Netflix Is Ending ‘Heartstopper’ As the World Turns on Kindness, Compassion, and Diversity

Heartstopper, based on Alice Oseman’s series of graphic novels, is genuinely one of the sweetest, loveliest, and most romantic shows to come around in a long time. As I wrote in my review of the first season back in 2022, “Heartstopper captures the fluttering nervousness of crushes, the electricity of holding hands with someone for the first time, and the gooey, heart-melting joy of kissing someone with whom you have developed almost uncontainable feelings. Heartstopper knows exactly what it’s like to be young and in love—how teenagers obsess over small gestures (or emojis), revisit conversations in their minds to extract meaning, and how one slight—even unintentional—can feel earth-shattering.”

It is such a lovely show, navigating sexual identity, bullying, and LGBTQ issues with remarkable kindness and compassion. So, of course, it’s coming to an end after three seasons. But it’s not all bad news: Netflix is giving it a proper sendoff.

It’s returning with a feature film to put a button on the series, based on the as-yet-unreleased sixth and final installment of Oseman’s graphic novel series. Kit Connor and Joe Locke return as Nick and Charlie, Oseman has written the script, and Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice) will direct. Filming begins this summer. The movie picks up where season three left off, with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, as the two face the reality of a long-distance relationship.

Oh no! Those never work, and I suspect that’s where one of television’s sweetest couples will have to confront the real possibility of breaking up. It’s going to be a weeper.