Love

Episode Information

Airdate

October 3, 2024

Written by

Alice Oseman

Directed by

Andy Newbery

Run Time

33 min

Episode Guide
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Love is the first episode of the third season of Netflix's Heartstopper, and the seventeenth episode of the series overall. It also serves as the third season premiere.^[1]

Synopsis[]

On a trip to the beach, Charlie's desperate to tell Nick how he feels — but Nick also has something he wants to discuss. Tao plans a summer of romance.

Plot[]

On a hot summer day, Tori is lounging in her room with a small fan to cool herself off. Eventually she walks down the hallway, and overhears her younger brother Charlie working up the courage to say “I love you to Nick. Eventually, Tori walks into Charlie’s room, and he yells halfheartedly at her to stop spying on him. She retorts that maybe he should not be declaring his love so loudly, and admits she is surprised that the two boys have not said the “L” word yet. Charlie admits it’s not that easy, and on one hand thinks it's too soon to say it anyway. Plus, the last thing he wants is for Nick to feel obligated to say back to him too. Tori reminds Charlie that Nick probably feels the same way as Charlie, and the rugby boy is literally obsessed with him. Eventually, their talk is interrupted when the doorbell rings. Charlie grabs his backpack and runs down to greet Nick at the door.

Meanwhile, Tao asks Elle if they will be having dinner at his house later that night before eventually entwining their hands together. Elle reminds him they had pizza four times at his place now. But he admits that tonight he is thinking of something fancier like cooking a candlelit dinner for her. Elle laughs good naturedly, and asks with what cooking skills he is planning to do so, and Tao chuckles as he tells her that he will have the power of romance on his side.

Elsewhere, Tara and Darcy race each other as both teens laugh gleefully. Tara eventually wins, and Darcy asks Tara why she can’t just let Darcy win at least once. Tara for her part replies that she is simply faster. But Darcy reminds Tara how she needs the win because she got kicked out of the house by their mom. But Tara is quick to point out how the night before Darcy hogged the duvet and they were almost caught by Tara’s mom. Darcy then states that living with Tara is like a dream, before they run ahead in effort to beat Tara.

Later, as she sees Imogen struggle with all the stuff she brought, Sahar reminds the blonde that she did tell her to not bring so much stuff to the beach trip. As the gang begins walking down to the beach, Nick instantly gives Charlie a piggy-back ride, and Tao and Elle proceed to hold hands. All while Darcy yells out that the Paris Squad is together again.

Once on the sand, Nick takes his shirt off, and Charlie can’t help but ogle. Eventually, Nick takes some sunscreen out, and asks Charlie if he can do his back. To which Charlie agrees. The two boys feel sparks fly as Charlie rubs the sunscreen all over Nick’s back. Charlie can’t help but have the three letter word play in his mind, and eventually imagines saying I love you to Nick, with disastrous consequences like Nick not saying it back. Nick asks if Charlie already has some on, but the curly-haired boy tells his boyfriend that he doesn’t really burn, he just tans. Despite being called over to the water by Darcy and Tara, Nick kisses Charlie before eventually going over to the two girls.

Whereas, Elle and Tao are off on their own, eating ice cream and Tao taking pictures of Elle, as the two enjoy their blossoming relationship. Tao then has Elle close her eyes, and puts a bracelet with a T for Tao on her hand, and he has a matching one, but with an E for Elle on his hand.

Back at the beach, a game of volleyball ensues where it's Nick and Darcy vs. Tara, Imogen and Sahar. Charlie and Isaac sit close by reading. Isaac, perceptive as ever, notices Charlie seems stressed. To which Charlie confesses how he wants to say I love you to Nick. Eventually though, the two friends talk about Isaac and his lack of attraction for anyone. Isaac explains he just doesn’t see the appeal in romance or relationships. He reveals to Charlie that he is pretty sure he is not only asexual, but aromantic too. Charlie doesn’t know what aromantic is, but Isaac jokes that he can google it later. Charlie scoots closer to Isaac and reminds his friend that he could always tell their friends, and that they’d be very supportive of him. Isaac admits that he knows this, but at this point in time, he can’t bother to give everyone a vocabulary lesson.

Later, the gang gathers to eat, but Charlie sits nervously with his food as he picks up a fry. Nick notices, and sits close to Charlie as he asks him if he isn’t hungry. Charlie tells Nick that he is just feeling like a slow eater today. After, Charlie and Isaac joke with a pouty Tao because Elle is a bit further ahead with Tara and Darcy as the gang is walking around. Sahar, who is behind them jokes that it is okay, as the honeymoon phase won’t last forever. Tao is taken aback, and just says that it just might.

Nick and Tara have a talk, where the rugby lad asks Tara how life is treating her since Darcy is living with her. Tara says it’s good, but Nick reminds her that it is okay if it feels like it is too much. Tara mentions how for now, it is much safer for Darcy to be living with her, but that she might be moving out soon though as she has been chatting with her grandma who wants Darcy to come live with her. Tara then goes on to tell Nick how it is hard dealing with having someone you love being in trouble, because you can’t help but want to do anything to help ‘em. Later, as the others are busy building sandcastles, Nick asks Charlie to come into the sea with him. Charlie is hesitant, and tells him that he doesn’t want to take his shirt off. Nick understands and reminds Charlie that he can keep it on, because it will dry with the sun. Charlie agrees, and the boys go into the water. They splash each other, and eventually Nick grabs Charlie and submerges them into the water. When they resurface, Charlie jokingly says he hates Nick, as the older boy leans closer and their heads are pressed together, before Nick leans in and kisses Charlie.

