Ncuti Gatwa Will Return For Sex Education Season 4 Despite The Whole Doctor Who Thing
It is very possible that "Sex Education" is the most successful/least talked about Netflix series. People who have seen it love it and by all accounts a lot of subscribers watch it, but for some reason, I rarely see it in "the discourse." That could very well be a "me" problem telling me I need to reexamine my social media feeds, but it does please me that this great show is entering its fourth season in a world where it's a minor miracle if a streaming series makes it beyond a second one.
The big question about this new season was whether or not one of its star players would be able to return. We're talking about Ncuti Gatwa who plays the main character's best friend, Eric Effiong, a proudly queer character in a small town that keeps that kind of thing hidden away in the shadows. Gatwa was recently announced as the new Doctor Who and many fans were worried that such a huge commitment would keep him from reappearing on the show that put him on the map. But it turns out that Gatwa was able to make both gigs work and will transition back over to "Sex Education" after the new "Doctor Who" season wraps, at least according to Variety.
From student to Doctor and back again
If you've never seen "Sex Education," give it a whirl — it's a lot of fun. It's a show that takes a harsh, honest look at the raging hormones and awkward early sexual encounters faced by a group of high schoolers. The main character, played by Asa Butterfield, has to grapple with all this while being a shy kid and also the son of a flashy sex therapist, played wonderfully by the great Gillian Anderson.
While the sexy stuff might be the hook, the reason to keep watching is the delicate, authentic character work and seeing these strange personalities bond in unexpected ways. It's a very human story and the kind of thing that tends to get buried amongst the constant stream of serial killer documentaries and reality shows. Gatwa is a big part of the chemistry that keeps this show kicking butt, so it's good news that becoming the newest Time Lord isn't keeping him from returning to this character.
It should be noted that Gatwa's time as "Doctor Who" is starting with a script from Russell T. Davies, who was responsible for the 2003 "Who" reboot that kickstarted a whole new generation of Whovians. It's an exciting time for that particular fandom and for us weirdos who are even more excited to see his return to a niche Netflix series.