Netflix’s Heartstopper, based on the image novels of the equal call through Alice Oseman (and adapted to screen by the writer as nicely), follows Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) and the rest of their buddies — Elle (Yasmin Finney), Tao (William Gao), Isaac (Tobie Donovan), Tara (Corinna Brown), and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) — as they blossom into absolutely-realized teenagers. As participants of the LGBTQ+ network, with varying identities, they provide one another with assist and love as they deal with the realities of who they are and what it manner moving ahead. That, too, comes with certain hardships, as we see with human beings continuously invalidating Nick’s bisexuality or the horrors that Darcy studies at home together with her homophobic dad and mom in Heartstopper Season 2. And, at the same time as we like the series and the messages it relays, there’s one component that we desire turned into distinctive.
Ben Should’ve Disappeared After the Pilot Episode of ‘Heartstopper’
While the collection explores the stunning love story between Nick and Charlie, it begins with Charlie in every other courting with closeted student Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft). Their secret courting is quick ended by means of Charlie, who realizes how toxic the state of affairs is and what a terrible person Ben is. As Charlie ends things with Ben, he forces himself on Charlie and starts offevolved to kiss him, some thing that ought to be considered — and the series later classifies as — sexual attack. Nick intervenes, happily, but Ben is an antagonist for Charlie throughout the primary season as he’s desperate to live within the closet and rude to Charlie, and he feigns repulsion at any mild implication of being related to Charlie in any manner. That stated, his presence could be very a whole lot now not wanted after the pilot episode, as there’s nothing else of substance to return from Ben being around to further torment Charlie with out going through any real repercussions for his moves. Unfortunately, although, the collection decided to keep him round in Heartstopper Season 2 as properly.
Ben Drags Down ‘Heartstopper’ Season 2
The inclusion of Ben in Heartstopper Season 2 is a departure from the graphic novels, wherein he does disappear — and we’re wishing that have been the case for the display, too. Throughout the season, Ben watches Nick and Charlie increase their dating, rueful over how he “misplaced” Charlie. Plus, he’s bitter that Charlie is with Nick in any respect in preference to him, as Ben sees no difference among himself and Nick because this new romance is being stored a mystery as properly. Though, we realize it’s because Nick is operating on coming out, at the same time as Ben by no means deliberate to come out. There’s a heavy competition between Nick and Ben within the early episodes, particularly as Ben begins to date and use Nick’s buddy Imogen (Rhea Norwood), after which they’re sat subsequent to one another for their weeks of GCSE tests guidance where Ben continuously attempts to initiate Nick and receives them each into hassle. But, during all of it, including the journey to Paris, Ben watches Nick and Charlie enviously, constantly bringing down the temper, proving himself a horrible human being, and setting Imogen through hell as he doesn’t care approximately her in any respect.
Ben and Charlie’s Big Moment Fails to Land
In the penultimate episode of Heartstopper Season 2, Ben follows Charlie to Elle’s artwork exhibition on the Lambert School, ambushing him and Nick on their manner out. He makes a grand declaration that he’s sorry, however (flawlessly in character) places the blame on each person else for what he’s finished, just like the reality that his dad and mom will by no means be given his coming out. This falls flat for multiple reasons. First, this moment comes out of nowhere. Nothing in Ben’s tale builds up to this, as he has nearly no development in anyway from the pilot episode to this. He’s the identical selfish, depressing man or woman he always was. Second, whilst it’s quality to see Charlie inform Ben off for a way he so absolutely and significantly mistreated him throughout their dating, Charlie doesn’t advantage whatever from the interplay. It doesn’t make him experience better; it’s just extra trauma that the series, given its as an alternative lighthearted tone, isn’t nicely prepared to deal with transferring ahead. At the stop of the day, the most effective benefit to this is that Ben tells Charlie he’s shifting to any other college for the subsequent time period and Charlie won’t have to see him again. Hopefully, this is the primary time he’s been honest.
We Could’ve Gone Without Nick and Ben’s Rivalry
Yes, it’s remarkable to see Nick rise up for Charlie and prove how lots he is familiar with Charlie, inclusive of how tons the connection with Ben harm him. However, no longer enough in order that Nick and Ben needed to have so many scenes together. The tale with Imogen is likewise difficult to reconcile with, barely transferring our evaluations of Nick. He did attempt to warn Imogen faraway from Ben, but now not very difficult. Considering Nick is aware of how Ben sexually assaulted Charlie, it looks like he must’ve executed greater. But, this brings the story right into a morally murky grey region. Is it wrong to out Ben even as trying to shield Imogen? In a manner, it feels just like the simplest cause Nick didn’t is that there has been the hazard of Ben day trip Nick, too. In brief, the complete scenario became tough to watch, and nothing involving Ben got here to any quality stop.
Ben’s complete presence in Heartstopper Season 2 feels meaningless and pointless. We didn’t want to deal with the complexities in the situation between Nick and Ben in any respect. We didn’t need to look at Charlie be in addition traumatized with the aid of a boy that already so brutally shifted his attitude of himself and what it means to be in a relationship. In the give up, Ben receives away scot-free for all of the damage he has caused, leaving us to ponder what the factor changed into. He doesn’t face the song approximately who he is or what he’s performed, and has no development by any means to predict what kind of character he could become after gaining knowledge of from this enjoy. Simply put, Ben’s persisted presence dragged down and tainted an otherwise fun and properly-written season.
Every episode of Heartstopper is now streaming on Netflix.
