it. He needs to know exactly what was said about him - because, of course, he thinks they could only be talking about him. The audience doesn't even see the extent of their conversation. We are only privy to them updating each other about no longer dating their respective family members. There is so much more going on in Ola's life than Otis knows about or even cares to be curious about. He is so selfish. Everything is about him and his personal feelings. He has to prop them up no matter. That is so toxic and runs the risk of pushing everyone away. It seems likely that he'll have Eric's support no matter what. Eric wants to have a fun party so that his best friend can cut loose. He too views Otis as too uptight. And yet, Otis loses control completely. It doesn't have to be that kind of either-or situation. There is a healthy balance in between them. Yes, Maeve may purposefully be trying to annoy Otis by bringing Isaac as her date. She views it as a very anticlimactic evening overall. It's sensible for her to want to focus on herself because she could truly achieve a lot if she does so. She is welcomed back onto the quiz team. She proves herself as a team member. They secure a spot in the televised contest. That should be celebrated. Her life is defined by so much more than the various men she could be romantically entangled with. Sure, her feelings for Otis may always complicate things. And yet, she is more than just that. The season has started to remember that. Moreover, it's showing that Otis really isn't good enough for anyone at the moment. He has built up his value and importance because he was offering sex tips to his classmates. He was just as frequently wrong as he was right in helping them. He believes he always offers useful tips. That's why he is furious with his mother. She is encroaching on his business. He has to steal her book in order to understand every mean thing she has written down about him. He has done so before. However, that was in the privacy of their own home. Jean has spread her wings this season as well. She too has more personal agency by trying to help the students of her community. Mr. Groff is simply choosing to retaliate against her because he believes she is the reason why his wife wants a divorce. If she didn't interfere, then they could have remained happy together. The issues were present in this marriage long before Jean arrived though. Mr. Groff isn't well equipped to handle that. In fact, the narrative arc this season may be proving that very few people are prepared to handle the tragic sense of rejection and the immense amount of pressure they put on themselves to succeed. It leads to hateful actions that can destroy lives. Mr. Groff will bully the students of his school into submission to prove that Jean doesn't belong there. That doesn't help anyone. Meanwhile, Otis trashes his home in order to prove some point to Ola about being great without her. It's just spiteful and full of hate. He says that he never loved her. He continues to grow more erratic and toxic. He believes everyone should love and respect him. He did have two girls fighting over him at one point. He puts all this pressure on himself to perform because he understands sex better than his peers. And yet, Anwar gets the advice he needs from Rahim. It's still fundamentally about communication and being open with one's partner. Eric feels the same way when he tells Adam that he can't go back to a place of hating himself. He may still be shy about introducing his boyfriend to his family. However, he is proud to be in public with Rahim. Meanwhile, Adam may just want to smash things. That can be cathartic. Ola gets in on it as well. It may only delay the inevitable when it comes to addressing the root of these emotional problems though. Otis has lived his life viewing sex as this crucial thing key to one's development as an adult. As such, he has built up the pressure to perform and lose his virginity. And now, he has sex and probably won't even remember it. That's tragic. Jean was furious when Jakob invaded too much of her home. She will be even more upset with Otis for violating her trust in this way. This should be his rock bottom. He loses control. He has to linger on these destructive and difficult feelings though. He may not have a friend who tells him exactly what he needs to hear either. Viv understands perfectly that she needs to tell Jackson's parents about him hurting himself. She doesn't want it to happen again. No one should want Otis to live his life in this way. That may be the tragic certainty of all of this though because it all seems so easy for him to embrace as soon as he starts drinking and celebrating the party atmosphere.
