In this episode, hosts Brian Kitson and Izzy Friedman break down all the excitement and heartbreak from Heartstopper season 3! Listen as they discuss how the series tackles the top of mental illness, explores growing older into an adult world, and how a confrontation with the real world brings about some excellent conversations for both audiences and the characters in the series. The hosts also discuss how their own queer experiences align with those in the series, and how Heartstopper balances the light and dark tones perfectly in this newest outing, and various topics discussed around living as a LGBTQ+ person. You can find all this in more in our first official Across The Queerverse episode!

[Warning: Spoilers from season 3 are discussed within this podcast]

00:00 - Intro to Across the Queerverse podcast

02:10 - Spoiler alert for Heartstopper season 3 going forward

02:44 - Comparing season 2 vs season 3 of Heartstopper?

05:00 - Dealing with real life problems, mental health, and problems with both friendships and romantic relationships

08:49 - Building friendships and how you define family and build your community around you as a queer person

11:25 - Aromantic & Asexuality, not feeling the need to explain yourself as a queer person and understanding that if someone cares about you they should put in the work and effort to try to understand. The wide array of what being queer means.

18:00 - Characters in Heartstopper season 3 no longer having their friends and support groups around them as much, struggling with that and not being as protected, being politicized. (Elle scenes discussed, Transgender bias and attacks discussed)

24:30 - The world outside not being as forgiving or understanding as their friendship group and dealing with those outside of that group, even family, not understanding mental health struggles.

27:45 - Tori being ace, Darcy (non-binary), talking about responses to feeling such as butterflies and that it might mean something different that some might think

33:05 - Some Like it Hot the Musical discussion about the transgender storyline with Jerry/Daphne, in the musical

34:00 - Clothes as self-expression

35:16 - Nick scenes, not feeling comfortable in your skin, Nick's insecurities, wanting to help Charlie, the idea that you can't cure someone else's mental illness with love. Nick wanting to be there for Charlie, but Nick also really needing to be there for himself too.

42:10 - Exploration of having security and confidence in relationships this season

43:30 - Healing messages in Heartstopper

47:50 - LGBTQ+ adults as role models in the series

51:27 - Is season 3 a comfort show like seasons 1 & 2?

54:45 - Talking more about characters not being comfortable in their own bodies, teenagers, sex, and reality vs the show.

01:01:05 - Heartstopper season 4

01:01:50 - Outro

• Brian Kitson
• Izzy Friedman