As fans prepare to bid farewell to the phenomenon that is Heart stopper franchise, many people are asking a deeply troubling question.
‘F**k or not,’ wrote @inagreyhoodie on X in response to the film’s latest trailer.
‘Like I saw it and it didn’t turn on once,’ replied @yyzvc.
The comments are disturbing, to say the least, prompting other viewers to issue stern reminders that not only are Nick and Charlie’s characters teenagers, but also, if you’re looking for a hypersexual story, then this isn’t the show for you.
Created by graphic novelist Alice Oseman, Heartstopper was tailored for her Netflix in 2022 and achieved roaring success virtually overnight.
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In the years that followed, not only did its three seasons consistently top the streaming charts with millions of views, but cast members including Keith Connor (who plays rugby boy Nick Nelson) and Joe Locke (more reserved classmate Charlie Spring), have forged surprisingly successful international careers.
Now, as the beloved characters look to the future and lovers Nick and Charlie navigate more mature challenges in their relationship, the story is wrapping up with a two-hour film, Heartstopper Forever, in July.
The trailer dropped yesterday, leaving longtime fans screaming, crying and smiling simultaneously at their computer screens as it began to be decided that this was indeed the end.
Phonogram from Olivia RodrigoNew Stupid Song preview teases Nick and Charlie’s biggest tests as they deal with breakup nightmarish and self-discovery outside of their couple as their friends begin their new chapters.
With Nick at university and Charlie gaining independence at school while still pursuing recovery from his eating disorder, it certainly promises to be just as tender and warm, yet as deeply emotional as the seasons we’ve already had.
It’s just a shame that, despite the significant cultural impact the TV series has had and the important LGBTQ+ issues it explores, some online pranksters are only fixated on what might be going on under the covers.
‘Have the guys from Heartstopper already had sex or not?’, asked @iguflips, the replies to their tweet overflowing with slurs and sexual references.
Rightfully so, hundreds rallied to retaliate, explaining that such ‘painful’ comments are not only problematic, but they also dilute the ‘beautiful’ coming-of-age story that Heartstopper tells of a blossoming romance.
‘Why do you guys want to see teenagers so badly?’, @xofreyr pointed out.
@anditslou asked, ‘can’t we have a thing without crazy sex scenes??’ while @kinho_here wrote: ‘It’s a teen series, sex will be mentioned and some that happens sometimes, but it’s not the focus. It’s about the lives of a group of queer teenagers, going through mental issues, coming out, family issues, relationship issues, etc. Not EVERYTHING in life has to be about sex.’
@Cristian212004 pointed out that there is an ‘obsession’ with explicit scenes in queer media and @chucky198913 bluntly told the dirty-minded to just ‘watch porn’ if that’s what they’re into.
When it comes to LGBTQ+ TV shows and movies, while such representation can still be met with resistance, there is no shortage of risque scenes within them.
Over the past year, The Hot Rivalry has taken the internet by storm, building an extremely passionate following.
Starring Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, the Canadian sports romance series explores the classic theme of illicit romance as two professional hockey players try to save their relationship while representing opposing teams.
The steamy scenes raised eyebrows, with many praising the sizzling chemistry between the two leads, even as others criticized it for being also explicit.
Then we have Red, White & Royal Blue, a sweet queer romance starring Taylor Zakhar Perez as the son of the US president and Nicholas Galitzine as a British prince who, you guessed it, begins a hot and heavy forbidden affair.
A sequel is already in the works, with fans (especially those with existing ties to the original novel) eager to dive back into the playful, ghost-like world of a romance that’s not supposed to work, but you can’t help but grab it.
In contrast to those, which are readily available for streaming to perhaps fulfill a specific need (and which arguably tell important stories of their own), Heartstopper is more character-driven.
There’s intimacy, of course, but it’s not forced for its own sake.
Instead, Nick and Charlie’s bond grows stronger over time, culminating in an almost cataclysmic first kiss after a series of touches, soft touches, and longing glances.
From there, they’re not only getting to know each other, but themselves as Nick faces the daunting task of coming out as bisexual to his boyfriends, while Charlie’s mental health presents numerous difficulties during the formative years.
Each episode is narratively rich as that transitional chapter to adulthood becomes all-encompassing for the students — not just Nick and Charlie, but also Elle (Yasmin Finney), who is transgender, Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), who begins to explore their non-binary identities, and Isaac (Tobie Donovan), who may be just as sexual.
Ultimately, reducing such a multi-dimensional show with such a complex and important story to its sexual content feels not only degrading, but extremely disrespectful to LGBTQ+ adults who have sought solace in Heartstopper after growing up without people who looked like them on their screens — and if they did, their characters were often, if not dangerously, portrayed.
Even actors Kit and Joe themselves have praised the show’s ‘natural evolution’ over the past four years, explaining during the Season 3 promo that it was ‘exciting’ to watch Nick and Charlie progress from the embarrassment of failing to hide their love bites from their classmates to dating on a whole other level.
Heartstopper has become a ‘project’ for future queer media, that’s for sure, and the impact of the story it told will outlive that of any quick sex scene.
Heartstopper Forever will be released on Netflix on July 17.
