Netflix's Version of a Hug Comes Back For Seconds (Heartstopper Season 2 review)

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The WebToon comic-turned-phenomenon returns to make our hearts skip a beat once again. A year ago, Heartstopper well... either stole our hearts or made us ickingly disgusted with the idea of being single with the ever-adorable romance between Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson. This second season will be no different as the two attempt to be together, being out, and dealing with their own internal struggles. Following suit from the first season, we are also given better perspectives on the supporting casts as they navigate their respective romances and complicated lives. 

Following the third volume of Alice Oseman's comics, fans are given so much more than expected. This season adapts the source material well enough to keep the fans happy but also has the opportunity to expand on characters like Darcy and Tao and hopefully, this trend follows through as the show progresses. Like season 1, it is as corny and loveable as ever. The minute the opening scene starts for the episode, you are reminded of how this world feels. Sweet and fluffy like cotton candy with its vibrant tone and characters. You cannot help but be swept in the romance of it all as if you are having a relationship with the show itself but once the credits roll for the last episode, it is the end of a whirlwind summer romance. Viewers will be aching for more more while having the melancholy sense to have a repeat viewing for the rest of the weekend. 

As fluffy as the show aims to be, season 1 also portrayed the struggles teenagers face queer or not. Season 2 doubles down on that with each character, solidifying that Heartstopper is a peak representation of being a great coming-of-age drama as well as a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community. Homophobia is a common theme and it plays a heavy part in the first season, particularly in Charlie's plotline. Homphiboa is a big thing in queer stories and there's no point in including it to be relatable. However, this season tackles loss, friendship, mental health, and all-around self-embracing. This is heavily seen with Charlie's arc as it digs deep into the later issues of the comic while adding depth to other characters like Nick, with Tara, and Darcy's dynamic, and Elle thinking of her future and Tao acknowledging his abandonment issues. This show is also great in the case of it being an adaptation because it does include well-written arcs for characters that were never in the comic like Isaac and Imogen. 

Heartstopper is perfect for this current generation when it comes to one having tunnel vision during the start of a romance and the tribulations of how to maintain and juggle personal lives well. This sentence alone makes Heartstopper a better recommendation for influence in today's dating world, especially with Gen Z today as opposed to most teen-centric shows on TV, whether they have queer characters or not. 

Performance-wise, Heartstopper has a stellar cast and there are no criticisms on any part portrayed here. What I appreciated more is how many things they are leaving as clues and threads of the storyline to be resolved in a future season. It does pay tribute to the subtle cues between characters and set pieces that make up for appreciating the filming and writing aspects. The people making this show are fans of this comic as well. Yes, producers and writers can be confident with another season already confirmed but with the amount of story added, there's still so much more to tell with just one season left and the comics slowly coming to an end in the coming weeks. It's hard to see this ending with just one more season on the way. Hopefully, this season will explode bigger than it did last season, giving Netflix permission to renew it for one more season to end this show properly without any backlash. 

It is hard to come by a show like this with this much representation, covering so many facets of its meaning, hopefully, everyone who comes across this show or season manages to find a piece of themselves in every part of the narrative being told here. Unfortunately, with most countries taking their stand against the Queer community, Heartstopper and many other Queer-centered stories are considered acquired tastes these days. But to whoever does find themselves watching Heartstopper, hope you enjoy this season because it really lives up to its name, especially with Kit Connor and Joe Locke onscreen. 

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