The Sex Lives of College Girls is a Kaling-produced teen comedy-drama that arrived on HBO Max in November 2021. It follows four freshmen roommates at Essex College, a fictional New England school, as they navigate the mess of young adulthood. The show is equal parts lovable and infuriating, and it knows it. That balance is the reason it works.
Trailer, via HBO Max Asia.
Kimberly, Bela, Whitney and Willow
The core cast is a four-way split. Kimberly Finkle, played by Pauline Chalamet, is the intellectual one. Bela Malhotra, played by Amrit Kaur, is the quiet outsider. Whitney Chase, played by Alyah Chanelle Scott, is the loud one. Willow, played by Renika Williams, is the emotional one.
The show keeps swapping out the fourth roommate. Dylan Sprouse joined early before being replaced by Gavin Leatherwood, who was then replaced again by Midori Francis. Christopher Meyer, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Lolo Spencer and Renika Williams rounded out the first season’s main cast.
The Premise
The premise is simple: four 18-year-olds living on a college campus, dealing with sex, status and the usual growing pains of being young. The show leans into the drama without losing its humor, and that tension is what keeps it from becoming standard teen dramedy.
“These girls are equal parts lovable and infuriating as they live out their new, free lives on campus.”
That line comes from the show’s own description, not a critic’s verdict.
Season One
The first season premiered in November 2021. It established the four roommates and their routines. The show introduced its recurring cast members, including Sherri Shepherd, Maya Rose, Rob Huebel, Nicole Sullivan, Conor Donnally, Sierra Katow, Mekki Leeper and James Morosini, who joined in August 2021 as recurring characters.
Season Two
The second season came in November 2022. Mitchell Slaggert became a series regular for this season in June 2022. Charlie Hall joined in an undisclosed capacity for the second season.
Season Three
The third and final season premiered in November 2024. Reneé Rapp was only set to recur for this season, and her departure was announced in July 2023. She left to focus on music.
Gracie Lawrence and Mia Rodgers joined as series regulars for the third season in April 2024. Nabeel Muscatwalla, Rebecca Wisocky and Michael Hsu Rosen joined in recurring roles in May 2024. Devin Craig, Ruby Cruz, Michael Provost and Roby Attal joined in recurring capacities in June 2024.
The Wrap
The third season wrapped in January 2025. The series was canceled in March 2025.
The Verdict
The show is not perfect. Some jokes land flat. Some storylines stretch past their welcome. But the core cast carries it. Chalamet, Kaur, Scott and Williams are believable as roommates, and the supporting cast keeps the world around them rich.
The show’s biggest strength is its willingness to be messy. It does not clean up its characters’ actions, and it does not pretend that growing up is neat. That honesty is what makes it worth watching.
The Numbers
| Season | Premiere | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 2021 | |
| 2 | November 2022 | |
| 3 | November 2024 |
The show has a Metacritic score of 72 out of 100. The Sex Lives of College Girls is a solid, often funny look at young adulthood. It is worth your time, but it is not essential viewing.
72 of 100.
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