Heartstopper Season 3: Representation, Love, and Friendship

We will figure this out together.

The third season of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper was released on Netflix in 2024. Nick and Charlie are happily in a relationship but face a difficult time with Charlie’s eating disorder. As they figure things out, the rest of their friends also work out how to progress their relationships.

Season 3 of the hit show Heartstopper continues to implement positive depictions of relationships. I swear my smile is going to fall off my face one day at how heartwarming and lovey-dovey this show is. This season depicts more serious storylines about furthering relationships and mental health.

Kit Connor and Joe Locke have a chemistry that’s so endearing and genuine. Nick and Charlie are advancing in their relationship and encounter new areas beyond their comfort levels. They talk things out to offer fair solutions and don’t give up on each other. I am proud of the actors for their genuine efforts and emotional depth in scenes.

The wonderful cast reprises their roles. The friendship the cast has created off-camera has hugely impacted their on-screen relationships. Everyone is discovering new territories in their relationships, figuring out how to make things work. Friendships make the world a better place. Being with friends makes the perfect therapy to solve our problems.

Similar to Charlie and Nick, Tao and Elle (William Gao and Yasmin Finny) also explore boundaries when things become more serious. They talk about how serious they want to be and express comfort levels.

While it’s fun to explore relationships, you can’t spend all your time together. Tara and Darcy (Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell) talk about boundaries. I haven’t seen many shows discuss this theme. Other media would have ignored it. Don’t forget about yourself or friends when in a relationship.

Everyone is represented in this show, including those who are aromantic. Isaac’s (Tobie Donavan) storyline is more important than viewers realize, and I am happy it exists. When I was in school, I never felt a romantic connection with anyone like others did. I wish that I had more supportive peers, like in this show.

It’s okay if you don’t want to be in a relationship. Just because others are doesn’t mean you have to. You are the most important out of anything in this world, so make choices for you. Explore your identity, interests, and continue to make connections.

Other than relationships, that’s not the only storyline in season 3 of Heartstopper. In contrast to the first two seasons, season 3 deals with more serious topics. Charlie’s eating disorder takes focus. This storyline is handled carefully, never sugarcoating anything. It may trigger viewers, but it’s not discriminated against.

The series conveys how eating disorders are diagnosed and Charlie getting help at a facility. Alice Oseman approached this topic with a mindful respect to make Charlie’s journey realistic. She approached the show and don’t tell rule, considering how the storyline would affect audiences.

Season 3 takes a steamy romantic angle for some characters. The show had an intimacy coordinator onset, a job that has become quite significant for media. The cast talked about sensitive material before filming sequences. Filmmakers also reduced the amount of people in a room to make the cast comfortable.

Heartstopper is one of the best Netflix shows and it's a haven for viewers. We don’t have too many LGBTQ shows like this. My face hurts from smiling when episodes end. The series makes you laugh and also brings tears to the eyes. Keep making more Heartstopper seasons. I am so thankful it exists.