Netflix’s “Heartstopper” had a stellar year after the premiere of the first season. Not only did season one receive a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it also received 23 award nominations with 14 wins, including two nominations at the 2023 BAFTA awards and nine nominations, four of which won, at the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards. With this continued support and praise for the series, “Heartstopper” had a lot to follow with season two. 

The new eight episodes that premiered on Aug. 3 were, in my opinion, infinitely better than the first season. This is a bold statement from me considering the amount of times I rewatched it, but it’s true. Not only has the acting and cinematography improved, but the storyline also developed in a way that allows for all of the characters to seem like real people, not just the two main leads, Nick and Charlie, played by Kit Connor and Joe Locke, respectively. 

One of my favorite parts about season two is the overarching theme of friendship. I love a good found family trope, especially in young adult material, and nothing can compare to the found family in “Heartstopper.” In season two, no matter what happened in regards to their relationships, each of the characters continued to put these friendships first. This was especially seen in the budding relationship between Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney). 

The two were best friends, and in season one, we got to see their developing crushes on each other. Throughout season two, they struggled to pursue their romantic feelings while maintaining their previous friendship, not wanting to ruin what their friendship means.And, as Finney said in an interview with Teen Vogue, “It just fills my heart with joy to have a love story [where] a trans person is just happy and positive.”

Season two promised to dive into deeper topics, and it definitely did. From Nick’s older brother David (Jack Barton) not respecting his sexuality, to Darcy’s (Kizzy Edgell) homophobic mother and the reveal and return of Charlie’s eating disorder, “Heartstopper” and the cast were able to dive into the harsher reality for many teenagers in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. All of the actors excelled in their respective areas, bringing these issues to light with a level of respect and care that is needed when addressing such topics. 

An especially big applause from me goes to Locke on his portrayal of Charlie’s growing mental health issues. One moment in episode four sticks out as a testament to Locke’s skill, where almost the entirety of a scene revolves around him, yet he doesn’t utter a single word. The audience can see every thought running through his head without ever hearing him express these thoughts outside of his facial expressions. Personally, I have not found this in any media outside of literature, and the connection with the audience despite the lack of words was outstanding to witness on the first watch. 

Following Connor’s win for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program at the first Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, he went above and beyond his performance in season one. Season two saw Nick struggling to come out to his peers, and the audience can’t help but see the similarities between Nick’s coming out story and Connor’s. On Halloween of 2022, Connor came out in a tweet after suffering harassment from fans and accusations of queerbaiting — an unfortunate situation that I personally had some strong opinions about. In season two, the speculations and rumors pushed Nick’s coming out story, similar to Connor’s. However, in “Heartstopper,” Nick still had the final say. While the context of this situation makes this storyline quite bittersweet, Connor still did a beautiful job at portraying Nick with love, care and empathy. 

There has been online criticism across social media over the “cringey” aspects of the show. While I do agree there are parts of season two that have a mild second-hand embarrassment factor, I have to remind myself in those moments that this show is primarily targeted towards a younger audience than the newly-21-year-old me. However, is there any point of high school that you look back on and don’t cringe inwardly? It’s a universal, basic part of growing up. When we can get off of our pretentious television-connoisseur high-horses, we can see how relatable the “Heartstopper” characters and their growth is. 

I find so much comfort in “Heartstopper.” Its positive outlook on the world isn’t dimmed by the trauma and hardship the characters face, which is something many of us can’t say the same about ourselves. In a year where anti-LGBTQ+ incidents during Pride Month are three times higher compared to the last one, “Heartstopper” was the warmth, comfort and light we all needed, and I can’t wait to see what season three has in store.