When Sex Education—Netflix’s highly binge-worthy comedy about, you guessed it, sex and relationships—premiered last year, it was such a hit that the streaming service says more than 40 million households watched it within the first four weeks. Naturally, a season two had to happen, and it finally premieres today, January 17. Yes, Sex Education is back for an eight-episode run that’s even funnier and more awkward than the last.
“There were a lot of elements for season one that we loved, but when we came into season two, we really tried to empower all the different departments across the show—from wardrobe to the script department—to be as bold as possible,” executive producer Jaime Campbell tells Glamour. “I think that’s reflected.”
Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson)
Sam Taylor/Netflix
Campbell points to more air time for the adults as one way the show will be expanded this season. You’ll see more of Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson) and her relationship with Jakob (Mikael Persbrandt), and Mr. and Mrs. Groff’s relationship (Alistair Petrie, Samantha Spiro) will “come under more scrutiny,” according to Campbell. That’s a good thing, the producer adds, because “in a show like this, you can often forget the adults and how incompetent they are. We’re really doubling down on their incompetence this season.”
It’s a development the younger cast is happy about, too. Patricia Allison, who plays Ola, Otis’s girlfriend, thinks it’s important to feature the sex lives of the parents. “I don’t think we get to see enough of that,” she says. “Older women who get to actually be like, ‘This is what I want.'” One example of how that plays out: Mrs. Groff, the headmaster’s wife and Adam’s mother, will start her own journey of self-discovery. “She’s in this kind of loveless marriage and feels like she doesn’t have a voice in it,” Allison says, “but then she forms a really lovely friendship with Jean and goes to a vagina workshop which allows her to explore her own sexuality.”
While we loved season one of Sex Education for shedding a light on topics that are usually glossed over on other shows (masturbation and the female orgasm, just to start), season two will go even further. “Our creator and writer, Laurie Nunn, came up with an explosive storyline that has two particular female characters intersect, and I think fans are going to absolutely love it,” Campbell says. As to which two characters Campbell is talking about, Netflix has that plot development on its do-not-spoil list, so mum’s the word for now.
Netflix’s new reality series The Circle is an undeniable hit, thanks to a premise that’s truly unlike any other show on TV. In it, contestants rate each other based on their profiles and interactions on a fake social network (called The Circle, naturally). But the wildest part is that the contestants’ profiles can be whatever they want—meaning a person can catfish other players. And in this week’s set of episodes, fans saw one catfishing contestant, Sean, face both support and backlash after revealing that she’d been using a friend’s photos on her profile.
Sean, a plus-size social media manager and self-proclaimed body acceptance advocate, shared her true personality, job, and hometown with the others in The Circle. The only difference: She used the photos of a straight-size friend. But after getting to know the other contestants, she eventually decided to share her real self with them.
Several were positive about Sean’s reveal, but two in particular, Shubham and Ed, were less than impressed. And they’re not alone—a quick Twitter search for “Sean The Circle” shows that many feel critical about her choice. “Sean using a catfish photo is such a shitty thing to do when she promotes body acceptance irl,” one user argued. “She had this huge platform to show HAES & continue promoting body acceptance. Instead, she decided to reinforce the idea that size & beauty is what matters most.”
But Ed, Shubham—and, I’m assuming, many of Sean’s critics on Twitter—don’t know what it’s like to go through life as a fat woman, and I think they’re missing the core point of what she’s doing. As Sean explained on the show, she didn’t use her friend’s pictures because she’s not confident. Rather, it was a strategy: She knows the harassment that simply existing while fat can bring, especially online. As a plus-size person myself, I was excited to see her reveal on-screen—and what she said about fat women being mistreated rang true. Sure, most of The Circle‘s contestants were supportive of Sean, but trolly, anonymous comments are what many plus-size women deal with on a daily basis on Instagram and Twitter. (Just ask Lizzo.)
Sean on Netflix’s The Circle.
Courtesy of Netflix
It’s not like the catfishers, Sean included, who made it to the final three episodes were pretending to be other people for fun. One, Seaburn, used his girlfriend’s photos because he wanted to show it was OK for men to express their emotions. Karyn says she chose to be Mercedeze because she didn’t want to be judged for her looks. And Sean connected with her fellow competitors without having to worry about potential snap judgments that could have come with using her real photos.
By using another woman’s photos, Sean challenged the show’s contestants—and viewers—to examine the unconscious biases society has toward plus-size women. Even The Circle players who responded to her reveal positively might be more cognizant of some of the challenges and harassment that plus-size people face every day after hearing Sean’s reasoning. What her critics are missing is that this isn’t a debate about whether or not Sean should just “be herself”—it’s a call to rethink internalized fatphobia entirely. And how often do we get that on a reality show?
