Let’s all breathe a sigh of relief: The Sex Lives of College Girls has been renewed for a third season on HBO Max. The news arrived a day before its season 2 finale aired, and following a string of cancelations on the streamer that had many fans worrying about the fate of the beloved comedy.
The series from Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble follows four freshman roommates at the fictional Essex College as they navigate life, love, friendships, finances, their independence, and of course, sex. Season 2, which premiered in November, posed a new set of challenges for our core group of unlikely friends: Leighton (Renée Rapp) is dating multiple people, Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet) is trying to pay back her student loan, Whitney (Alyah Chanelle) is tackling biochem, and Bela (Amrit Kaur) is launching her own comedy zine.
“Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble continue to brilliantly capture the college experience in the most entertaining and relatable way,” Suzanna Makkos, HBO Max’s EVP of original comedy and adult animation said in a statement. “This series is the perfect balance of comedy, sex, curiosity, and chaos.”
But what exactly will the next season bring? Here’s what we know so far.
What will season 3 be about?
While we await official plot details, the season 2 finale teases some major changes to come. Kimberly falls for Canaan, Whitney’s ex, and they finally share a kiss on campus while, unbeknownst to them, Whitney watches, heartbroken. Though Kimberly is unaware of what her roomie witnessed, the betrayal is enough to send Whitney marching to her sorority, demanding to move in with her Kappa sisters. That’s one roommate down.
Leighton, who recently dumped her super lookalike girlfriend Tatum, reunites with Alicia (Midori Francis), her girlfriend from season 1. And although she was looking forward to moving into the Kappa house, she rightfully changed her mind after an alumnus and donor made offensive remarks to her about queer and nonbinary people.
And as for Bela—where do we start with Bela!—she made a string of bad decisions in season 2, ending with her savagely discouraging an aspiring comedy writer who asked her for advice. (Her heartless criticisms also got her canceled online.) After some deep self-reflection, and realizing she just keeps hurting people, Bela meets with the dean and requests to transfer schools. That’s another roommate down.
Will Bela ever come back to Essex College, and is Amrit Kaur leaving the show for good? Is there a chance for Whitney and Kimberly to become friends again? And can Leighton make things work with Alicia this time around? We have so many questions!
Who will be in the cast?
In season 2, Chalamet, Kaur, Rapp, and Scott were joined by the following series regulars: Mekki Leeper, Christopher Meyer, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Lolo Spencer, Renika Williams, and Mitchell Slaggert. We’re still awaiting new casting announcements for the third season.
Is Reneé Rapp leaving the show?
It appears so. Deadline reported on July 10 that Rapp will only appear in a “handful of episodes” in season 3 “but will not be a series regular and will depart the show after those episodes.”
Rapp confirmed her exit on social media with a bittersweet note. “A lot of queer work gets belittled — but playing Leighton has changed my life,” she wrote in part of her message. “I love who I am 10x more than I did before knowing her. I hope she gave y’all a little bit of that too. She’s such a tiny part of representation, but even the tiny parts count. I wouldn’t be half the person I am without her and y’all. I love that bitch more than you know.”
She added, “I’m so excited for this season and I can’t wait for you to see what we have coming for her and the girls.”
When will it come out?
HBO Max has not yet shared the potential release date, nor when season 3 will begin filming. But to give you a general sense of the timeline, season 2 arrived almost exactly one year after the season 1 premiere.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.