Awkward., Ep 3.04: “Let’s talk about sex” brings several perspectives to a touchy issue

With the stable relationships of Matty, Jenna, Tamara, and Jake kicking of the third year of high school for the characters, the topic of sex was something that was bound to come up sooner or later. While Jenna’s pregnancy scare led to her confiding in her mother, her father continued to remain unaware of the extent of her relationship with Matty. This episode deals with the aftermath of Kevin Hamilton’s discovery about his daughter, delivering an even-handed look at the different ways people view sex, set amidst some major events.

It was interesting to see the gradual progression of the dinner between Jenna and Matty’s families, and it was a very effective way to illuminate the differences between the way the two were raised. Meeting Matty’s parents puts his early behaviour, where he kept the fact that he had slept with Jenna a secret, in perspective, and adds a ring of truth to his statement last episode that he wasn’t ashamed of Jenna. How the Hamilton family copes with Matty now living under the same roof as Jenna is something worth looking out for, particularly as both Jenna’s parents seem to like Matty, yet Jenna’s father continues to have reservations about her sexual activity.

Greer Grammar, Desi Lydic

Watching Sadie’s social status crumble at school as news of her parents lack of wealth spreads is also fascinating to watch. Sadie’s dominance over her peers has been a defining aspect of the character since the beginning of the show, and while her conversation with Matty last week proved that she is discovering the alienating effects of this aspect of her behaviour, the fact that her parents’ troubles are diminishing her hold means that Sadie will now have to learn how to relate to others in a different way, or face becoming even more alone than she is now. It’s worth watching to see how Jenna and Tamara factor into Sadie’s attitude change, particularly in light of the history Sadie has with them.

Overall, this was another solid episode. Having Tamara become the substitute cheerleader is a great way to give the character an independent storyline where she can be proactive, rather than reactive. Having the first sexual encounter between Tamara and Jake be nothing spectacular for either of them is an interesting path for the show to take, and how that plays out could be compelling. It was good to have Mike Faiola return as Kevin Hamilton, and his expressions were particularly hilarious. Anthony Michael Hall’s Mr. Hart, however, feels too one-note in his two appearances, and hopefully the show fleshes out the character before long. How Matty’s new living situation with the Hamilton family plays out, and how Tamara fits into the cheerleading squad, are both storylines worth tuning in next week for.

– Deepayan Sengupta