Double strikes by the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild currently have new Hollywood productions on hold, but thankfully for viewers, a few beloved series return for your enjoyment this week.
On Wednesday, “Reservation Dogs” returned for its third and final season on both cable (FX) and streaming (Hulu), while “Heartstopper” (Netflix) returns for its second season this Thursday. The first season dropped in April 2022 and earned high marks as one of the most believable coming-of-age romances that you’ll ever see.
Created by Alice Oseman from her webcomic and graphic novel of the same name, “Heartstopper” follows a young student named Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), whose gay identity makes him feel out of place at Truham Grammar High School — until he falls for rugby jock Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who is coming to terms with his bisexuality.
I dare you to find a more realistic teen couple than Charlie and Nick, which is a huge credit to Locke and Connor as actors. Both gay and straight viewers will empathize with their journey, cringing when bullies spit homophobic slurs and cheering when relatives show unconditional love, namely Nick’s mom (Olivia Colman). In Season 1, we rooted for them to discover their love for each other. In Season 2, we hope they’re able to express it publicly.
Season 2 also continues the storyline of Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney), an underdog transgender character who transitioned prior to attending a new school in the first season. In Season 2, she strikes up a romance with Tao Xu (William Gao), who loves independent films and hangs classic movie posters on his bedroom walls. Season 2 gives him a makeover, dropping his sarcasm and cutting his long hair that stuck out in curls underneath his beanies.
Other subplots include a lesbian couple, Tara Jones (Corinna Brown) and Darcy Olsson (Kizzy Edgell), who are ready to take it to the next level; the bisexual Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft), who was abusive as Charlie’s ex and is now jealous of Nick; straight friend Imogen Heaney (Rhea Norwood), who once had a crush on Nick; and Harry Greene (Cormac Hyde-Corrin), a former bully who is now learning to stand up for his LGBTQ+ classmates.
Every episode is authentically written by Oseman and playfully directed by Welsh filmmaker Euros Lyn (“Doctor Who,” “Sherlock”). The indie-pop soundtrack and animated graphics are perfect for the series’ tone, while proving the lasting influence of films like “Juno” (2007) and “(500) Days of Summer” (2009). Animated sparks fly when lovers touch hands, while cartoon butterflies flap around screen to show proverbial butterflies in bellies.
If there’s one thing that feels unrealistic about Season 2 it’s that almost every character turns out to be LGBTQ+, including the teachers. While this strains credibility, we’ll give it a pass for one good reason: Do you know how many decades of TV shows have shown only heterosexual couples, leaving gay characters on the fringes? Do you know how painful it must have felt for decades not seeing yourself on screen? The choice is clearly intentional.
My wife and I just finished binging the first six episodes of Season 2, so I can’t render a full verdict yet until I watch the final two episodes, but so far, it’s a welcome continuation of the pace and vibe of the first season. In other words, if you loved Season 1, you’ll similarly enjoy Season 2, even if Season 1 will always be the one we point back to as the more groundbreaking achievement for diversity, equity and inclusion — oh yeah, and entertainment.