Eventually, he moves onto kissing his way down Charlie’s neck. Charlie blurts out that he has something he wants to say to Nick, who says he also has something to say. Charlie lets Nick go first, who voices his concerns about Charlie’s eating habits. Telling the curly haired boy he has been doing some research, and thinks Charlie may have an eating disorder. He also voices concern saying how because he cares about Charlie so much, he has noticed that has gotten much worse for Charlie as of late. This causes Charlie’s happiness to be zapped out, and instead he feels this dark void creeping into his psyche. Not ready to hear any of this, Charlie tells Nick that he knows he has some issues he has to work through, but that they are not that bad. So Nick doesn’t need to worry about Charlie. He begins to walk back to land, but stops when Nick asks him if he is mad. Charlie tells his boyfriend that he is not.

Later, once they are back from the beach, Nick is packing up for his trip to Menorca and Charlie is on Nick’s bed. Charlie reminds Nick how this will be the longest they have spent apart since they met. Nick asks if Charlie is going to miss him, and Charlie jokes that he will a little bit. Nick calls him rude for saying that, and so Charlie admits he will be Nick a lot. The boys kiss once more, before Nick tells Charlie he is going to shower, as he has sand everywhere. He then asks if Charlie will be staying over to watch a movie with him. Charlie jokes that he will, as long as it is not a Marvel movie. Nick retorts that he forgot Charlie had no taste before he closed the door.

At Tara’s house, Tara has a hard talk with Darcy telling her significant other that perhaps living with Darcy’s gran might be a good idea for Darcy. Tara points out how that way, Darcy would have more space, to which Darcy states that they don’t need more space. Tara continues by saying how much she loves Darcy, and mentions how she loves being near Darcy, waking up next to her, but she has realized that she needs some personal space. Darcy isn’t mad, and tells Tara that they will try living with their gran. Darcy then jokes saying that this could be a good thing as they might get more time in the shower, since Tara takes like an hour every morning.

At Tao’s home, the romantic dinner he planned for Elle is not going great. His mom asks if he is sure he doesn’t want her help, to which Tao says he is sure. He is adamant that he can do it himself, and that he will make a romantic dinner for Elle. Elle tells Tao’s mom how she already tried to help, but that he is too stubborn and didn’t let her help either. Mrs. Xu relents, but asks that his son not burn down their house in the proceeds before leaving the kitchen. Tao eventually admits that Elle is the best thing that has ever happened to him, and is afraid of losing her.

Back at Nick's house, Charlie is slowly eating before eventually turning around and smiling fondly at some of the pictures Nick has of him, and the two of them together. His reminiscing is cut short when he gets a text from his mother asking him if he is on his way back, since it is past 9PM. While Nick is on the other side of the bathroom door, and still showering, Charlie informs Nick that he has to go home. Nick tries to ask Charlie to give him two minutes before he is done, and so that he can walk Charlie home. But Charlie says it's okay and that he doesn’t have to do that. Charlie looks at Nellie who is looking up at Charlie intently as Charlie gets the courage to finally tell Nick how he feels. So he tells Nick he loves him, but when Nick is too stunned to speak, and the silence gets drawn out, he quickly says his goodbyes and rushes out. Nick tries to rush out of the bathroom but slips. He quickly gets out of the shower with a towel on, and almost rushes out to catch up with Charlie before remembering that clothes are kind of important. Nick quickly puts on some shorts and a jacket and runs barefoot to catch up to Charlie, who is currently calling himself an idiot.

Eventually, Nick catches up to him and hugs Charlie tightly. He then asks Charlie to say it again, since it wasn’t fair that Charlie said it while he was in the shower. Charlie reminds Nick that he doesn’t have to say right back, and that the reason he said it was because Nick will be gone for three weeks. But before he can finish his sentence, Nick tells him that he loves him too. The two kiss once more and Charlie realizes that Nick ran out with a shirt on, and without shoes. Nick reveals that he saw Charlie peeping at him at the beach, but reminds him that as his boyfriend, it is allowed. As for the lack of shoes, that is just proof of how in love with Charlie he is.

Elsewhere, Darcy watches Tara sleep before giving her a goodnight kiss, and Elle and Tao end up having pizza with the sunflower that she got Tao on the table.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest-Starring[]

Momo Yeung as Yan Xu
Laura Hanna as Mariam Argent

Quotes[]

To be added.

Trivia[]

On August 3rd, 2023, it was announced that Season 2 was the final season to feature Sebastian Croft, as Ben Hope, and his last appearance was in the season 2 finale "Perfect".^[2]
On March 28, 2024, Olivia Colman announced that she would not be returning for Season 3 due to a scheduling conflict and felt awful about it.^[3]
On September 29, 2024 Locke revealed how they “have a knack on this show of filming summer scenes when it’s not summer and having to pretend we’re all really warm when we’re actually freezing,” and with Kit agreeing that filming his scenes in the sea was a “very cold” experience, despite how it might come across on scene.^[4]
- The cast filmed on location at Lyme Regis beach on the Dorset coast this episode.^[5]
On September 30, 2024 the first three minutes of for this episode were made available by Netflix.^[6]
In one scene, Nick asks Charlie if he will be staying over to watch a movie with him. Charlie jokes that he will, as long as it is not a Marvel movie. Nick retorts that he forgot Charlie had no taste before he closed the door. Ironically, Locke would eventually be revealed to have been cast as Billy Maximoff, AKA Wiccan on the Marvel series Agatha All Along.^[7]
- Years earlier, around 2017, Alice Oseman had drawn Charlie and Nick as Wiccan and Hulkling for a Halloween party in the web novel.^[8]