Otis and Maeve may be Sex Education's main characters, but their relationship is the least interesting one in the series. The series debuted in 2019 to a smashing success, becoming one of Netflix's most popular shows. It returned in 2020 for a second season with the usual suspects, but instead of solely focusing on them, the narrative also shone a light on other characters.
With a significant expansion in its storytelling, Sex Education season 2 made the series more well-rounded - offering a variety of subplots to cater to a bigger audience. Unfortunately, in the process, it somehow stagnated the development of its primary love line. Not only did Otis and Maeve barely have anything to do with each other throughout Sex Education season 2, but the finale also pretty much left them in the same spot they were with the season 1 ending. Meanwhile, other character romances in Sex Education got some major progression.
There were a string of romances in Sex Education season 2, including ones that were set up last year, such as the one between Eric and Adam. Since their relationship was cut short in Sex Education season 1, season 2 finally delivered on Eric and Adam's romance. While Adam was in military school, Eric got together with Rahim. However, after waffling repeatedly, Adam finally had the courage to acknowledge his attraction to Eric with the pair going official at the end of season 2. The question is whether or not they're able to sustain their newfound love. In that same vein, Jean and Jakob's affair that began late last season blossomed into a full relationship, although not without hurdles. In fact, the couple remains broken up, but as they're clearly still in love with each other, not to mention the fact that Jean's pregnant, makes for a really interesting future for the two.
Sex Education season 2 also introduced us to new romances, like Ola and Lily's. After her disastrous relationship with Otis, Ola started to realize that she might be attracted to her best friend. She decided to act on it, and while Lily was initially repulsive of the idea, she eventually relented and admitted she, too, wants to try being together. In the end, the couple appeared to be steady, already thinking about bringing their intimacy to a different level. Meanwhile, Aimee enters a brand new relationship with Steve after breaking up with Adam. However, due to the harassment she experienced while riding the bus, she had been uncomfortable with being intimate with someone. Thankfully, with some of her new female friends from Moordale, she has started to work through her trauma, with Steve agreeing to take things slow with her. Finally, while it appears as if it's nothing more than platonic friendship between Jackson and Bev, their relationship in the show is both unique and charming. Whether or not they'll become involved remains a question, however.
With a myriad of active relationships now in Sex Education, Otis and Maeve's feels the least inspired. Granted that the will-they/won't-they dynamic has been an effective romantic trope in both film and TV, the fact of the matter is we've already seen a version of their arc before. The show continues to milk their dynamic as evidenced by the season 2 twist, which could be further stretched out despite the fact that there's a fairly easy resolution to it. At this point, the creatives behind the show need to craft something new and fresh for their primary love line or else it'll soon be overshadowed by other relationships.