Despite the success of shows like “Heated Rivalry” and “Euphoria,” seeing queer people on screen is still rare. Only 9.3% of characters on American TV screens were identified as LGBTQ in the 2024-25 season. Around 41% of those characters are not scheduled to return for subsequent seasons, sounding alarms among those in the LGBTQ community about the drop in representation during a period of political uncertainty.

Despite media networks’ and streamers’ unsteady support for queer characters on TV, a few series have broken through the mainstream to demonstrate the impact that rich, explicitly queer-focused stories can have on viewers. One of them, “Heartstopper,” has been particularly touching for fans.

“Heartstopper” has been praised for its positive depiction of queer love, pushing back against tropes like “bury your gays” and trauma porn that sensationalize the suffering and death of LGBTQ characters. This breakout success for queer joy in media returns for its final chapter on July 17, 2026, as “Heartstopper Forever,” the feature-length conclusion to the three-season Netflix show.

Adapted from Alice Oseman’s webcomic and graphic novel series, “Heartstopper” follows the love story of Charlie, a gay boy who has a history of being bullied for his sexuality, and Nick, a popular jock who slowly discovers his bisexuality throughout the first season. Their friends support them through the challenges of young love, and many make their own self-discoveries about gender and sexuality along the way.

“Heartstopper” has been called the young adult version of “Heated Rivalry,” a hit show about the unexpected chemistry and steamy romance between two rival male hockey players. Instead of explicit sex scenes, “Heartstopper” has primarily built anticipation toward hand-holding and first kisses.

But while the main characters of “Heartstopper” are teenagers, the show’s fans span every age and identity.

“Heartstopper” has meant a lot to many people, including us – two professors in sociology and English and queer sisters who share a love of young adult media. So, over the past two years we have interviewed more than........

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