Why did ‘Sex Education’ end with season 4? Explained

For those who have been accompanying the lives and sexual struggles of Moordale students since 2019, it wasn’t easy to see their stories come to a conclusion. Sex Education quickly became one of Netflix’s biggest hits, offering viewers a refreshing, uplifting, and often comedic take on teen sexuality. However, nothing lasts forever — not even our favorite TV show.

Sex Education came to a bittersweet conclusion with its fourth season on Sept. 21, leaving fans wishing for more. After enjoying the last moments of the series, though, fans couldn’t help but wonder why season 4 had to be the end. The show has already been successful, so what reason could there be for closing the door on it?

We all know by now how Netflix seems to have little care for the popularity of its series. The network has a reputation for axing shows left and right, and not all are lucky enough to find new homes. Thus, it makes sense for Sex Education fans to question whether or not Netflix is responsible for this particular send-off.

Was Sex Education canceled by Netflix?

Fortunately, Netflix did not cancel Sex Education, and the show was allowed to end on its own terms. According to the show’s creator, Laurie Nunn, the decision to wrap up the story with season 4 came from its writers, who considered it was time to say goodbye. Two months before the final season premiered, Nunn announced this choice and explained the motivations behind it with a post on Sex Education‘s official Instagram account:

“Writing this feels bittersweet, as we’ve decided the fourth season will also be the final installment of our show. This was not an easy decision to make, but as the themes and stories of the new season crystallized, it became clear that this was the right time to graduate. (…) Goodbyes are the worst, but let’s celebrate all the good times we’ve had.”

No matter what fans and critics may have thought of the show’s final season, there’s no doubt that ending this journey at season 4 was the preferred outcome. We’ve seen where overlong series tend to end up, and no one would want to see Sex Education fall from grace after all the amazing content it has provided us since its debut.

All that said, there is still a lot of ground to explore, should the opportunity for a spin-off series or movie present itself. For now, though, we must content ourselves with what we’ve got.