Heartstopper: Season 1/ Episode 3 “Kiss” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
Not even at the halfway mark and something MAJOR happens between Nick and Charlie!
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.
Not even at the halfway mark and something MAJOR happens between Nick and Charlie!
| Aired | 4/22/2022 |
| Network | Netflix |
| Directed By | Euros Lyn |
| Written By | Alice Oseman |
| Introduced This Episode | |
| Harry | Cormac Hyde-Corrin |
| Imogen | Rhea Norwood |
Summary
It’s Harry’s 16th birthday, so naturally, he invited the Rugby King, Nick, to his party and said he should invite some people. Imogen, who has a crush on Nick, subtly pressures him to invite her, and he does. However, the only person he really wants to invite is Charlie, who accepts despite being a wallflower.
This causes some problems in Charlie’s friend group, though. Well, it upsets Tao anyway, who doesn’t appreciate all the changes going on in his life. Though Charlie cancelling movie night, and Isaac bailing out, that means alone time between Elle and Tao, which includes hand-holding, but no confessions.
As for Harry’s party? It’s alright. Charlie doesn’t really do much beyond talking to Nick, and when Nick is pulled away by Harry, he wanders the huge venue and unfortunately encounters Ben, who still wants him some Charlie, but Charlie isn’t receptive. As for Nick? Harry tries to pressure Nick to pick up where he left off, three years ago, with Tara, but Tara comes out to him when it comes to her dating Darcy, and Tara even goes public with Darcy at the party, so that is the end of that.
This leads to Nick looking for Charlie and, eventually, the two find each other and go somewhere private. They talk about Tara and Nick not liking her, and Charlie asks who he likes, and Nick eventually directs the conversation to him liking Charlie, and the two even kiss! But, with Harry pulling Nick away, again, it seems Charlie sees this as a red flag and maybe thinks this could be when their thing becomes as Charlie experienced with Ben.
However, the following morning, after Charlie bailed on Nick, Nick is right there at Charlie’s doorstep, in the rain, ready to question what happened?
Things To Note
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Does Isaac even care about these people, or is he mutually friends with them?
- You think Imogen saw Charlie and Nick run through the dance floor together to be alone upstairs? With that maybe being how Harry knew Nick was up there?
What Could Happen Next
- Nick and Charlie going public
- Tao confessing to Elle, and her thinking about the potential of losing the friendship if the relationship goes south
- Tao losing Elle to Tara and Darcy
- Ben outing Nick
Review
Highlights
The Music
I just want a playlist on YouTube featuring all the music. I don’t think since, I want to say Skins, has a show had such a dreamy and exquisite soundtrack. Well, Euphoria has a decent one as well, but mainly Labrinth’s tracks with his vocals, especially if Zendaya’s voice is featured. But you get what I’m saying.
Teens Dressing Normally For A Party
From the girls to the boys, I love that, even with Harry being a rich kid, we’re not seeing these 15 and 16-year-olds dressing like they are 20-something-year-olds going to a club. They got jeans and nice shirts, sneakers, cute dresses that could work for junior prom to simple parties like Harry’s. It furthers how much this show wants to give a real, lived experience, and not exist within a fantasy.
Not Having To Wait a Whole Season For A Kiss
We didn’t have to wait until the season finale for Nick and Charlie to kiss? Hold up, is this a mini-series? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I hate waiting as next as the much person, but I’m delightfully surprised. Nick went from Google searches and Buzzfeed quizzes saying he is 62% gay to taking the opportunity to not only kiss Charlie but call out his friend’s homophobic statements?
Again, this seems a little too perfect, but considering how much LGBTQIA+ media features people like Charlie stuck in relationships with people like Ben, I’m just going to shut up and enjoy myself. Here is to the downfall of traumatic coming-of-age stories for queer people!
On The Fence
Tao’s Intentions
Here is my thing with Tao: I don’t know his intentions. He comes off rather possessive, and I don’t know when it comes to Elle if he is trying to hold onto her so that she doesn’t blossom and find people beyond him like Charlie or if he likes her and doesn’t have the words for it? It’s hard to say, and again, with how perfect Nick is, I could imagine Tao having a rough road. Almost as a counterbalance, but not on a Ben level.
[ninja_tables id=”65784″]