Meghan De Maria is a writer and editor based in New York.
Cheer on Netflix is everything I look for in a show: emotional, compelling, addicting, and so well-made. The six-episode documentary series (from the team behind another favorite, Last Chance U) takes you inside the world of competitive cheerleading at Navarro College, a small junior college in Corsicana, Texas.
Perhaps you’re telling yourself that you aren’t interested in cheerleading—and I’m here to tell you that you’re mistaken. Even if you’ve never tumbled, done a herky, or stood atop a pyramid, this show is utterly fascinating. First off, these young people are incredible athletes of the highest order, and getting to see what they put their bodies through for the sake of their sport is awe-inspiring. (Once you see a single practice, you’ll never question whether it’s a sport again.)
The Navarro squad is preparing for the National Championships, and the school has a storied history of winning under tough-but-kind coach Monica Aldama, who I kind of wish I could hire to make all my important life decisions.
Courtesy of Netflix
You get to see lots of the whole squad, but the story focuses on a few main members (and Monica). And let me just say they will find a way into your heart almost immediately—like, you will want to drive down to Texas and give them hugs. I devoured the show in a day over the weekend, and I already miss Jerry, La’Darius, Morgan, Lexie, Gabi, and even Sherbs so much. A number of them come from tough backgrounds, and Navarro has offered them a home and a safe space to be themselves, live their truth, and be a part of a family.
This post contains major spoilers for You season two. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
So, season two of You just dropped on Netflix and you’ve already binged all 10 new episodes, haven’t you? Don’t worry, it might be a while before you can catch up with Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), and their baby, but here are seven shows—and one movie—jam-packed with enough love and/or murder to hold you over until season three introduces Joe’s new suburban target.
If you never would have guessed the Love twist, but are absolutely here for it:
Killing Eve (2018—)
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Think Love (Pedretti) and Joe (Penn Badgley) are TV’s most unhinged murderers obsessed with people who don’t love them back? Allow me to introduce you to Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a deadly assassin who kills for a shit ton of money, but mostly just the thrill of it. In BBC America’s Killing Eve, Villanelle sets her sights on Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), the genius security operative tasked with taking her down. When Villanelle starts hunting back, her obsession with Eve warps into something more complicated than murder. Come for the Emmy award-winning performance by Comer (and the equally perfect Oh), stay for Villanelle’s wild assassination techniques and her wardrobe that’s somehow even more killer. Watch on Hulu.
If you’re all about Victoria Pedretti:
Haunting of Hill House (2018—)
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It’s kind of hard to believe that Pedretti is a Hollywood newcomer with only five IMDB credits to her name—including her recent turn as a Charles Manson cult member in Leo DiCaprio’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Lucky for you, it seems like someone at Netflix is a fan, considering she also stars in their hit series, The Haunting of Hill House. You know, the one Glamour once referred to as “This Is Us with ghosts.” No worries if you’ve already seen it, Pedretti will return in part two of The Haunting anthology, The Haunting of Bly Manor. Watch on Netflix.
If you miss Peach…and still want justice:
Dollface (2019—)
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While the new Hulu series is mostly focussed on a quirky LA woman attempting to rebuild her female friendships post-breakup, Shay Mitchell gets another chance to play a vapid socialite you can’t help but root for in Dollface. Only this time, she isn’t stalked and murdered for being hung up on her best friend (unless the series decides to take a very drastic turn). Watch on Hulu.
If you need to remember Penn Badgley won’t murder you:
Easy A (2010)
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Want a Badgley rom-com without the stalking and bludgeoning? Try Easy A, also starring Emma Stone. When Olive (Stone) lies about losing her virginity to some college boy, her nonexistent reputation gets trashed pretty much overnight. The only person in school who doesn’t turn on Olive is her childhood crush, Todd (Badgley). Badgley’s character is also—and I cannot stress the importance of this enough—known as “Woodchuck Todd” for a delightful reason. Yes, Gossip Girl could have worked for this one, but I’m not entirely convinced Lonely Boy hasn’t killed anyone. Watch on Netflix.
If you’re still pissed You killed off Delilah:
Veronica Mars (2004–)
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You season two has Delilah Alves (Carmela Zumbado), the fearless Hollywood reporter who devotes her career to knocking down problematic men whenever she can while working to take down the comedian who sexually assaulted her at 17 years old. Veronica Mars has Veronica Mars (Kristin Bell), the sarcastic private detective who will stop at nothing to find her best friend’s killer and solve her own rape, despite how unpopular both investigations make her at school. Warning: If Delilah’s unexpected death punched you right in the chest, you may want to skip Hulu’s 2019 revival of Veronica Mars, which made a lot of fans angry for…reasons. (NO SPOILERS). Watch on Hulu.
