Sex Education season 4 is not out yet, but it can already be confirmed that the confusion over the show's UK vs. U.S. school setting will be resolved. Sex Education's first three seasons were not only popular in the United Kingdom, but also very popular in the United States as the show is a Netflix original. The decision from the show's creators to blend these two places stylistically left viewers from both locations very confused as to where the show takes place.
Prior to Moordale shutting down in Sex Education season 3, heistress Hope Haddon made some changes to the school that made the show feel a bit more British. However, several elements of the show still felt so American that British fans couldn't relate. Now that Moordale has been shut down and Maeve is moving to a school in the United States, Sex Education can focus on separating the two locations. Even if the setting has been expressed through dialogue in the past, the new season can make it actually feel like the characters are in a specific location, ending the confusion about where they are.
Why Sex Education's Setting Is So Confusing
Viewers in the United States might hear the accents in Sex Education and assume it takes place in the United Kingdom, but Moordale imitates an American school in several ways. For starters, the lack of a school uniform in the first two seasons is something that students in the United Kingdom don't experience. Sex Education also has clubs and bands, a school lined with numerous lockers, and several American tropes, such as the "jock," present despite being unfamiliar to British students. Thankfully, with Emma Mackey's Maeve leaving to study in the United States, there is room for an entirely different feel. The show creators might stick to the '80s American high school movie vibes that have been present, but it's very likely that introducing an American school means viewers from both locations will have something to relate to.
Why It's Good Sex Education Is Ending Its US/UK Confusion
Apart from the fact that having two separate schools clears up all the confusion surrounding the location, it is also just a good decision for the story. Some of the more outrageous elements of the show make for great comedic moments and don't need to be grounded in reality. However, the show completely detracting from reality in its depiction of a British school can definitely ruin the connection that British viewers have to the important topics that Sex Education explores with its cast of characters. Similarly, the move of Maeve to the United States can present some conflicts that may be more relatable for American viewers and pertain to issues that occur specifically in the American school system. Clearing up the confusion about the setting can improve the storytelling for everybody watching.
It has yet to be seen if the school that is replacing Moordale Secondary will stick to the American vibe, since it's clear that the creators have intended for this feeling to exist. However, making some significant changes to the new school could potentially have a positive impact on several viewers. Regardless of which route Sex Education takes in portraying its schools, one thing is clear: the confusion about Sex Education's setting has come to an end.