The central relationship of Sex Education is not a sexual or romantic one, and even the core themes don’t always center on sex. Laurie Nunn, the creator of this British Netflix series, says that whenever she’s lost, she returns to the friendship between Otis and Eric.
Despite their stark differences, these two boys are the best of friends. They’re inseparable until Otis starts his clinic with Maeve. Eric tries to find new hobbies to fill the void, but the two keep coming back to one another. Still, their friendship doesn’t come without its challenges; Otis knows little of Eric’s struggles with religion or as part of a minority in the anachronistic Moordale.
GOALS: Going Everywhere Together
The first time viewers see this iconic duo, they’re cycling to school together. This seems to be a ritual because Eric drops by Otis’s house even when he’s not home.
Eric is so much a part of Otis’s life that he swings by whenever he feels like it, like after the school dance to eat breakfast at night, or to play Super Smash Bros when the mood strikes. Otis is, as Eric says, his numero uno. “Where he goes, I go.” This makes things awkward when Maeve tries to speak to Otis alone, or when Rahim wants Otis to go away.
NOT GOALS: Don’t Share Important Experiences
Even though Otis and Eric know each other extremely well, they fail to confide in each other at the most important times. Their reluctance to share these key experiences suggests a lack of trust or fear of judgment. On Otis’s end, he keeps his clinic and adventures with Maeve private from Eric, who truly cares about his relationship with her.
On the other hand, Eric is afraid to tell Otis the extent to which Adam’s bullying affects him, even though he could talk to Otis and received support. He also doesn’t tell Otis about the romantic nature of their relationship until the second half of season 2. Lastly, one of Eric’s biggest struggles in season 1 is his relationship with God, and Otis has no idea about it.
GOALS: Otis Makes A Deal With Adam
After his first unofficial therapy session with Adam, Otis strikes up a deal with him that involves him leaving Eric alone. Even though Otis is scared of Adam, his friendship with Eric is more important.
However, as sweet as his intentions are, the plan doesn’t work. Adam is upset when Aimee breaks up with him the next day and throws a Coke can at Eric’s head. Any Coke cans present in the show are notably symbolic (i.e. “it’s the size of two Coke cans, one on top of the other”).
NOT GOALS: Insensitive, Ignorant, And Self-Centered
Sometimes, Otis and Eric remind viewers that they’re just teenagers. Eric is preoccupied with appearances and making everything into a joke, even when it’s not. For example, when Jean comes to Moordale Secondary in season 2, Eric laughs along with everyone else while Otis is mortified.
On the other hand, Otis can be pretty self-centered, too. For instance, he doesn’t have any idea that Eric is preoccupied with Adam at the beginning of season 2. Most importantly, when Otis comes home to find Eric beaten and bloody, he’s only thinking of himself. He doesn’t ask Eric about what happened to him
GOALS: Hedwig Tradition
On Eric’s seventeenth birthday, Otis surprises him with tickets to see Hedwig And The Angry Inch. Eric is extremely excited about it and calls it their “tradition”, which means they probably do it every year.
While Otis himself doesn’t seem to keen to dress up, he’s willing to risk the embarrassment (and possibly worse, as seen in the episode) to make Eric happy. Unfortunately, this time their plans don’t work out.
NOT GOALS: Otis Abandons Eric
Though it’s sweet of Otis to remember his tradition with Eric but to really be a good friend, he should make good on his promise. On his way to meet Eric, he gets sidetracked by Tom Baker and misses his bus. Maeve comes along and convinces Otis to join her at Aimee’s house.
Otis refuses on several occasions, but fans know that he can never really say “no” to Maeve. While Eric has his belongings stolen at the station, Otis is participating in a dare with Maeve (though viewers know it’s part of something much bigger and more important). Eric is beaten up, and Otis doesn’t even have the decency to care, so preoccupied is he with his moment with Maeve.
GOALS: They Know Each Other Really Well
The reason Eric and Otis get along so well is that they know each other better than anyone. Most of the time, they can pick up on each other’s moods and they know what will make the other one happy.
For instance, in season 2, Eric convinces Otis to try to start up his clinic again, and when Maeve returns, he’s determined to help them mend their relationship. Otis always listens to Eric’s problems and tries to therapize him, and he’s also willing to sacrifice his dignity to be a good friend (Hedwig, clapping for Eric’s French horn performance, etc.).
NOT GOALS: Eric Is Too Sex-Obsessed
When viewers meet Otis, the first thing they learn about him is that he’s “sexually repressed”, as he puts it. Eric, on the other hand, encourages Otis to lose his virginity when he’s clearly not ready.
He also is insensitive towards Otis’s anxiety surrounding masturbation but again, tries to push Otis to do it anyway. When Otis has sex with Ruby, Eric is way too happy for him; one of the main points of the show is that sex doesn’t have to be such a big deal.
GOALS: Eric And Jean’s Relationship
Though Otis is never seen with Eric’s family, Eric is practically a part of Otis’s. He casually visits the Milburn household whenever he feels like it, even describing it as the place where he feels safe.
Eric has a unique relationship with Jean, who likes to therapize Eric every chance he gets – but he enjoys the experience. She reassures Eric that it’s normal when Otis finds new interests. After the disastrous camping trip in season 2, Eric rushes into Jean’s arms for comfort.
NOT GOALS: Reveal The Worst In Each Other
Most of the time, these two are truly best friends who care deeply about each other, but sometimes they do the opposite. One of the biggest flaws in their relationship (which makes it all the more real) is that they are too dependent on each other for company.
In season 1, Eric struggles to deal with abandonment, but in season 2, it’s Otis who feels left out when Eric starts experiencing things he doesn’t’ know about. Both occasions result in conflict, but the two are always able to work it out. Even when they aren’t able to ignore each other’s flaws, they manage to love each other.
