Heartstopper season 3 episode 5 “Winter” explores the after of getting treatment. Charlie went to get treatment and now he’s back to his day to day life. Now comes the challenges of how to explain to others how long he’s been gone, reconnecting with friends, and dealing with overbearing parents who are trying their best but they’re just human. In the mix of this episode is also the holiday season. As much as Charlie’s friends and family are trying to be understanding, the extended family is having a little trouble. That breeds anxiety across the board while others in our friend group are experiencing some epic firsts.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the important moments from Heartstopper season 3 episode 5 “Winter”!
Charlie and his ignorant family.
I understand the curiosity of Charlie’s extended family. A lot of their questions come from genuine interest. You want to know the people that you consider your own and how to best treat them. But I think these relatives definitely crossed the line from curious to blatantly ignorant. Charlie is not a zoo animal or show pony that you can gawk at. He’s real, his problems are real, and he will continue to deal with his mental health issues and his eating disorder long after Christmas and New Years.
If I’m being honest, I would throw Charlie’s mom into the mix of family members that are being ignorant. Her and the dad are trying to be understanding. But the number one thing that they aren’t doing is listening to Charlie. He was facing an issue during Christmas and he came to his mother with said issue. Instead of his mother shutting the ignorant family members down, she perpetuated a narrative of not rocking the boat and just taking the bad feelings and swallowing them. That’s not helpful. And I really like Charlie’s character progression throughout
Heartstopper that he now feels strong enough to stand up for himself and say “no.”
Just because I’m proud of Charlie for standing up to his mother and the rest of his ignorant family, doesn’t mean that I’m happy with the way that he treated Tori. Even as a viewer, I think I’ve forgotten Tori consistently. And I think that’s part of a deliberate choice from Heartstopper to get us to stop and think. She’s always on the fringes of Charlie’s life. But she’s still essential. She’s always there for Charlie and I think he’s got a shiny new toy in Nick and is forgetting that he’s had someone on his side the entire time. His sister. At the same time, I do think that she needs to step out on her own. Her whole story cannot be about Charlie. And that moment during the party where she locked eyes with a stranger, it’s a signal of good things to come.
MORE: What comes after Christmas? Find out in our Heartstopper season 3 episode 6 review for “Body.”
Elle’s dysphoria and milestones.
Teen shows, at least when I was growing up, had teens raging to get busy. They never stopped to hesitate on whether they wanted to have this sexual experience in their life or if they were ready to be with a partner in that sense. It was just go, go, go. And personally, that made me feel like there was something wrong with me because I wasn’t ready when I was in my teens. That’s why I really like what Heartstopper is doing with Elle. She’s hesitant. She has a right to be hesitant. Her experience is like other teenagers but also different. And I’m glad that we took a moment to explore the sparks between Elle and Tao while also giving her the space to stop and choose.
Elle needed a moment to express what was plaguing her. And I feel like Heartstopper “Winter” found a really good balance of expressing how much Elle trusts Tao but also how afraid she is about this new territory that they’re exploring. And like what’s been going on with Charlie, her gender dysphoria isn’t just subtly going to disappear because she ended up getting intimate with Tao. That’s going to stay with her and I feel like it’s been with her since the very start of Heartstopper in small ways. “Winter” just allowed her to have a more direct focus on her hesitations.
I’m very curious as to how transgender teens experience this moment of euphoria through Elle and Tao. Because it’s absolutely true that when you don’t see experiences that match your truth, oftentimes you don’t think your truth is valid. People see their truth through Elle. And I will continue to repeat on how much these stories mean to the youth of today until transgender and LGBTQ+ stories are the norm. Because right now it’s a wasteland when it comes to transgender representation on TV, especially for teenagers. That’s especially true if you take into consideration that this is a uniquely honest but soft comfort show for many. Heartstopper is about finding friendships and partners in life instead of partying hard, drama, and more drama in the style of something like Gossip Girl or any of the other cookie cutter TV shows.
MORE: What comes next for Elle, especially with that radio interview? Read our review for Heartstopper season 3 episode 6 “Body.”
Imogen and Sahar.
Like Tori, Imogen has been on the outskirts of this group for a very long time. In season 1 she was on the cusp of being a stereotype that would be used to tempt Nick to the heterosexual side (lol) before disappearing. I was surprised then that she stuck around and continued to be a friend to Nick. And in season 3, I’m still surprised but delighted that she still is around. She might not be a regular like Isaac or Tao. But she’s a part of this friend group and is on the cusp of something different with Sahar.
For some, the kiss might have been a little bit of queerbaiting. But for me, I don’t see heterosexuality as the baseline. That’s what people think, but it doesn’t mean that it’s the reality. And there is a very curious phenomenon that happens when one is surrounded by a lot of queer people. You find yourself being open to exploring different things. You’re more open to different feelings from different people and are open to opportunities you might have never thought of before. That’s what I think is happening between Imogen and Sahar. Or what I hope is happening. Sometimes you don’t realize that what you want is right in front of you or that what you need could be something different.
At the same time, I do think that I need more context or backstory on both of these young women. I especially need it when it comes to Sahar because I feel like we’re missing out on the kind of person she is. But I also think that I would like to see who Imogen is outside of this vapid persona she wears. If there’s anything that Heartstopper has taught me in season 3 episode 5 “Winter,” it’s that fear drives people to do things. Fear is what pulled Elle and Tao away from new experiences. It was also the thing that made Charlie run to Nick’s house and Tori follow him. Fear is at the heart of a lot of issues when we confront them. And I think Imogen has let fear make her into someone she doesn’t recognize or even know in the first place. Hopefully she’ll take this opportunity to figure herself out. Sahar too.
Heartstopper season 3 is now available on Netflix.
