Queen Charlotte, Mask Girl, and the 20 best Netflix Original shows of 2023

Heartstopper

It's rare for a show to get even better in its second season, but Heartstopper makes it look effortless. Maybe it's that the source material from Alice Oseman was even better, maybe it was the world expanding, or maybe it's a divine combination of so many things that aren't easy to explain. It's just the magic of what makes Heartstopper so innately special.

The second season did, in fact, expand the world and open it up beyond Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke), though the painfully adorable couple remain the central focus of the season's storytelling. Season 2 continued their love story, while also battling the pressures of Nick's coming out. For as joyful as Heartstopper's world might be, it's not all rose-colored.

As a teen drama, the Netflix original is rather light and airy and full of queer joy, something that's desperately in need of being represented especially for a younger audience. Still, the characters face all kinds of a relatable issues in a way that's never dark, exploitative, or even preachy. It's the perfect show for families to watch together in order inspire those conversations that might be a bit more challenging to have.

Younger viewers, and even older viewers, can see themselves in any of the show's characters and find something to relate to. Their stories can help heal old wounds or provide an example of how to heal current ones. Simply put, Heartstopper is a show with the power to change lives, and it surely already has after only two seasons. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

Written by Reed Gaudens