“16 is when everything starts to make sense. Or when nothing makes any sense anymore.”
When last we saw our fateful teenage lovers Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke), the “Heartstopper” couple of the moment felt the warm embrace of support. Charlie admitted to his boyfriend that he’s experienced some semblance of self-harm throughout his time at school, a revelation that hurts Nick to his core. Charlie has been bullied for being gay, and Nick finds it difficult to understand why anyone would bully such a sweet, innocent young man like Charlie.
“Heartstopper” is full of moments like these, where Nick and Charlie explore their newfound relationship over the course of several seasons that correspond with their growth as teenage boys. Nick has had to confront the demons of his own life at home, coming out to his mother (Olivia Colman) while tending to the athletics that have made him a popular, confident person. But there’s a lot of complexity for these two lovebirds heading into the third season of the Netflix coming-of-age drama series.
Season 3 begins like many other high school-set television series before it: Summer vacation coming to a close while the core group of friends we’ve followed for several seasons start grappling with the impending idea that university isn’t so far away. Several couples are still going strong, including Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney), whose trajectory has so far highlighted the trans experience in great detail. Isaac (Tobie Donovan) is contending with the idea that he might be aromantic, a result of feeling for some time as though he has zero interest in romance with another living soul.
But the reason we tune into “Heartstopper” is for Charlie and Nick’s fluorescent relationship, one founded on trust and, this season especially, love. Yes, Charlie and Nick exchange their 143s to one another, catapulting their romance to uncharted territory. But what goes up must eventually come down, and the problems of the past are thrust into their present in ways that even the two heroes don’t quite understand.
Charlie deals with his mental health in elevated ways this season, as his struggles with an eating disorder and OCD come further into focus. Nick first recognizes the signs, while Charlie’s sister Tori (Jenny Walser) does her best to handle it on the family front. But Charlie must admit it to himself first, and once that hurdle is overcome, the real healing and progress can begin.
“Heartstopper” season 3 dives into Charlie’s mental health issues from the perspective of distance, separating Charlie and Nick for much of the season as Charlie gets a handle on his eating disorder. They are always a simple phone call or text away, but physically, not being in the same room makes the heart grow fonder. When Charlie accepts his fate and begins to control his body and mind rather than the other way around, he targets the ever-present idea of having sex with Nick for the first time and crossing the bridge into a new phase of their relationship.
This season does well when confronting the reality of teenage angst in grounded ways. However, the focus steers too much into the friendship circle’s far too many couples, while Nick and Charlie’s relationship is pushed into the background. The series has always enjoyed checking off the list of LGBTQIA experiences, but without the two main characters’ storylines front and center, it’s hard to keep track of who is who and why we are meant to care about their specific coupling.
Charlie and Nick’s relationship is far more interesting to root for, though the darkness Charlie experiences might be too much for their bond to handle at times. Nick is incredibly patient as he witnesses the love of his life spiral into a sordid abyss while also making the decision of where to go to university in the near future. Charlie wants to propel their intimacy forward even if he’s uncomfortable with how his body looks, an all too familiar theme of many high school love affairs.
Teenage love is a complicated and beautifully chaotic mess that is often clouded in cliches when depicted on television. However, “Heartstopper” graphic novelist, series creator and showrunner Alice Oseman understands that it’s within this chaos that love can truly bloom for these treasured characters.
Season 3 veers off in various directions, blurred mainly by high-profile cameos and the unending support of extraneous characters. When it comes back to Nick and Charlie, though, there seems to be a balance at play, and everything appears right in the world as we witness their warm embrace on repeat.
Charlie may have found his voice in Season 2 as he stood up to the bullies in his life. In Season 3, he uses that voice to better his mind, body and spirit to ward off the bully that’s been there all along: himself.
“Heartstopper” Season 3 premieres Thursday, Oct. 3, on Netflix.
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