Heartstopper is one of the most heart-warming teen shows I have ever seen. Its impact on romantic stereotypes and portrayal of young adult relationships has shaped the way romantic teen dramas are seen today. After its first season, it became an overnight sensation and garnered many fans throughout the world for its sincerity and storytelling.
The original storyline comes from a graphic novel by Alice Oseman, who played a very prominent role in the creation of the Netflix show. Her involvement allowed for the preservation of plot lines many people, including myself, were attracted to. The second season of the 2022 break-out show continued to feed audience interest, making it better than its predecessor.
Teen stars Kit Connor (Nick Nelson) and Joe Locke (Charlie Spring), perfectly executed their roles as the new young couple portrayed in season one. They expressed the drama and anguish of being in a homosexual relationship, as well as the love and trust that comes with it. Their chemistry was impeccable and allowed for the characters to be more relatable in both their emotions and actions throughout the series.
The supporting cast from the first season developed into main characters as their roles in the story evolved. This is seen through Tao (William Gao) and Elle’s (Yasmin Finney) relationship as they make the transition from best friends to a couple. One more couple also made their way into the spotlight— Darcy (Corinna Brown) and Tara (Kizzy Edgell) face their own issues while on a school trip to Paris, which is a major plot point in the story.
This season reflected much of the novel, especially with its locations and introduction of new characters. Paris was one of the main locations many fans were excited for, and the show’s perfect execution of events did not disappoint. Nick and Charlie were able to become more comfortable with their relationship, as they were away from the conformity of their school. However, problems did follow them, such as Charlie’s ex, Ben (Sebastian Croft), and Nick’s distant father (Thibault de Montalembert).
As the series continued, many prominent topics were explored, including mental health and family issues. Charlie’s schoolwork begins to suffer, creating problems with his parents. He’s portrayed to have trouble eating and confronts it, along with Nick’s help. Nick also faces issues with his father, who decided not to be a part of his life. He develops anxiety as well— he struggles with exams and trying to come out, while still doing his best to support Charlie. The introduction of these new topics in the show made it darker than its previous season.
I enjoyed the change of pace from the bubbly first season, due to it feeling more realistic and personable. Many people found the first season unlikeable at times, due to it having an “everything is perfect” feel. However, I feel like it set up the second season perfectly for deeper exploration into the characters and their relationships.
Heartstopper continues to grow in popularity, even scoring 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and being a fan favorite show on Netflix after its debut. I’m excited to see the future of the series, as it has already been greenlit for a third season. I’m interested to see where it goes now that they have introduced new plot points and characters who play impactful roles in the story. Nick and Charlie are two of the more loving characters I have seen in a while and the most believable as well.
