The Max original dramedy The Sex Lives of College Girls made a splash during its first two seasons, and the release of season 3 finally came in late 2024. Debuting in 2021, the series follows four roommates at the fictional Essex College in Vermont who explore their sexuality while balancing the usual struggles of being in school. Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, the series deftly mixes humor with its heady exploration of young adulthood in a way that never borders on unnecessary raunchiness.
Critically speaking, The Sex Lives of College Girls was an instant hit, and the first two seasons earned Rotten Tomatoes scores above 90%. The smart and likable characters of The Sex Lives of College Girls are balanced by its excellent cast, and the series was the launching point for Reneé Rapp, who went on to superstardom in Mean Girls (2024). Unfortunately, 2023 was the first year since 2021 without a new season, but The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 did finally arrive in the waning days of 2024.
The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Critical Reception
Not As Well-Received As Its Predecessors
After such a long time away, there were concerns that The Sex Lives of College Girls would stumble a bit going into its third season. Unfortunately, it seems as if those concerns were valid, and reviews for the third outing were mixed at best. Vulture gave season 3, episode 1, a 2-star rating (out of 5), citing the rushed feel to the emotional aspects of the story. Of course, the departure of star Reneé Rapp overshadowed the season, and Decider was quick to point that fact out in their review. Nevertheless, the site gave the season a “Stream It” grade, meaning it’s at least worth a watch.
The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Cast
Who Came Back For Season 3?
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the long-awaited return of The Sex Lives of College Girls was the cast, with many speculating who would return. Though the bulk of the main cast did return, Reneé Rapp played a diminished role in season 3 before eventually departing the show for good. Her role as Leighton Murray helped establish her career, but the Mean Girls (2024) star hired a lawyer to expedite her departure from the show in order to embark on a world tour.
Rapp starred as Regina George in the 2024 musical version of Mean Girls.
Besides the main ensemble, the third season of The Sex Lives of College Girls also added several new recurring cast members. First, Michael Hsu Rosen (Pretty Smart) plays Brian, and he is joined by Devin Craig (Wemedge) as Isaiah, Ruby Cruz (Bottoms) as Ash, Michael Provost (Plan B) as Eli, and Roby Attal (Red 11) as Cooper.
The cast of The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 includes:
Actor | The Sex Lives Of College Girls Role | |
|---|---|---|
Pauline Chalamet | Kimberly | 
|
Amrit Kaur | Bela | 
|
Reneé Rapp | Leighton | 
|
Alyah Chanelle Scott | Whitney | 
|
Christopher Meyer | Canaan | 
|
Ilia Isorelýs Paulino | Lila | 
|
Renika Williams | Willow | 
|
Lauren “Lolo” Spencer | Jocelyn | 
|
Rebecca Wisocky | Professor Dorfmann | 
|
Nabeel Muscatwalla | Arvind | 
|
Gracie Lawrence | Kacey | 
|
Mia Rodgers | Taylor | 
|
Michael Hsu Rosen | Brian | 
|
Devin Craig | Isaiah | 
|
Ruby Cruz | Ash | 
|
Michael Provost | Eli | 
|
Roby Attal | Cooper | 
|
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Everything That The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Needs To Fix
The season 2 finale of The Sex Lives Of College Girls left the girls in shambles. So, here is how season 3 can fix things and better the show overall.
The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Trailer
Watch The Teaser Below
In anticipation of the show’s return in November, HBO revealed a teaser for The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3. Highlighting the various romantic exploits of the main characters, the teaser opens with Bela on the prowl after the college’s mascot. Meanwhile, Kimberly swipes right on Whitney’s dad, and the latter struggles to adjust to Greek life. Renée Rapp’s Leighton is only shown briefly in the teaser, and there are no clues about how she will depart after this upcoming season.
The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Ending & Spoilers
One Character Leaves & Another Learns Something About Herself
Shows like The Sex Lives of College Girls rely on their characters to carry the story forward, and the ending of season 3 did just that. While nothing particularly shocking happened to the main group of friends, one of the main characters learned something about herself which could come into play in future seasons. The series has always been about self-exploration, and as the girls continue to grow throughout their college years, that includes discovering their true sexualities.