Sex Education Director Hits Back At Critics Of Show's American Aesthetic

Sex Education director Ben Taylor has hit back at those who took issue with the show’s American aesthetic.

Since it debuted on Netflix last month, Sex Education has proved a hit with viewers, and has already been renewed for a second series, expected to begin streaming early next year.

However, one issue many viewers had was with the show’s unique stylistic choices, with many suggesting they found the Americanised school setting and clothes jarring, as the cast are all British.

Speaking to Digital Spy, Ben – who directed the first four episodes of the series – shared his thoughts on this aesthetical decision, insisting it wasn’t to appease viewers streaming the show in the US.

He said: “I know it’s frustrated some viewers, but at no point were we trying to pass it off as America. We were just trying to pass it off as a slightly heightened ‘Nowheresville’.

“I think it was certainly intentional – like it wasn’t an accidental by-product of it. It’s a very designed show.”

Ben then reiterated that the decision was not to “appeal to America”, insisting: “That really wasn’t the case. I just wanted to frame a British school experience in a slightly different way.

“I think it felt interesting, not only visually, but I think it does something to the story and the setting and the characters that it is a heightened world, it’s a heightened script.”

Connor Swindells, who plays Adam in the show, previously suggested that Ben being an “80s nerd” was the drive behind the show’s unique look, telling BUILD: “If he had the opportunity to put anything 80s in there, he would.”

Alistair Petrie, who plays Mr Groff, noted: “They wanted to get away from that grey Grange Hill-type aesthetic, and just flip that and I think it works brilliantly.

“I think it was a really bold decision, because it’s easy to go ‘where is it set, I need to know where we are…’, but actually, that’s not what the show’s about, get over yourself, frankly. I just think people get tied up in knots about stuff that’s not particularly relevant or helpful.”

Connor added: “It just keeps up the ambiguity. People keep saying, ‘is this the US, or…?’ and that’s the whole point, it could be anywhere, it’s just this made-up place.”

Sex Education is now streaming on Netflix.