12 Wholesome Shows Just Like Heartstopper to Watch After Season 2

Besides depicting the everyday struggles of highschoolers, Heartstopper provides a great realistic representation of what it means to be a queer person in a violent homophobic and patriarchal world. It's a truly daunting experience — but the feelings the characters have for each other are beautiful, and their journey is liberating at the same time.

As we wait for Heartstopper Season 3, here are 12 other shows with similar queer vibes to add to your watchlist.

12. Gossip Girl (2021, 2 seasons)

IMDb rating: 5.4/10

The sequel to the once-popular series from The CW, Gossip Girl premiered on HBO Max in 2021. The show has a similar premise as the original and offers a modern-day take on the events happening at the same school, with the storylines touching on many current issues.

Unlike its parent series, where all the characters were white and heterosexual, the new show features many characters of color, including the protagonist.

11. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019, 3 seasons)

IMDb rating: 7.1/10

The mockumentary musical series centers around the members of a school drama club, some of whom are queer people. In other words, the show is a very successful fusion of Glee, Heartstopper, and the High School Musical feature films.

10. Genera+ion (2021, 1 season)

IMDb rating: 7.1/10

Although the show only ran for one season, it's definitely worth watching because it reflects the very real issues of LGBTQ+ people and how they live in a world of stigma and prejudice. The plot follows a group of queer teens trying to enjoy life while surviving in the conservative community of Orange County, California.

9. Elite (2018, 6 seasons)

IMDb rating: 7.3/10

At times, the Spanish series Elite goes completely overboard with its plot, offering frankly ridiculous storylines with a questionable resolution and vague (and sometimes harmful) moral outcomes.

And yet, it is one of the few shows whose writers are not afraid to tackle the issues of social stratification, classism, and acceptance of one's sexuality. It also has some of the best queer characters ever written.

8. The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022, 1 seasons)

IMDb rating: 7.5/10

While this show is not a high school teen drama but a fantasy about a teenager caught in the middle of bloody events, it also offers one of the best representations of bisexuality on TV.

7. Special (2019, 2 seasons)

IMDb rating: 7.6/10

Special isn't about teenagers at all, but like Heartstopper, it's about accepting your identity and carving out a place for yourself in this life despite social stigmas.

The semi-autobiographical series was written by acclaimed writer, comedian and LGBTQ activist Ryan O'Connell, who, like his character, fights for the rights of queer people while being gay himself and living with cerebral palsy.

6. The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021, 2 seasons)

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

This comedy-drama created by Mindy Kaling tells the story of four college freshmen who, aside from their studies, have very active sex lives. Besides its strong feminist perspective, the show brings up the issues faced by queer people, as one of the characters is lesbian.

5. Love, Victor (2020, 3 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.0/10

Love, Victor is probably the closest to Heartstopper in terms of the problems it tackles. The show follows high school student Victor in his difficult journey of searching for his own identity, which leads him to discover his sexuality and understand his role in the world.

4. Atypical (2017, 4 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.2/10

Atypical is about a neurodivergent high school student who is on the autism spectrum. His caring younger sister discovers her own bisexuality, and that becomes a major storyline as well. Also, some of Atypical's writers and actors are on the spectrum, so the show is a great representation of their experience.

3. Sex Education (2019, 3 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Sex Ed probably needs no introduction as it is one of the best-known sex-positive, queer and educational series with excellent characters and storylines.

2. Young Royals (2021, 2 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Young Royals is a great choice for all those who can't get enough of colorful stories about teenage queer love. It centers on a fictional Swedish prince who, due to some unfortunate events, is sent to an elite private school where he finds love while dealing with the extra attention that comes with being a royal.

1. SKAM (2015, 4 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.6/10

In each of its four seasons, the Norwegian teen series follows the story of a different high school student as they face various social and mental issues, ranging from coming out and homophobia to depression and eating disorders.