TV’s sweetest teen drama is growing up. In its third and best season yet, bottles are popped, F-bombs are dropped and cherries are, well… this is Heartstopper, so the prospect of sexual intimacy is discussed with the requisite degree of respect and sensitivity. While Heartstopper has hardly evolved into a Gen Z Skins – no one is asking “shall we do a little key?” like Charli XCX – its previous hint of tweeness has gone and it does feel more real.
Writer-creator Alice Oseman, who adapted the show from her own webcomic and graphic novel series, pulls off this tonal shift without sacrificing any of Heartstopper‘s warmhearted charm. Highly strung Charlie (Joe Locke), his rugby-loving boyfriend Nick (Kit Connor) and their largely (though not exclusively) LGBTQ+ friendship group are still fun to spend time with. And with eight episodes each clocking in at around 35 minutes, this is an increasingly rare thing – a season of a Netflix show that doesn’t feel bloated.
The first half focuses on a storyline that has been hinted at from the start: Charlie’s depression and anorexia. In episode four, Heartstopper’s most affecting yet, his condition becomes so serious that he checks into a clinic. Oseman’s script deftly shows how an eating disorder is a very internal problem that also affects friends and family members. While Charlie opens up to sympathetic therapist Geoff (Eddie Marsan), Nick turns to his aunt Diane (Hayley Atwell) for advice on how to support Charlie without smothering him.
The second half is more concerned with sex. Charlie and Nick are considering whether to make their relationship physical while Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao) are grappling with a similar decision – one made even harder for Elle as a young trans woman whose relationship with her body is evolving. In episode six, she’s invited onto a local radio show to talk about her growing popularity as an Instagram artist, but finds herself fielding crass questions about “same-sex spaces” and the “the culture wars”. Elle’s visible discomfort is a heartbreaking echo of the othering faced by many trans people who appear in the mainstream media.
Sadly, some subplots feel more rushed. Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) are trying to wind back their relationship a bit while dealing with seismic realisations about who they are as individuals. Tara’s quest for academic excellence and the impact this has on her mental health is a thorny dilemma that could have been explored further. Still, even when there’s probably too much going on, Heartstopper zips along to a peppy indie-pop soundtrack featuring Romy, Billie Eilish and Beabadoobee.
Meanwhile, self-styled “ally” Imogen (Rhea Norwood) continues to supply light relief. When she’s offered a glass of wine at a teenage house party, she asks earnestly: “Is it sustainable? I’m trying to do my bit.” The result is a transformative season that renews Heartstopper’s sense of purpose and relevance to LGBTQ+ viewers in particular. This coming-of-age show has come of age and feels more vital than ever.
‘Heartstopper’ season three is available to stream on Netflix from October 3