Wrapped into eight steadily-paced episodes, Heartstopper season two is a four-and-a-half hour long rollercoaster of laughs and tears, accompanied by a beautifully-curated soundtrack and, best of all, a lovable cast of predominantly queer teenagers as each character’s realm of struggle is further explored and smoothly built on from season one. On top of stunning visuals, the added animated elements infinitely heightens the viewing experience. But, where the visuals peaked the writing was something I had mixed feelings about. Side characters had their stories further developed, but at what cost? Issac’s (Tobie Donovan) asexual awakening was shortly wrapped up in just a couple of scenes of him being a sad-looking loner and Tao’s (William Gao) most transformative character progress this season was an much needed haircut and revealing that he’s an insufferable film-bro. Though I have to give credit where credit is due; however corny and lacking the script may have been sometimes, the stories told through this show is undeniably beneficial for the queer community as a whole. Because yet again, Heartstopper season two finds a way to handle both sensitive topics and relatable experiences in a tasteful and empathetic way, where LGBTQ+ characters are not tokenized for their identity and pain, but instead have their stories told with nuance and a bit of cheesy romance. Safe to say I can’t wait for the next season.