One of Netflix’s newest original shows, Sex Education, has already garnered a strong following a month into its release. The British teen comedy-drama follows timid virgin Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) as he starts an underground therapy clinic after his crush learns about his mother, who is a sex therapist.

From there, writer Laurie Nunn clearly pays homage to the standard 80s high school drama through the show’s soundtrack with the portrayal of jocks always rocking letterman jackets, chain-smoking rebels, and mean girls in “Heathers” Technicolor blazers. This stylistic decision creates an atmosphere that at times makes you forget that the show’s characters are supposed to be in the present day.

 The characterizations, on the verge of cliche, caused the series to strain at first with establishing a unique tone. But after the pilot, it blooms into a clever, thoughtful look at teens finding their place and figuring out the owner’s guide for their bodies.

 Sex, in this show, isn’t an “issue” or provocative lure, it’s an aspect of life and health. Some of the therapy sessions include stories about S.T.D.s, revenge porn, and a remarkably perceptive abortion subplot in the third episode. But these heavier topic are still able to tastefully blended with humor and even complement some of the lighter storylines about fantasy and sexual compatibility as well as the gap between porn-based expectations and mundane reality. Like Otis, the show is considerate and nonjudgmental.

 It’s also generous to its supporting characters who seem like high school troupes but end up subverting a lot of the stereotypes formed from within these high school dramas. This is most evident with Otis’ best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), who originally seems like just another Gay Best Friend. However, Sex-Education chooses to go beyond that portrayal and even the coming-out story by making Eric grapple with being an outsider, which doesn’t stem directly from his sexuality, and accepting himself. Outside of a disappointingly clichéd choice in the season finale, “Sex Education” finds original ways to explore the story of a character many other series have written off as comic relief.

 Overall Sex Education is not afraid of having fun and being funny, while also addressing topics prevalent in teens sex lives. With Netflix already announcing a second season the show is sure to impress a wide audience.