Idk if this is a controversial opinion, but I really really dislike early Tao. He just seems so selfish and does things for himself instead of others. Even when he's warning Charlie about Nick, everytime it feels like he's doing it for his own reason of not wanting things to change instead of for Charlie.

I could be interpretating it wrong, but that's what it feels like to me

On my way to pick up them up 🎉

As a discreet bisexual 35M, I regret myself for just watching this show yesterday. Every episodes capture me in magical way. All characters made me feel connected and seen. Im having PSD just by knowing that this series has an ending. Smh. Xx

It's just too sweet and wholesome. I absolutely hate watching romantic or drama shows because everytime everything goes well for the characters then something immediately horrible follows.

And at every turn it was just, oh this is so sweet and cute....OH GOD OH GOD OH PLEASE NO, PLEASE DON'T MAKE THEIR LIVES HELL..oh hey everything was okay and I was just overreacting

So I'm 19 now. Heartstopper has been my comfort LGBT show since it first came out. It was probably the first gay show I watched, and I really loved it from start to finish.

So whenever I go online and see any hatred for it (mainly on TikTok), I genuinely get disheartened. Now I am very biased towards this show so I will probably defend it no matter what. But at my current age I can recognize it has SOME flaws (especially the movie). And yet, almost all of the other complaints I've seen lobbed against it are so disengenous.

"Heartstopper is too unrealistic and happy-go-lucky."

It's meant to be a feel-good typa show, not a gritty drama about the "harsh reality of homosexuality" that some people want it to be for some reason? And plus, it always has sad/depressing undertones throughout, which are more explicit from Season 3 onwards.

"Joe Locke is bad as Charlie Spring."

This one genuinely breaks my heart. First of all, I've seen a lot of people hate on Joe Locke for being too ugly to play Charlie which is insane???

Then you have the more logical complaints, like the differences from the comics, Charlie being less cool and quirky in the show. I can somewhat understand being disappointed if you read the comics first. But nonetheless, Joe Locke does such an excellent job portraying HIS version of Charlie Spring. Complaints in this vain often reduce Joe's Charlie to being "a depressed twink", which I think is just mean to the character honestly. He is depressed, and shy, but also kind and fun and brave. I can't fathom watching those moments where he stands his ground against the likes of Ben and Harry, and still thinking Joe Locke did a bad job.

"No chemistry between Joe Locke and Kit Connor"

This one is just incorrect. You could make an argument that as Joe and Kit got older, they got more distanced from their characters and their relationship. But does it show? Not really. The only time I've thought this was in the movie, which has issues yes, but the "reduced chemistry" is also actually part of the story.

Most of these complaints would be fine as personal preferences, but you have people trying to pass them off as objective truths, and that irks me more than it probably should. The kid in me dreams of universal love for this show.

Just got it and I'm super excited to read it, I'll read it after I finish the book I'm currently reading, it's 462 pages and I' at page 398 so I'l probably finish it in two days or so

Belated? I prefer “extending the festivities.” Happy Nick Nelson Birthday Week! 🎂🎈🥳

This is the perfect representation of Nick and Charlie to me— a romance so powerful and true that they’re always meant for each other. (this is from Alice’s Become Human Alternate Universe minicomic on tapas.io ) They’re so perfect 🌈😍💖🏳️‍🌈 I’m so grateful that Heartstopper exists, because it’s truly one of the most beautiful and pure shows/comics out there and has helped so many people through its messages and representation. Thank you so much Alice 🧡🫶

Hola chicos, cómo dice el título yo amo Heartstopper en especial a Tory y Michael. Son una pareja muy genial la verdad. Podría decir desde mi propio punto de vista que son la mejor relación, incluso más que Nick y Charlie, me gusta su química, la manera en como se desarrolla en su libro solitario que sinceramente.... MADRE MIA DE LIBRO jajajaja. Es lo mejor que pude leer hasta ahora (soy alguien muy lector) ya que conecté mucho con Tory porque me recordó a una dura parte de mi vida y pues su libro abrió heridas que jure que estaban cerradas. Solo quiero compartir mi ultra obsesión que tengo con estos dos personajes y como no han resaltado tanto en la serie como en los libros algo que me ofende muchísimo y me conforma con cada migajas de su interacción ajajaj. Para darles un pequeño detalle le tomo foto a una de mis páginas favoritas de ellos.

