Words by Tom Krieser
Art by Ashley Menezes

Health class and Playboy have been replaced. 

NETFLIX

Big Mouth

Now, I’m sure most of you have come across Big Mouth while trying to find a new show to binge, because re-watching Friends for the 4th time this year is probably an unhealthy habit. In any case, Big Mouth follows a class of Year Seven students during the most awkward time of their lives. Puberty can be hard, and it’s even harder when a Hormone Monster is your only source of help. Nick Kroll as Maurice steals the show, with his bag of dicks at his disposal, his absurdity guides teens through life’s most complicated moments. The show tackles issues like contraception with a fake reality TV show, and sexuality with a power-ballad by ghost-form Freddie Mercury. It really puts a lot of educational institutions who try to tackle “sex, drugs, rock and roll” to shame; they miss out on critical topics like gender and consent. Personally, I think that Big Mouth is a once-in-a-generation type of show, and all pre-pubescent teens should watch it. It could make that embarrassing time your life, just a little less mortifying.

Sex Education

Be warned, Sex Education is terrifyingly easy to binge. Laurie Nunn’s stylisation of high school life produces some sort of John Hughes/Wes Anderson love child. The story revolves around Otis Milburn, a sexually repressed teen in a sexually liberated school. As the son of a sex therapist, he gives his classmates advice in the world of sex and relationships, none of which he can use himself. This show is a slow yet incredibly powerful burn. Nunn takes time developing characters and it continues to pay off as the myriad of characters all have complex stories of sexually, identity, and love. Personally, I think that anyone who is struggling with performing oral sex or grappling with who they are should watch Sex Ed. If nothing else, watch it for Gillian Anderson as a sex therapist seductress.

PODCASTS

Worst First Dates

This relatively new podcast is Melbourne’s little gem. Hosts Kelly Fastuca and Brett Blake are two hilariously single comedians who have teamed up to talk about dating and sex. The show starts out strong as the hosts take turns weekly taking each other out on the worst (or surprisingly best) dates possible. Highlights include, Blake going to a dominatrix and Sunday church – don’t worry, they were two separate dates. Guests also come on each week to (over)share their relationship history, bringing up some pretty horrific dating stories. The podcast also acts as a record of the two host’s dating history. From mysterious girls from Canada, to a drive-by break up with the engine still running, this podcast is an amazing example of the proverb “comedy is just tragedy plus time”.

Guys We Fucked

American comedians Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fisher have created the “Anti-Slut Shaming Podcast”, and it lives up to its name. The podcast starts out with the two guests actually interviewing their previous sexual partners!! Um, excuse me… this is incredible. From there, they go on to interview other famous comics. Everyone needs to listen to the interview with Bert Kreischer. Not only does it delve into some serious issues about masculinity and fatherhood, but also has the world’s worst (but also the best) virginity story ever – it involves a terrible movie, a broken condom and the best post-coital comment ever. Other episodes include really frank but funny interviews with guests like Amber Rose and Pornstar, Stoya, which according to Reddit are “required for any GWF listeners”.