If you didn’t get that Jared Padalecki joke:
Supernatural (2005—2020)
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When Joe runs into Delilah at a party, she mentions she was looking into a story about Jared Padalecki, but he was “laying low.” If that name stood out to you, it’s because Jared Padalecki is the very real actor who has been playing the demon hunter Sam Winchester on the CW’s Supernatural for the past 15 years (though you may know him as Dean in Gilmore Girls). So? You’s co-creator Sera Gamble worked as a writer and producer on the network’s longest-running series from 2005-2012, even taking over as showrunner for seasons six and seven. Gotta love an easter egg. Supernatural is currently in its final season, but with 315 episodes aired so far, you might not finish until Netflix is ready to launch You season five. Watch on Netflix.
If you’re looking for a girl version of Joe:
Revenge (2011—2015)
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Before you say anything, Love doesn’t count because You isn’t her story, it’s Joe’s. Revenge, however, follows Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), a very troubled young woman hell-bent on enacting—well—revenge on the rich family that ruined her father’s life. With the complete series available on Hulu, this juicy Hamptons melodrama gets even more outrageous than the second season of You, and the east coast Graysons will give you some intense Quinn family déjà vu. Bonus: If you’re a Gossip Girl fan, you will definitely notice a former costar of Badgley’s in a very prominent role. Watch on Hulu.
If you’re honestly just really into serial killer stuff (no judgment):
Dexter (2006—2013)
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Dexter Morgan walked so that Joe Goldberg could…stumble around peeing in jars, yet somehow not get caught? Sure, Joe supposedly learned all about book dungeons from his abusive mentor, but there’s no way he didn’t take at least a couple of lessons from the iconic serial killer played by Michael C. Hall. He even talks to Love the same way Dex spoke to his “dark passenger.” Hopefully, 96 episodes of the critically acclaimed HBO series is enough to last you until your new favorite murder couple returns. Just pretend the series finale didn’t happen, OK? Watch on Netflix.
It’s been a busy year for Jenna Dewan. She celebrated her first anniversary with boyfriend Steve Kazee, announced her pregnancy, and released a personal memoir, Gracefully You. On screen, Dewan starred in romantic dramedies The Wedding Year and Berlin, I Love You, served as a mentor on NBC’s World of Dance, and guest starred on The Resident.
As if those weren’t time-consuming enough, now she’s about to star in one of her most ambitious and creative projects to date: Soundtrack, a modern day musical that combines Dewan’s love of dance, acting, and song. It premieres on Wednesday, December 18 on Netflix.
“I’ve done dance numbers on stage, in movies, and on different shows,” Dewan tells Glamour, “but I’ve never done it within an acting scene, where the song was going to portray the emotions of the character in the moment.” So when creator Josh Safran told her about his idea—a show that includes musical numbers, dramatic moments, and intersecting love stories set in Los Angeles—she knew she wanted to be a part of it. “I didn’t even need to see a script.”
It was welcome news to Safran, who wrote the role with Dewan in mind. After a general meeting with her, Safran say, he knew she was a fit. “I fell in love with her and was like, ‘Done. That’s it,'” he explains. For Dewan, the feeling was mutual: “I signed on strictly because I love Josh and the idea.”
Here, Dewan talks about Soundtrack, making out with herself on the show (yes, you read that right), and more.
When Stacy, a Chicago baker, travels to Belgravia for a baking competition show, she meets a duchess who looks like her and many shenanigans ensue. Royalty, romance baked goods, Vanessa Hudgens, and a Parent Trap-esque swap make for a very fun holiday treat. Also, there’s a sequel coming next year, so catch up on the original now.
Holiday in the Wild
Netflix
After getting dumped by her husband, Kristen Davis takes a vacation alone only to meet a very handsome Rob Lowe. He drives her crazy at first, which of course means they’re going to fall in love. This causes her to make some (very smart) changes to her Christmas plans. There’s an elephant involved, too.
Miss Me This Christmas
Netflix
A couple’s divorce is set to become final on Christmas Day, which is unrealistic but just go with it. Anyway, Regina and Franklin must decide if it’s really over by visiting the Chesterton Hotel, where they were originally married. But the holiday spirit (and an eccentric millionaire) just might make them reconsider their relationship.
Imagine being Santa’s daughter? The pressure! In this movie, Cassie Claus heads off to college in the “real world” before she is supposed to go back to the North Pole, marry Jack Frost, and take over the family business. Who wants to bet she meets a handsome guy at school who makes her want to change her plans?
Want more suggestions of romantic Christmas movies to watch? Try these.
