Heartstopper season 3 episode 6 “Body” was all about control. Being in control, not being in control, and letting fear that you won’t be in control guide you. It happened to every single character in this episode and I really feel like Heartstopper found a balance of teaching a lesson but also not shoving it down our throats. It’s giving new age Degrassi and I’m enjoying the journey that all of these teenagers are going through.
So without further ado, let’s jump into Heartstopper season 3 episode 6 “Body.”
Charlie and Nick taking the next step.
Firstly, I didn’t realize that Charlie has been 15 this entire time. I’ve reached the point in my life where these are children to me. So while I’m glad that we have a show like Heartstopper to give younger people a sense of belonging and where they can see themselves in the characters on screen. And I do like that there are older gays who will be living some classic teenage experiences through these characters. But it still feels like these are my kids. So when there are these sparks between Charlie and Nick or even Elle and Tao, I’m happy for them. But I’m also like, “Do I need to turn away because these are my children and their TV counterparts are half my age?” Truly, I didn’t think I was old enough to feel that. But here we are.
Nevertheless, I think that “Body” has some really important intimate milestones that are payoff from everything Heartstopper has done in season 3. But the complex themes of control are also in line with the journey ahead. We saw Charlie trying to control how Nick saw him if they got intimate. He was also trying to control his own fears, which explains why he got so drunk during his birthday. Charlie wanted to control his fear by muddying up his mind and letting go. Thankfully, Nick saw through that and put a stop to it because as much as he wants to be with Charlie in a more intimate sense, he loves him and respects him.
I also think that Charlie and Nick took another step in their relationship by just opening up about these things. Looking back at season 1 Charlie, I never would’ve thought we’d be here with season 3 Charlie and everything he’s doing. But I absolutely love that the therapist pointed out that Charlie has been brave since the beginning. He’s just going through something hard. And Nick, who has seen him at his worst, continues to show that he supports Charlie, even if it means attending an event with a historian Jonathan Bailey where he downplayed how hot Bailey was and thought he was just being there for support. Which, if Nick’s reaction is anything to go by, he gets the appeal.
Being proud of Charlie.
I wanted to have a completely separate section about how proud I am of Charlie Spring. And it’s not just because he asked for help from Nick and his parents earlier on in the season. I’m proud of Charlie for the moment that he had with Tara. His friend was going through a lot just like the rest of the teenagers. And when it came down to it, when Tara was having a panic attack, Charlie was prepared. He guided Tara through breathing exercises and grounded her by telling her where she was. Not only did it show us some of the weight that Tara is carrying and hasn’t spoken about, it showed a different side of Charlie.
Looking back at Charlie just even in the beginning of this season, he was in a place where he thought he would never get better. And when it comes to mental illness, in real life and even in Heartstopper, it doesn’t just go away. And I really like that the show emphasizes that in “Body.” Charlie had his days where he dipped back into problematic behavior since treatment. But he got up and he kept going. Now that we know that it’s been months since New Year’s, I’m proud of him for just still trying. And I’m even more proud that now he has actual skills that he can use to help those closest to him when they need help.
His progress and the way that Heartstopper has presented it in season 3 episode 6 “Body” makes me feel the same emotion as when Aunt Diane spoke to Nick in season 3 episode 2 “Home.” The conversation between Nick and his aunt got me emotional because oftentimes we don’t think about the secondary victims or how our families deal with the traumas that we are going through. It felt real. And watching Charlie regress but also keep pushing forward and then helping his friend with those skills that he learned during treatment, I feel like a proud mom. I also feel like I saw a bit of myself reflected in Charlie. Because I struggle and fall back. And maybe I need to give myself a little bit of leeway just like Charlie’s therapist is telling him to take it easy on himself.
MORE: Revisit where Charlie started out this season in our Heartstopper season 3 epsiode 1 review “Love.”
“We’re just human beings.”
It’s been a really long time since I have gotten viscerally angry at a show. But that radio host in Heartstopper’s “Body” brought out the firing rage inside of me that makes me want to build a machine, enter the show, and ask her where she gets the audacity to ask a teenager something like that. Because that’s what Elle is. She’s a young woman, and based on what we know of Charlie’s age, she’s most likely 16 years old. So how dare you ask a 16-year-old such a heavy question after getting her there under false promises of talking about her art and social media following. It was inappropriate and manipulative.
What happened to Elle at that radio station is not the other shoe dropping that I’ve been fearing on Heartstopper. This is the lived reality of transgender people. Because as fluffy as Heartstopper is in a lot of instances, this show does deal with some real heavy topics. And Elle’s existence in 2024 is a very politically charged conversation for people. But for Elle, she’s just a 16-year-old kid. And this random radio host popped her out of her euphoric bubble where she was experiencing joy within herself but in her relationship with Tao and her art. And this radio host did it for a show, a bit, and to pit Elle against fear mongering garbage that comes out of the mouths of those who want control over the binary as if their way is the only way to live life. It isn’t.
The one saving grace when it came to what happened to Elle at that radio station, is the fact that she wasn’t alone. Her parents and her boyfriend were there to support her and call out the radio station for their manipulation. I think that’s part of what gave Elle the strength to get up and get out of that situation. Because again, she’s a kid. And like we mentioned in episode 1 of season 3 of Heartstopper, Isaac doesn’t need to sit down and give a whole lesson about being aromantic or asexual. In the same vein, Elle doesn’t have to sit down and give a whole lesson on why transgender people should exist. It’s not that complicated. Transgender people are human beings. Period. And Elle doesn’t need to be the ringing example of the transgender community or be put into a position where she needs to teach others, or more importantly defend her way of living, when transphobes want them to cease to exist.
Somewhere in this equation there is a problem. And it’s not Elle. The people who are transphobes are the problem. And I’m really concerned about how Heartstopper season 3 is going to continue the storyline. Because if there’s anything they’ve taught us, it’s that they’re not going to drop the lead. But even though Elle is one of the strongest people in this entire cast, even the strong need support and can buckle under the weight of the world. And this whole radio station situation is a lot of weight for a young woman to handle.
MORE: Need a distraction after that radio interview? Revisit Elle experiencing joy within herself in our review for Heartstopper season 3 episode 5 “Winter.”
Heartstopper season 3 is now available on Netflix.
