I think it’s safe to say that getting older never stops being terrifying, but as college students we have maybe half our shit figured out. 

Thankfully, your favorite animated middle school squad is back. Netflix’s original series “Big Mouth” is back to keep answering the questions we still might be too afraid to ask about sexuality and growing up. 

“Big Mouth” kicked off its third season with a Valentine’s Day special episode. This was a solid start to the third leg of the show, leaving audiences to wait patiently for the rest of the season which aired on Oct. 4.  

With this as the beginning, dedicated fans that already seen it could be reminded all over again of the seamless way this show intersects honesty and absurdity. 

For new viewers, it was the perfect way to dive right into the forward and provocative nature of the show while also getting a taste of the characters’ stories. 

The characters of the series wouldn’t be so prominent and entertaining if it weren’t for voice talent from comedians John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jenny Slate, Jason Mantzoukas and Nick Kroll, the show’s creator.

“Big Mouth” does far more than simply address societally taboo topics; it tears the envelope completely apart. 

With a whole song dedicated to the sexuality spectrum, viewers learn about the rainbow of definitions that different people identify with in an approachable, warm way. 

It’s encouraging to watch a series with pre-teens open about their sexuality. There’s Jay who comes out as bisexual, Matthew who is experiencing his first gay romance and new student Ali who is pansexual. Missy also discusses her potential bisexuality.

It’s no wonder the kids are so comfortable exploring love and sex when characters like Nick and Jessi come from very open, progressive homes. 

Some don’t, such as Jay, who comes from a neglectful home and ends up moving in with Nick and his extremely loving and accepting family for a little while.

Scenes in Nick’s house include his parents encouraging him to explore his sexuality and dialogue between him and his sister about his “sensitive nipples.” They also include full blown family dinner table conversations about being called a “pussy” vs. a “gaping asshole.”

In Jessi’s home, she talks with her mom about sexual satisfaction. There is also a whole episode where she learns how to orgasm by talking to her vagina and hormone monstresses, a female monster that serves as Jessi’s “puberty conscious”.

Female masturbation is rarely seen in the media, let alone in a show about middle schoolers.

The “Big Mouth” team executed this exploration in a light-hearted, educational way that takes the audience with Jessi as she works out all of her confusion on the matter. 

An interesting element to Jessi’s story is also her mother leaving her dad after realizing she’s a lesbian. I thought this was a valuable plot line, showing that sexuality is something that is always in flux, no matter what age you are. 

Season three is definitely more politically charged than the last two. The gang is trying to find their place in society as growing boys and girls based on where their opinions lie.

This is seen when one of the main males, Andrew Glouberman, ends up at a white supremist meeting after engaging in sexist conversation about girls online.

Though it may seem extreme for a 13 year old to be at a white supremist meeting, I found it to be an impactful part of the show. 

This showed how with kids having access to the internet earlier and earlier on, it is easy for them to weed out content and only consume what they want to be true despite it being harmful to others.

Another vital element to this season were the debates the kids have about these topics. The show does a great job of showing the tolls that differing opinions on gender and sex can have on friend groups.

An example of this is when Nick says he wants to ally with the girls, but admits he doesn’t want to get bullied by the other boys by sticking up for them.

There are refreshing perspective changes though such as when Nick and Jessi are yelling and debating the “SlutWalk” the girls held to protest the sexist school dress code. 

This scene quickly goes from heated to heartwarming when the two then stop yelling and realize it isn’t that bad to have these conversations and try to see the other side.

This conclusion to their conversation brings a hopeful twist to the qualms the gang has been having. 

It is very reassuring to see that if 13 year olds can find a way to hash out these hefty topics, somehow the rest of America might be able to also. 

Amidst all the sex talk, the show also portrays the simpler, sweeter moments of life. 

After an episode that served as a historical lesson from the ghost of Duke Ellington, Nick’s guru figure, Nick throws a Duke record on, lays down on the ground hugging the cover and goes bliss mode just vibing to the music.

The third eccentric, yet frank season of “Big Mouth” won’t fail to entertain you and your friends on these chilly fall nights by bringing wholesome laughs about the things you all relate to but have probably never talked about.