‘Heartstopper’ Season 3 Review: Alice Oseman’s queer coming-of-age drama returns with an emotionally heavy season

A still from “Heartstopper” Season 3 | Photo credit: Netflix

There is probably no other queer love story for young adults with as much heart, courage and success as Alice Oseman’s Netflix original. Heart stopper. Even when the clouds of gloom cover your world in blues, here is a series that manages to capture your heart with its neon butterfly doodles, pastel postcard aesthetic, Adiescar Chase’s melodies, sensitively written interpersonal dynamics, and the all-encompassing love of its gorgeous lead to warm characters.

Since its premiere in 2022 Heart stopper was the most popular queer drama when it came to keeping things light and breezy. But in a meta-commentary on how fleeting that lightheartedness can be, Oseman returns with a third season that brings home the inevitable reality of it all: the gang is growing up. And what is truly astonishing is how measured the author makes this transition without damaging the syntax of his narrative. Each season moves towards a celebratory event (Sports Day or Prom or GCSE results or Christmas) while the main characters themselves go through a deeply personal journey.

A still from “Heartstopper” | Photo credit: Samuel Dore/Netflix

After experiencing the highs and lows of their “Parisian Summer of Love” in season two, we begin with our merry gang hitting the beach in an enchanting opening episode that will instantly remind you of everything you loved about this show. We find that Charlie (Joe Locke) is desperate to tell Nick (Kit Connor) that he loves him, while Nick is still trying to figure out how to express his fears about Charlie’s eating disorder. The new couple in town, Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney), are experiencing what Tao calls his “summer of romance,” but Elle is quite worried about Tao’s abandonment issues. Tara (Corinna Brown) hopes Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) understands her need for personal space as the latter begins to embrace and explore her non-binary identity. Our dear friend Isaac (Tobie Donovan) is still trying to figure out what it means to be asexual and aromantic in a friend group that is so focused on romance, partnership and intimacy. Charlie’s sister Tori (Jenny Walser) also gets her fair share of screen time this time.

Indeed Heart stopper Fashion, none of these concerns stick around for long, and the eight-episode third season brings a whole new level that unifies them all – the chaos of young adulthood and all that it brings. As Charlie battles OCD and anorexia nervosa, Nick and Co. try to be the support he needs most at the moment. Several relationships take a new leap forward and bring their own challenges. The arc that Elle finds herself in is truly heartbreaking.

Firstly, the third season learns from the criticism of its predecessor and uses more subtle language. Oseman’s script this season is written with the meticulousness and sensitivity for which she is known, and also offers some clever ideas that make an impact. Charlie’s interaction with Isaac about “The Song of Achilles” adds a touch of tenderness to those familiar with Madeline Miller’s book and why Charlie warns Isaac of his end. One also can’t help but laugh at how a Marvel reference finds a symbolic callback; Nick dresses up as Captain America for a Halloween party, and the episode may have a thing or two to say about the superhero serum that has made our Nick the pillar that everyone can lean on – love.

It takes a breather to realize why, unlike what we’re used to, the series may have chosen not to reveal these self-imposed “rules” that Charlie’s OCD has set for itself. Maybe even we as viewers need to come to terms with how much Charlie allows us and give him that space. In another moment, you’re told about Isaac’s struggle with feeling left out, and by the time he returns to the screen you’re asked to wonder how he’s coping with this altered reality, which makes his eventual outburst against Tao all the more justified might.

A still from “Heartstopper” | Photo credit: Samuel Dore/Netflix

A few minor problems from the second season cast a shadow over the sequel, such as the unnecessary love story between Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk. They’re also initially quite skeptical of Sahar’s equation with Imogen (our token cis-het friend is gone), but they might find some takers from the bi-curious and questioning audience if the upcoming season manages to do some justice to the theme become. However, such problems seem even more remediable in a series that has such consistently good characterization. Watching how consistent Nick acts and talks with Tao tells you a thing or two about how conscious the creators themselves are of the peripheral character arcs. With such nuanced writing, how do you deal with having to wait longer to be with these fictional characters?

The third season of Heart stopper is the heaviest yet, with Oseman tackling some deeply touching themes to explore. From Nick’s Aunt Diane (Hayley Atwell in a cameo) advice on how to be there for a friend suffering from mental illness to what Isaac has to say about aromanticism, there’s a lot that will appeal to both teenagers and adults also appeals to adults in the world we live in. As it always was, Heart stopper continues to be a heart-touching exploration of the idealistic art of showing compassion to all.

Heartstopper Season 3 is currently streaming on Netflix