The Netflix series "Heartstopper" is adapted from the webcomic and graphic novel series of the same name by Alice Oseman. Photo courtesy of Netflix
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.
