TV Review: Heartstopper – Season 3

Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series has properly taken off in America after being a raging success in the UK, thanks in large part to the adorably note-perfect adaptation of her prose. If season two was the flowery follow-up to its fairy tale debut, embracing romantic locales with gleeful abandon, then season three of Netflix’s irresistible queer gem, Heartstopper, presents the most mature, emotionally complex yet. The depth and honesty makes for a somewhat heavier tone than what we have seen previously. Bringing back superstar performers Kit Connor and Joe Locke as Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring, respectively, as well as a tightly-woven ensemble of essential supporting characters, this third go-round mostly adapts the fourth novel in Oseman’s series. Balancing the tenderness of young love with real-life issues like mental health, body image, and societal pressures is no easy feat, yet the showrunners effortlessly manage to juggle them all along with that trademark whimsical tone. Season three will leave viewers pining for Nick and Charlie’s romance as the duo inch closer to sexual clarity.

Over a year has passed in real time since Heartstopper season two, so one would certainly be forgiven for forgetting some of the minutiae. After an emotional prom left Nick and Charlie in a more constructive place than ever before, a sad truth threatens to peak out and destroy everything. Whilst Charlie obsesses over how to tell Nick that he loves him, Nick begins to notice the telltale signs of an eating disorder taking shape. Approaching either subject can be no small feat, and the series does not make the mistake of diminishing the importance of either item. Charlie’s mental health is a major focus of the season at large, and seeing Nick once again in the supportive boyfriend role only strengthens his strong characterization. Connor imbues his Nick with a passion for Charlie, fiercely defending his boyfriend whenever possible. The deterioration and intensity of Charlie’s eating disorder is again portrayed with intense black squiggles. Instead of taking the easy route, the struggle to overcome Charlie’s mental health appears to be an ongoing, complicated crisis that never gets brushed under the rug.

Since their tryst in Paris, the friend group has formed what they call “the Paris squad,” including Imogen (Rhea Norwood). Also along for some much-needed beach time: hopelessly smitten couple Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney), both of whom are trying to live out “the most romantic summer ever”; book-obsessed Isaac (Tobie Donovan), whose ongoing struggle with his asexual identity presents the crux of his arc this season; and lesbian couple Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), separately coming into their own through self-discovery, gender exploration, and school successes. Armed with a stunning new physique, there always seems to be a plot-relevant reason to keep Connor shirtless. Certainly, the eye candy makes sense, and even more so when juxtaposed against Charlie’s own crumbling self-image. How can he possibly measure up to Nick’s imposing figure? In the early parts of the season, Charlie prepares for Nick to go away on a three week trip away, but does absence make the heart grow fonder, or will the couple face their next true test?

As the seasons change, Heartstopper maintains a gripping momentum destined to provide fans with more crowd-pleasing, tear-jerking moments to watch over and over again. In transitioning into young adulthood, the show must eventually reckon with the sexual desires of two gay teenagers. Similar to their kissing rendezvous in season two, the actual act of having sex gets built up quite a lot between multiple characters. This provides many different points of perspective, and allows this gradual build to power viewers through a zippy eight episodes. Both Charlie and Nick seem to go through plenty of personal growth along the way, evolving even further from their innocuous naiveté in season one. Taking the next step in any relationship can be difficult to portray onscreen. By focusing on intimacy, tender moments, and mutual trust, Nick and Charlie’s love has been handled as delicately as other topics, proving again that Heartstopper can do no wrong.

Of course, there still is one glaring absence cast-wise, this time unfortunately being that of Olivia Colman. The Oscar-winning actress portrayed Nick’s mum in the previous seasons, coming across as wise and deeply understanding. Here, Nick’s aunt Diane (Haley Atwell) comes in for a major pep talk on the beach, which subsequently ends up being one of the standout dramatic moments of the season. Despite the lack of Colman, Atwell actually helps to ensure the sequence remains just as memorable on screen as it was on the page. If the show wasn’t constantly having to excuse the absence of Nick’s mother along the way, perhaps it would be easier to digest that Colman had to sit this one out due to scheduling conflicts. At least they decided to write it into the show, and make plot-relevant reasons as to why Nick’s mum must be avoided at all costs. Hopefully they will bring Colman back next time. Still, season three is not without some great guest stars, including previously announced Bridgerton and Fellow Travelers hunk Jonathan Bailey as Charlie’s author crush, Jack Maddox. Even Maddox’s eventual appearance in the back half of the season has been properly spaced out and teased to allow for maximum impact when the charmer finally does appear.

While I could easily watch a show simply chronicling Nick and Charlie, it would not be nearly as impactful without the addition of their families and side characters. Charlie’s sister, Tori (Jenny Walser), receives more texture than before, including a potential love interest; her relationship with Charlie has never felt this layered. My favorite coupling though other than Charlie and Nick themselves has to be Tao and Elle, who grow exponentially into something truly beautiful. Much of this can be attributed to the natural chemistry between Gao and Finney—as Elle struggles to be okay with Tao touching her trans body, so too does Charlie struggle with his own self-image in the wake of his Adonis boyfriend wanting to get more serious. Darcy’s exploration of gender and pronouns feels like an important viewpoint to portray within the season; only Isaac stagnates, mostly static throughout, and he can come across as a bit rude and insensitive at times. Still, every character will probably be essential to an eventual endgame.

With university trips looming and the one-year age gap between Nick and Charlie truly coming into the fray, we may soon get to the time when Nick must graduate from school and figure out his place in the world. The latter section of season three begins to explore this aspect of their relationship; as with everything else though, they are destined to figure out the path ahead together. Nick and Charlie are more than simply a wonderful couple—they are there for one another when needed the most, carving a blissful path ahead that will not be without its difficulties. This Heartstopper feels slightly more adult as it moves towards those obvious life events, positioning big changes ahead. For now though, basking in the afterglow of a beautiful, perfectly satisfying season should be the right move.

Take the next major step in Nick and Charlie’s relationship when Heartstopper season 3 undresses on Netflix this Thursday, October 3rd.