(With spoilers)
When the much awaited August 3rd finally arrived, all I wanted to do was sit on my couch and cry my eyes out binge-watching Heartstopper’s season two. When the big day came, I spent it all anxiously waiting for the night to come while at college and work. I may be an adult, but my heart still belongs to teen romances.
It was definitely worth the wait. Full of heart-warming and sensitive scenes beautifully directed by Euros Lyn, Heartstopper proved once again it’s one of the best book adaptations out there. Still impressively loyal to the graphic novel – so much that it felt like diving into the pages -, but with interesting turns, this season managed to surpass the first one that made everyone fall in love with Alice Oseman’s story.
Nick’s journey
After Nick and Charlie established that they’re boyfriends in the season one finale, now, we see Nick’s journey on coming out while navigating his bisexuality. Just like in the book, the show reminds us that coming out isn’t mandatory nor should it be rushed. Each person has the right to take their own time. Gladly, Nick’s path was beautiful to watch, from him overthinking about coming out to finally being comfortable enough to post his first photo with Charlie as a couple on Instagram.
Unfortunately, his journey wasn’t free of obstacles. This season, we got to dive further into Nick’s family. While his mother easily accepted and understood him in the most touching scene of season one, the other relatives weren’t so sympathetic. Since his very first appearance, it is clear that Nick isn’t really fond of David, his brother, who quickly invalidated his bisexuality and outed him to their father. Kit Connor perfectly depicted his character’s rage towards the older brother, who acts like a bully and made me tear up with his portrayal of a boy who is desperate to have a relationship with his father, but lost hope.
Connor’s Nick Nelson feels like a hug to anyone who identifies as the B in LGBTQ+. The “I’m bisexual, actually” line is iconic and also very real – constantly correcting people when they assume you’re gay is a shared experience. He reinforces that sexuality isn’t something binary, it isn’t just gay or straight. Connor gracefully portrayed the sweetest golden retriever on TV, capturing even the smallest details of his character.
Charlie’s mental health
Season 2 kicks off very joyful and light-hearted – with a lot of kissing. Charlie looks the happiest, savoring every moment with Nick. However, as the story moves on, we see the not so perfect sides of it. Charlie’s struggles with mental health are deepened, as the audience notices, alongside Nick, all the wounds the bullying and Ben’s abuse left on him. With the Louvre scene, we learn that he’s developed an eating disorder as a consequence of being harassed at school after getting outed. More forward, in the heartbreaking Season Finale, Charlie opens up to Nick about how difficult it was dealing with his classmates’ aggressions, admitting things got so bad he started to self harm.
When watching Joe Locke’s performance, you’d never believe Heartstopper is his first acting job. Charlie is a complex character with many different layers, and the 19-year-old actor definitely understood the assignment. Not only was he able to bring tears to my eyes with his portrait of a teenager who’s been through more things they should have, Locke also made me feel incredibly proud of Charlie’s new found strength to stand up for himself. The protagonist’s monologue in response to Ben is, no doubt, one of the most impactful scenes of this season. And Charlie slamming the door in Harry’s face was a sweet vengeance.
The twists and turns of the show
Heartstopper’s season two has many scenes that are word-to-word identical to the books, some of them very iconic – like the one when Charlie hears Nick talking in French with his father. But there were some twists and turns in the show. Netflix’s series delved into the other characters and brought more representation to the story. As Elle’s artwork is widely explored, she makes new transgender friends, with whom she is able to connect and share experiences. Furthermore, her relationship with Tao shows how it should be – he never questions his feelings for her or her identity. Tao just loves Elle in the purest way possible.
Tara and Darcy’s relationship, that looks so perfect it is enviable, is developed as well. Even though Tara took longer to figure out her sexuality, she is the one who says those special three words first, but her girlfriend’s reaction isn’t what she’s expecting. After episodes of Darcy dodging Tara’s questions and attempts of having a sincere conversation, we finally learn that she hasn’t come out to her mother yet because of her very homophobic mentality. Their fight scene was sensitively constructed and made me want to give Darcy a big hug.
While everyone seems to have coupled up, Isaac stays loyal to his passion for reading. And, in the first season, it was enough for him, but now he’s questioning himself. When James shows interest in the book lover, Isaac thinks he reciprocates those feelings. However, when they are put to test, the spark isn’t there. That’s the moment he realizes he doesn’t feel love the same way his friends do. Isaac starts his journey of self-discovery and one of his most admirable scenes happens during Elle’s art exhibition, where he meets an artist who’s aromantic and asexual. Isaac’s eyes in his moment of realization feels like a peaceful silence after being surrounded by anxiety-inducing noises.
When I reached the final second of the last episode of season two, my heart was full. Full of love. Full of hope. Full of joy. I was reminded once again why I fell in love with Alice Oseman’s characters. With such positive and real representation, she fills her audience with optimism. It’s a story of raw teenage love. It’s a refreshing breeze I can’t wait to feel again.
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This article was edited by Giulia Howard.
Liked this content? Check out Heartstopper Season 2: Was it faithful to the graphic novels?