Expectations vs. Reality: 5 Major Fails of Heartstopper Season 2

There's no doubt that this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but someone's got to be the bad guy.

Whilst Heartstopper season 2 was still good, there are a few aspects of the season that let it down as a whole.

1. Too cramped and fast-paced

Season 2 expanded the focus on characters, but to the point where it bloated. We were looking forward to seeing more of Nick and Charlie. Whilst the representation of other characters was well done, and their side stories were interesting, it was all spread out too thin. The episodes were all a few minutes longer than usual, but this still wasn't enough time, and the lack of time somewhat spoiled season 2.

2. Too much focus on the relationships

Individual characters and their growth felt a little neglected, with more attention paid to budding relationships. We love the relationship dynamics, but that's not what brought us back to watch season 2. We missed seeing individual character growth this season. Heartstopper needs to find a balance before season 3 or risk ruining good characters.

3. Ben was used as a villain again

In all fairness, Ben does not appear in the books after Charlie and Nick get together, but he was included in this season and much more should have been done with him. It felt like the series wasn't quite sure what to do with him, so just carried on using him as the bad guy in the story. Surely they could have done something with him, otherwise, what was the point of keeping him?

4. Charlie's ED

We were looking forward to seeing Charlie's eating disorder explored further in the second season, but it was simply sprinkled throughout and never really given the attention it deserved. It felt like his ED was used as a tool for foreshadowing, something to anticipate for season 3, where we know it will be fully explored, which was frustrating for everyone watching and waiting for the story to progress.

5. Not ending where it should have

Season 2 follows Book 3, and Book 3 ends right after the Paris trip, but season 2 decided to carry on a little further, which was completely unnecessary. The changeover in the plot felt abrupt and went on to include material from Book 4, extending season 2 for 2 more episodes. The two added episodes would have been acceptable, had they not rushed through important plot points from Book 4 that included Nick's dad visiting, and Charlie's ED.