Heartstopper Season 2
Okay, so it happened. The long awaited sequel to my initial review on Heartstopper–ya know the award-winning one? Well season 2 dropped, and in an effort to let you all into my psyche, I’m not okay. It’s kind of a laff as well, because a show about some queer kids in middle-class England shouldn’t hit me NEARLY as hard as this does, but there’s something awfully exciting about how this new generation are embracing queer identity and it’s not actually a show about that. It’s just a show about young romance, puppy love and this desperate want for acceptance.
I’ve seen the criticism. Though I’m not actually in any of those discussion spaces, the worries about an “everything label generation” have passed my eyes. There’s this strange worry that because there’s this inherent desperation for acceptance, the new generation aren’t willing to understand defeat. Lemme ask you a question, is that a fucking bad thing?
I get it, I do. It’s a difficult world to navigate, the idea and space of queer identity but it’s also not that fucking hard to sit and talk. That’s what this show is doing. It’s taking away the fear of being ostracised and creating a safe space for the next generation to come up into. No brainer or am I missing something?
Anyway, Heartstopper. It’s a pretty basic premise right? It’s a show about a young queer couple, Charlie and Nick, and them navigating the world of dating while under the radar. Nick is Bi, and doesn’t know if he’s ready to come out. Charlie is out but isn’t so sure about hiding his love for this boy who saved his life. Shit is fucking cute man, even I can admit that. It’s a show that’s authentic to itself and never stops you from thinking it’s anything but that. It’s real and exciting.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty safe in my sexuality. I know who I am. But I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t something interesting about the way the show deals with young love. The idea of finding your person so young while exploring the difficulties of just being a teenager. While also being shot SO DAMN WELL? Well shit, sign me up for this because needless to say, I’m hooked.
The story of Charlie and Nick is completely real. But the show doesn’t stop there. It deals with so many complex themes, from eating disorders to intense mental strain in families. I think that it’s easily one of the strongest adaptations I’ve seen in a long time. I’ll admit it, I read all the comics/books that go with this. I wanted (needed) to know how it ended. I won’t spoil this season for you all but season 3 is gonna slap hard.
The story of this season doesn’t take place much after the end of the first. I think it’s roughly a few weeks? But that doesn’t matter because it may as well have been months with the progression in characters. I think the reason I enjoyed this season more was because it wasn’t just a mono-view on Charlie and Nick. Tao and Elle were massive storylines that had some mean payoffs. There’s no moment in the show where it’s boring or you haven’t got an interesting character to follow. Even bloody Imogen was fun to watch and get too know.
Here’s my final thoughts before I rattle on about how amazing it is. Heartstopper is going to that show that stands the test of time. It’s going to be the thing that helps so many young kids understand that it’s okay to be yourself and to love whoever the hell you want to love. Storyline aside, the show is beautiful paced and just looks amazing. Whoever the cinematographer is, you deserve to have your ass ate. I swear to god. Please do yourselves a favour and just watch this shit. Put your weird homophobia aside.
Also, if I move to England and fall in love that’s like this? Mind your FUCKING business.
