11 key differences between Heartstopper season 3 and the books
How does Heartstopper season three differ from Alice Oseman’s books? (Netflix)
Across eight episodes, Heartstopper fans can finally see what Joe Locke and Kit Connor, who play young queer couple Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, were on about when they promised a “darker, more mature” and “raunchier” season three.
The newly-released episodes includes Charlie being diagnosed with anorexia, and Nick’s attempts to support him, the couple’s first sex scenes (as well as those of the other leading duos), and a few surprises.
Eagle-eyed fans will be watching to see how accurately Alice Oseman’s graphic novels have been adapted for the Netflix series. A lot of the new season is similar to the books but there are some fairly big changes, too.
Here’s a run-down of the 11 biggest differences between volumes four and five of the books and season three on screen.
Charlie takes longer to divulge that he’s struggling
Heartstopper season three kicks off by adapting the beginning of volume four, with the clan enjoying a day at the beach. After Charlie appears to be uncomfortable taking his top off to go in the sea, and with other bits of evidence to back his fears up, Nick wonders aloud if his boyfriend has an eating disorder. In the book, Charlie’s response is: “If it was that, what would I do?”
Nick suggest talking to his parents, and Charlie replies: “Yeah, we could do that.”
In season three, it’s a different story. After Nick voices his concern, Charlie brushes him off. “I don’t think I do. I know I’ve got some issues but I don’t think they’re that bad. You don’t need to worry about me,” he says, before paddling away.
The subtle change is an important one. Speaking to PinkNews recently, Ella Canham, from Beat, the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, explained that it “takes a lot of courage, a lot bravery” for someone to reach out to a loved one for support, and, often, people feel they have their problem under control and don’t need support.
According to Beat, on average, it takes three-and-a-half years for someone to access support after their symptoms begin.
By including Charlie’s denial about his struggle, the screen version is a more accurate portrayal of living with an eating disorder.
The zoo scene
A lot of episode three is taken up by Nick’s surprise birthday party at London Zoo. The scenes develop Isaac’s sense of abandonment by his friends, as one of the only ones not in a relationship, and help establish Charlie’s continuing struggle with his body: he doesn’t want to be in the photos or eat lunch with everyone else.
There’s also time for Darcy to describe why they hate being called a “lady”. This isn’t included in Oseman’s novels, partly because Darcy doesn’t come out as non-binary, and Charlie is far quicker to admit he is suffering with anorexia.
The beach scene
One of the pivotal moments in volume four is between Nick and his mother, Sarah, while at a beach on holiday, where she comforts him as he frets about supporting Charlie through his eating disorder.
“I know it feels like you’re both each other’s whole world, but that dependency isn’t healthy for either of you,” Sarah tells her son warmly. “Charlie needs to seek help from someone who isn’t his 16-year-old boyfriend… love can’t cure mental illness.”
However, earlier this year, Olivia Coleman, who plays Sarah, revealed that scheduling conflicts had prevented her returning for season three, meaning Oseman had to rewrite the scenes to show Nick’s aunt, Diane, taking him on holiday and it’s she who has the touching conversation with him.
Isaac’s aromantic journey
While Isaac realised that he was is asexual in season two, now he reveals to his friends that he is aromantic too – meaning he has little romantic attraction to anyone. The scenes aren’t in the original Heartstopper books, though. In fact, Isaac doesn’t even exist in them and was created for the TV adaptation.
Darcy comes out as non-binary
As a supporting character in Oseman’s graphic novels, Darcy (played by Kizzy Edgell in the show) has few leading storylines. Their main one is their sweet relationship with fellow student Tara (Corinna Brown), and poor relationship with abusive mother Amanda. These plots are reflected in the Netflix series, but season three adds a new dynamic as Darcy slowly realises that they are non-binary.
The change in direction for Darcy is possibly down to Edgell’s own relationship with their gender. In 2023, he came out as transmasculine, and now uses he/him and they/them pronouns.
The Halloween party
One of the major elements of season three’s fourth episode – seen as one of the best in the show’s history – is the Halloween party, which doesn’t appear in Oseman’s original works. Nick, dressed as Captain America, goes along while Charlie is in a psychiatric hospital receiving treatment for anorexia.
But he struggles being there alone, and ends up weeping in the arms of Charlie’s best friend, Tao (William Gao).
However, fans did get a hint that season three would feature a Halloween party. Posting on their Instagram art page, @AliceOsemanArt, last year, the author shared an illustration of Nick and Charlie hugging each other at a party, with the latter dressed as Spider-Man.
Episode five
Ding dong merrily on high, episode five is the festive season. It features some fairly moving scenes, with Charlie fighting with his overbearing mother on Christmas Day, while his sister Tori is left in tears as he decides to go to Nick’s for the day.
While the fight is mentioned very briefly in volume four of the novels, season three fills it out, including some key moments: Nick’s entire family watch as he and Charlie kiss, Charlie asking his boyfriend to turn way while he gets changed, and another, fairly intense, kissing scene.
Elle’s radio interview
Arguably one of the most topical and crucial elements of Heartstopper season three is Elle’s (Yasmin Finney) radio interview. After going semi-viral on Instagram because of her art, she’s invited on to the local radio station to discuss it, but the presenter takes the conversation on a wild tangent, probing her on her thoughts on trans rights as a young transgender woman. She’s essentially asked to debate her existence live on air, and it makes for uncomfortable viewing.
Although it’s a timely scene, as trans rights fill more column inches and panel time than ever before (despite the transgender population being one of the smallest worldwide), it’s not one that originated in Oseman’s comics.
Tori doesn’t come out as asexual
Towards the second half of volume five of the graphic novel series, Tori (played by Jenny Walser in the series) tells her brother Charlie that she believes she’s asexual. Having had sex with her boyfriend Michael (Darragh Hand), she says the experience “confirmed some suspicions” about her sexuality.
The scene takes place at the local fair, where she and Charlie are on the ferris wheel. Tori says she is not Michael’s girlfriend, and Charlie quips about them having a “weird amount of trouble with labels for a straight couple”. In the comics, Tori responds: “Neither of us are straight.”
In the Netflix adaptation, while the ferris-wheel scene exists, Tori just responds with: “We’re not a couple,” and there is no mention of her asexuality.
Subtle changes in the sex scene
While the much-talked about sex scenes in season three are fairly similar to how they’re depicted in Heartstopper volume five, what happens just before them is subtly different – but with big potential consequences.
In the most recent novel, as they prepare to have sex, Charlie turns to his boyfriend and begs: “Please don’t ever leave me.” In response, Nick promises: “I’d never.”
A lot of the content in the comic is kept in, such as Nick telling Charlie that he is “so f**king hot”, but in the TV adaptation, they’ve omitted the “don’t ever leave me” line and Nick’s response. Could it be a nod that, next season, they may have to go their separate ways?
The end of volume five isn’t included
In the last few pages of volume five of Heartstopper, just after the lads have sex, they discuss what’s coming for them next in their academic lives. Charlie talks about being nominated for head boy, and Nick says he has decided to go to Leeds University – four-and-a-half hours away. But on screen, the scene ends with the pair cuddling in bed, with all that left unsaid, so their futures are wide open for season four.
Speaking to PinkNews recently, Connor and Locke revealed that Oseman is yet to tell them how Nick and Charlie’s story ends.
Season three of Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix now.
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