Written by Nynoshka Vazquez Suazo
Season 1 of Heartstopper, based on the young adult graphic novel series by Alice Oseman, was an instant Netflix hit. Its highly anticipated season two lives up to expectations and soars beyond compare, making it the perfect continuation of this beloved show and its characters.
Here is a little season one recap for those who may have forgotten. The story follows Charlie Spring (Joe Locke, Agatha and the Coven of Chaos), who handles the negative side of being the only openly gay kid at his all-boys high school. He falls for his form partner – form is like the equivalent of an American homeroom – and rugby captain Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, His Dark Materials) who, before meeting Charlie, was sure of his identity and sexuality. Throughout their newfound friendship, Nick’s questioning of his sexuality causes rifts between his friends and eye-opening revelations, and it sparks an amazing new romance.
Season 2 takes on the challenges of Nick’s journey of self-discovery and their new relationship, Charlie facing his personal demons, and everything in between.
Outside of the show, series star Kit Connor was forced to come out after season one’s success because people questioned whether or not he was “qualified” to play a bisexual character. He then took to Twitter to respond stating, “Back for a minute. I’m bi. Congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.” Those people most definitely missed the point of the show.
Season 2 takes us through Nick’s journey of figuring out when and who to come out to, and all the fears and anxieties that come with it. Understanding that an individual’s coming out is about them not about the people they tell is extremely important to highlight.
This also goes hand in hand with Bisexual Visibility. When beginning to come out and telling people about his sexuality and his and Charlie’s relationship, most people couldn’t fathom that Nick was gay because he was athletic. Firstly, as Charlie told his mother, that has nothing to do with it. Secondly, the fact that he had to continuously correct people and say he was bi, not gay, was infuriating. The problem with society is that because bisexuality does not conform to liking strictly one gender, most people don’t give it any sense of credibility. They believe these individuals are confused, that they’re either gay or straight, and that there is no in-between.
This writer also mentioned this in the review of Freeridge, with the character Cam (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) who is also bisexual. Heartstopper does an amazing job of defining bisexuality, making sure it is seen and accepted, not just in Nick but with Ben (Sebastian Croft, Doom Patrol) and Sahar (Leila Khan) as well.
Charlie and Nick are not the only love story to fawn over in the series. In season one we are introduced to the incredibly close friendship of Elle (Yasmin Finney, Doctor Who) and Tao (William Gao), who grow closer after Elle finally gets transferred to the all-girls school. At the end of season one, we the viewers understand that they have feelings for each other. In season two their relationship blossoms, but it doesn’t come without its challenges. Tao’s main concern is that if it didn’t work out romantically, he’d lose his best friend, something yours truly can relate to greatly, as many others likely can, too. Season two not only develops these two characters’ relationships but also Elle’s future as she applies for art school and develops a new friend group, within it another trans girl, Naomi (Bel Priestly).
Isaac (Tobie Donovan) is another character who we get to learn more about. Always with a book in his hand, the show tried to give him a romantic interest in this new season, but it seems that Isaac is on his own journey of self-discovery. After kissing the boy he thought he liked, at the end of the season, he is seen picking up a book on asexuality. Viewers, yours truly included, are looking forward to his journey further developing in the seasons to come.
Along with the beautiful moments shared on screen, season two takes a deep dive into a lot of serious conversations. Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) gets kicked out of her own home for wanting to wear a suit to prom, her mother stating she looked like a “lesbian.” The sad reality is a lot of young individuals go through this where they don’t feel safe enough to come out to their parents or are so unaccepted by them that they are kicked out of their own homes.
Furthermore, Ben’s storyline thickens. Sexual and domestic harassment is a serious issue. In season one, we see Ben assault Charlie after Ben feels he’s lost control of the relationship. In season two we see Charlie heal from it, understanding that that wasn’t the love he deserved. Similarly, the bullying and homophobia from Nick’s brother was absolutely disgusting. While it may have been disturbing, a lot of people, unfortunately, go through it, and we see each character handle it differently.
Another deep topic this season discusses is eating disorders. During their school trip to Paris Nick notices Charlie isn’t eating. After Charlie passes out at the Louvre, Nick’s concern becomes worse. “Some days I feel fine, other days I feel like I have to control it,” Charlie admits that when he first came out the bullying and homophobia were so bad it led to him needing to control one aspect of his life: eating.
On another note, the wardrobe in this series has to be commended. Not only does it look like it comes straight from the novel with its bright colors and youthful vibes, but the characters’ personalities are perfectly represented. A personal favorite is Tao’s style. The perfect blend of hipster and nerd, it also introduces a ’70s feel that cannot go wrong.
The one thing that is bothersome, however, is the fact that these young individuals only communicate through Instagram direct messages – like, come on.
Yours truly could probably write 10 more pages on this show. As a cisgender heterosexual, there’s no way to explain and properly represent the impact this show has on the LGBTQ+ community, but this writer truly hopes it’s messages of love, friendship, and acceptance continue to be shared. It’s easy to continuously fall in love with these characters and their stories. Tears were shed, and this writer felt incredibly single throughout the process.
Heartstopper is the essence of love and friendship, and it’s going to be exciting to see where the friends and relationships head next. Sign me up for season three!
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