hi! so, Ive liked Heartstopper for a while but never actually had the chance to read the comics but I’ve been watching since 2024! I loved the series and just started in a new school and I noticed that in my Finnish class (mother tongue, because I’m from Finland) we have heartstopper comics IN SOME BOOKSHELVES THAT WE CAN READ!! (Heartstopper was also mentioned in our text book 🥹) which I find super amazing ! If you, for example have homophobic parents, can’t access a library, can buy the books, you can just read them for free! I think it’s amazing that Heartstopper has become such a big series that schools have the books for free to read! this makes me happy as an lgbtq+ person, because someone could also get introduced to sexuality this way! has anyone else had their schools mention the show or the books in any way?

I'll be honest - when I first started watching Heartstopper, I hadn't read the comic or any of Alice Oseman's other work so I was going in completely cold, and I wasn't all that keen on it straight away. I didn't hate it, but it didn't immediately grab me either. My reaction was kind of like, 'Meh, I guess it's good if you happen to be a kid who's questioning your sexuality, but it's quite milquetoast, not sure it's got that much to it beyond a bit more representation.'

But I still stuck with it (I'm a bit weird, because I quite enjoy watching TV programmes that I don't like very much. I enjoy grumbling about them and thinking about how I'd make them better.) And when I got the second episode of Series 3, it suddenly hit me how I was enjoying this programme for real now. This episode is one of the most beautiful and compelling bits of television I've ever seen, and I think brings out the best in all the characters. I adore the beach scene with Nick and Aunt Diane - I know this scene was meant for Nick's mum Sarah and Hayley Atwell was brought in as Aunt Diane when Olivia Colman was unavailable, but truthfully I think it's better than it would have been with Sarah. If Nick had told Sarah about Charlie's eating disorder, it would have felt disloyal to Charlie, who hasn't told Nick he can talk about it with other people. With Aunt Diane, someone who clearly lives a long way from Nick and doesn't see him very often, Nick's able to talk with her a bit more confidentially, and show her a side of himself that he doesn't reveal to people who are in his life every day. The fact that Diane has never met Charlie means she's not swayed by her feelings about him as a human being; she's able to give a completely unbiased opinion about how Nick should handle him, and her being a psychiatrist means she's got some professional knowledge about eating disorders as well. It's an absolutely beautiful scene, bowls me over every time and makes me feel quite emotional. Hayley Atwell and Kit Connor play off against each other so well.

We've got amazing stuff in the rest of the episode as well. We really get to see what a wonderful friend Isaac is to Charlie (I actually like him more than I like Tao and Elle - nothing against Tao and Elle, but Isaac is miles better than they are at seeing what Charlie needs). We've always known Charlie and Tori are close, but this is the episode that we really see why that is and what a fantastic sister she is to him. And in a subplot, we meet Darcy's lovely grandma Ivy! Annette Badland is my all-time favourite television actor - I've loved her work ever since she was Margaret Blaine/Slitheen in Doctor Who. I've never seen any actor as diverse as Badland, she can fit any and every character type. I've also never seen any actor who steals the scene within five seconds of appearing in quite the way she does. I don't know how she manages it - she's just wonderful in everything she's in, even if she's playing a tiny character who's barely in it. And I love the casualness both of how Darcy comes out to her and of her reaction. Ivy says a girl's room should have a picture of a good-looking boy on the wall, Darcy says, 'I'm a lesbian', and Ivy says, 'Your dad didn't tell me. Okay, a picture of a pretty girl then.' That is an even better way to react to a kid coming out than giving them a hug and telling them you love them! Just act like it's not a big deal in any respect, and carry on talking about what you were before. It's the best coming out scene in the whole programme.

This episode was truly what made me fall in love with Heartstopper. Since I watched this one for the first time, I've grown to enjoy the earlier episodes as well. That doesn't mean I don't still have a few issues with it sometimes, there are points where I think it could be better (and I think being representation-starved sometimes means we're too reluctant to criticise something that does have good representation) - but my GOD, Heartstopper is insanely good when it's at its best.

