Created by Alice Oseman and based on their webcomic, Netflix's "Heartstopper" has totally won us over in the last two seasons. It's been praised for its heartwarming take on queer romance and young love, making it such a feel-good watch. Last season, it tackled more serious things like mental health and the ups and downs of relationships. In Season 3, our favorite characters are gearing up for graduation, exploring intimacy, and dealing with all those tricky feelings that come with it.
Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) are still going strong and considering taking their relationship up a notch. You might be surprised to learn that this begins with them finally saying "I love you." When Charlie's sister, Tori (Jenny Walser), says she's shocked they haven't done it yet, she totally speaks for all of us.
Each episode sticks to a pretty familiar format. There’s usually a big event—like GCSE results, a summer holiday, Christmas, or a birthday—and the teens navigate their feelings about various issues. Earlier hints about Charlie’s issues with food are brought to the forefront, and Nick finds himself in the tough spot of trying to help his boyfriend deal with something that’s really beyond what most teens face. Nick is pretty much the dream boyfriend for young viewers—calm, romantic, and super supportive.
Yasmin Finney, as Elle, takes on a more challenging role this time, diving into the real-life experiences of being a trans teenage girl and figuring out now to navigate the world that may not always be as accepting as her friends. While Tao’s over-the-top enthusiasm as her boyfriend can be a bit annoying sometimes, their relationship has some deeper layers that are handled in a really beautiful way.
But Season 3 of Heartstopper does feel like it’s treading water a bit. The eight episodes fly by, and the finale leaves some questions hanging. While Charlie and Nick have definitely grown closer, it doesn’t seem like enough progress for an entire season.
If there’s a next season, more issues are about to come up: It's almost university time for Nick, and he’s already torn about whether to go for his dream school or stick around for Charlie. His mixed feelings come through really well in one episode when he talks about his fear of not being able to connect with anyone like he does with Charlie. It’s easy to imagine a guy like Nick, a friendly jock, feeling this way after realizing how important emotional honesty and real connections are.
Though the stories still center on a younger generation, they reflect situations we all deal with now: facing life’s tough realities, making hard choices, and occasionally needing to pause and figure out what’s best for our mental health.
