Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper premiered on the page in 2016 and the screen in 2022. A generation of LGBTQ+ youth have grown up alongside Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring. The first two seasons balanced sweetness with darker topics of abuse and self-harm. Season three turned dour as Charlie struggled with his mental health. The series finale, Heartstopper Forever, gives Nick the chance to reckon with his own.

Nick Nelson (MVP Kit Connor) is the best little boy in the world. Rugby captain, supportive friend and loving partner. But graduation is approaching. Who will he be after he leaves for university? He’d rather not think about it. He numbs his depression with alcohol and sex. (The most sex this once chaste show has ever portrayed.) Connor gets to explore new aspects of his role. He’s more than up for the challenge.

Charlie Spring (reliable Joe Locke) has survived adversity and gained new confidence. I’m glad he gets some agency and a storyline outside the romance. He runs for Head Boy, starts a Pride club and stands up to bullies.  But he can’t take on the same caregiving duties his partner did. Particularly since Nick feels too ashamed to open up. Is their relationship still healthy? Has it grown co-dependent? Should they break up before adulthood separates them?

Compressing season four into a two-hour film required compromises. There isn’t much time for the supporting cast. There are inspirational speeches from their friend Elle (Yasmin Finney), Charlie’s sister (Jenny Walser) and Nick’s mother (Anna Maxwell Martin, replacing a busy Olivia Coleman). The rest simply wave from the bleachers. I don’t mind this. Most of them completed their arcs last season. Though I would have enjoyed an appearance from Sebastian Croft’s demon twink.

When Heartstopper premiered it was a kid-friendly contrast to soapier LGBTQ+ shows like Love, Victor, Young Royals, Genera+ion, Euphoria and Elite. These have ended, leaving Heated Rivalry to carry the torch. Heartstopper Forever gets awfully maudlin for a series finale. But the show remains about queer joy. My teen experience was nothing like Nick and Charlie’s. I often found them hard to relate to. But the cast was excellent. I hope they have bright careers ahead of them. And that future generations will find comfort in their story.

Here are links to my reviews of seasons one, two and three. You can find more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.