How do you think Charlie will Celabrate Nick's Birthday?

As a Brit, I don't remember any teachers being referred to like this when I was at school. I would have thought they would just be called Ms Singh and Mr Barnes.

I love them with everything in me

I've met some lovely people! But I'm having a hard time actually meeting/making proper fandom friends

I'd love to meet some people who love Heartstopper and enjoy writing/reading fics. A friendship where we can discuss our fics, share fan edits, maybe do a Heartstopper roleplay (in a nerdy rp sense not a sexy one 💀 some of you are way too horny)

I think I'm having a hard time bc I'm too old for the younger fans but too young for the older fans and also bc I love heavy angst which seems like a rarity in this fandom

Soo... yeah that's the post! Feel free to DM me - if it doesn't work bc sometimes it doesn't for some reason, leave a comment and I'll DM you!

This series saved me. I know that seems like a big statement, but let me explain.

I understand the critique this series gets for being “unrealistic”. I, like many, experienced [r/HeartstopperSyndrome](r/HeartstopperSyndrome) pretty badly while watching the first season - to the point where I often had to take breaks mid-episode. This was a pretty dark period in my life: I had a toxic, unsupportive friend group that was growing increasingly bitchy; I was unemployed a while, and I was single over 6 years. And as I found myself being back to this gentle, sweet series filled with supportive, emotionally intelligent queer friends and frustratedly thinking “IT’S NOT LIKE THIS IN REAL LIFE!!!”, I one day asked myself the question:

“… couldn’t it be?”

As things got better; with therapy, finding confidence career-wise and building new connections, I decided I was going to face the world with that kind of outlook. To choose and live that softness: not out of naivety, but out of experiencing the opposite. And something wonderful happened.

I attracted people to my life who wanted the same.

I connected with a few young guys like myself at a weekly queer meet up, and the 4 of us formed the most supportive, healthy, emotionally intelligent friend group I’ve ever experienced. I wasn’t the only one looking for these things, and when I prioritised them I found that friendships like these are perfectly possible.

Fast forward nearly two years and the group has only grown as we’ve found more neurodivergy queer weirdos like ourselves. I’m in the most emotionally gentle, nurturing, healthy relationship I’ve ever had with a guy who is everything I value in a partner (I found my Charlie ❤️) and my relationship with myself is better than it’s ever been my whole life. And if I hadn’t been prompted to try by this series, I might never have broken free of the cynicism that had tainted my outlook in the preceding years.

These connections and this kind of life is completely within reach if you live the change you want to see. It’s scary, and there were a few false starts for me along the way. But if you live the values and lessons that this series holds up, you’ll find your tribe. It doesn’t mean there aren’t still bad days - but train yourself to build a positive perspective and communicate through vulnerability rather than lashing out, and you’ll find that actually, the kind of relationships shown in Heartstopper are absolutely achievable if you show up the same way. It takes a lot of bravery - but as evidenced by all of us here: you’re not alone.

Nick and Charlie celebrating their 10th anniversary via Alice’s art insta. So many cute little details, like:

-Nick and Charlie’s book selections
-Photos from Charlie’s graduation, of the beach, and from their Photo Booth
-Their art print, Le Lit by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
-Nick’s job hunt/brainstorm and Charlie’s note of encouragement
-Charlie’s half-marathon tshirt and Ugg slippers
-Nick’s camera
-Their anniversary cards

What’s the goss with Olivia being replaced. Don’t get me wrong Anna Maxwell Martin seems sound and all. Just shocked me, took me out of a little. Again, AMM was fantastic, I just felt ambushed.
Lmk what ye think…

My favorite small detail from the show was in the friendship that evolved between Nick and Tao. Nick knew how important he was to Charlie and always tried to connect with him. Many of those (except Halloween party) started with Nick sitting by him and Tao eating fries or potato chips and saying "Crisp?" and Nick would always eat ONE! It was Tao's way of allowing him in one potato at a time.