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Heartstopper has done it again! When season three dropped on Netflix on October 3, it felt like the collective community of fans—ourselves included—exhaled a sigh of relief.
The show that captured so many hearts has returned with a bang, earning an almost unheard-of 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and not just from long-time fans but from the most seasoned of critics.
For those of us who have been following Nick and Charlie’s journey since the webcomic days, seeing Heartstopper mature into its third season is like watching old friends grow up, face new challenges, and still come out the other side with love and resilience.
This season has been particularly praised for tackling issues like mental health, relationships, and sex with more nuance than ever before, a reflection of how both the characters and the audience have grown together.
It’s clear that creator Alice Oseman knew exactly how to balance the heaviness with that same warmth and optimism we’ve all come to expect.
Joe Locke and Kit Connor’s chemistry continues to anchor the series, something the reviews are all glowing about.
Digital Spy points out the show’s “intelligent foray into sex” and a deeper look into Charlie’s mental health, while Attitude notes that no other series on TV right now so genuinely celebrates “queer joy with warmth” .
For LGBTQ+ viewers, the series continues to be transformative, representing queer love in a way that feels safe, hopeful, and real.
This season introduces us to new faces—like Bridgerton‘s Jonathan Bailey and Marvel’s Hayley Atwell—who, while adding a fresh dynamic, never steal the spotlight from the core group we’ve all grown up with.
If season three feels more adult, that’s because it is. These are no longer just boys discovering themselves; they’re navigating all the messiness that comes with growing up.
But, like old friends who make you feel at home no matter the distance, Heartstopper still gives us that warm, fuzzy feeling. If you haven’t already started binge-watching, trust me, you’ll want to catch up soon!
+Related: Heartstopper Kit Connor & Joe Locke: MCU Superhero Lovers?
Here are some of the reviews:
“Heartstopper season three lives up to the standards of seasons one and two, bringing a balance of dark and light with its intelligent foray into sex and a sensitive exploration of mental health beyond Charlie.
“Despite its sharper, rougher edges, we promise you will still binge-watch your way through with a smile lightly on the lips and a tingly, fuzzy warmth in your hearts.”
“This season does well when confronting the reality of teenage angst in grounded ways.”
“Big things do happen in this chapter of the story, rendered with such lively warmth and chemistry by Locke and Connor. But Heartstopper’s third season also does a fair bit of wheel-spinning.”
“Heartstopper season 3 puts the ‘adult’ in ‘young adult’ without losing sight of the emotional core that made us fall head over heels for Nick and Charlie in the first place.”
“For all its penchant for sentimental navel-fazing and public information leaflets slipped none-too-subtly into the script, Heartstopper is that rare thing, a show that always has its heart in the right place.”
“Heartstopper season 3 takes the Netflix show in a confident new direction that makes the most of its maturing characters and impressive cast.”
“With its third entry, Heartstopper pushes itself into a new, more exciting chapter, embodying the coming-of-age genre like few other shows on television.”
+Related: Heartstopper S3 Trailer: Nick & Charlie’s Love Deepens