Heartstopper Season 3 episode titles explained – what fans should expect

We get it – expectations for Heartstopper Season 3 are huge, and rightly so! But what do the confirmed episode titles already tell us?

Fans have had to wait for Heartstopper Season 3 for a good while, but they’re also lucky. Thanks to creator Alice Oseman’s original graphic novels, we have an idea of what’s to come.

New episodes will pick up during Book 4, taking viewers up to – and including – Book 5. In real-time, we’re still waiting for the release of Book 6, so the drama is still all to play for. Even better: its episode titles have already been confirmed by the streaming service.

As the binge-worthy TV show heads back to Netflix, here’s what we think each episode title tells us about Heartstopper Season 3. Warning: some spoilers ahead!

Episode 1: ‘Love’

This Heartstopper episode title is likely the most obvious – fans can expect Charlie to finally tell Nick that he loves him.

Not only is this a scene we know is coming from the graphic novel, but the trailer for the new TV show has also confirmed this as a dead cert.

Even so, this makes the most sense as a starting point. When we last saw the couple in Season 2, Charlie was trying to work up the courage to say the big three words. While he chose not to after telling Nick he used to self-harm, Charlie went as far as writing it out in a text.

The screen faded to black before he sent it, and fans are waiting for the big moment. In Book 4, this happens in the street, with Charlie telling Nick while he’s in the shower and leaving in embarrassment.

By the time Nick catches up with him, he’s sopping wet – but the two share a heartfelt moment under a street light.

In more general terms, love is all around in this friendship group! Expect to see some more joyous and heartfelt scenes between the whole gang.

Episode 2: ‘Home’

Nick will be heading abroad on his first holiday since he met Charlie, with ‘Home’ perhaps signaling their reunion.

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Another huge challenge for the boys in Book 4 is navigating their first big stint apart from each other. Nick goes on holiday with his family while Charlie stays at home, continuing to struggle with his studies and eating. It’s pretty soon after the “I love you” scene, so would work well as a second-episode hook.

As you can expect, tensions run high when the two are far apart, calling their reliance on each other into question.

There’s another key scene that will be taking place at home: the gang needs to pick up their GCSE results. Sixth form is a big focal point of Season 3, with Elle settling on starting at art college in Season 2.

Tao, Isaac, and Charlie need to find out what they got in their GCSEs, while Nick, Tara, Darcy, and Elle are after their results for AS level.

If you’re also a millennial kid who hasn’t been in school for a decade, these are now numbers rather than letters (with 9 being the best).

Episode 3: ‘Talk’

This title is likely tied to Charlie – if he can’t talk about his issues, he isn’t going to get the help he needs.

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Even if you haven’t read the novels, you’ll know Charlie has a hard time communicating. He tends to bottle his feelings up, stewing on them obsessively rather than sharing the load.

It understandably took him a long time to process his feelings for Nick, with the same now happening with his eating disorder. As it stands, Charlie is trying to pass it off as no big deal, but is eating less the more time goes on.

Episode 3 is likely a breaking point for this. If Charlie continues to avoid eating he will fatigue, snapping and stressing out too.

Nick will likely want to help as much as he can… although there’s only so much he can do. We know Charlie eventually gets diagnosed and seeks out professional help, with ‘Talk’ likely the start of this.

Episode 4: ‘Journey’

A journey in Heartstopper can mean any number of things, but this is likely a journey within a relationship or with Charlie’s eating disorder.

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As this is the halfway point of the series – and thanks to Joe Locke, we know it’s unofficially split in two – we’ll likely see Charlie diagnosed here.

In line with the books, Charlie gets a diagnosis of anorexia, but also OCD. He spends time at a recovery center, living there temporarily before he rejoins school. Along with a dietician and a therapist, Charlie learns to manage his eating.

We’ll probably see a mini-reunion with Nick here too, alongside some more scenes with Tori.

Episode 5: ‘Winter’

Based on the graphic novels, we know big Christmas-time scenes are to come, including an epic New Year’s Eve party.

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Here’s where things slightly differ from the novels. The Heartstopper cast has a key change with Oliver Spring, who is originally introduced as Charlie and Tori’s youngest brother. In the show, he’s reimagined as their cousin – and he’s coming over for Christmas.

Again, these are more scenes directly lifted from the books, but they’re not too difficult to guess. Fall directly leads to Winter, but a Christmas dinner is a massive test for Charlie’s new diet plan.

This feeds into the New Year’s Eve party, which reveals a more physical side to everyone’s relationships. They’re all getting older, and this means they’ll want to get intimate… so expect romance instead of drama this time around.

Episode 6: ‘Body’

Another one that speaks for itself, Charlie will have various fears surrounding how he looks, with his disorder likely diagnosed by now.

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As Nick and Charlie get physically closer, Charlie will probably feel more self-conscious than ever. He’s continually aware of the fact he’s not eating – even if he won’t acknowledge it – and will no doubt be losing weight as a result.

Episode 6 is likely to be an ongoing crisis of confidence, feeding into the rest of the friendship group. But who are the perfect people to support Charlie through it?

We’re also bound to see a deeper dive into the group’s opinions on S-E-X… bodies aren’t always a bad thing, after all.

Episode 7: ‘Together’

We also know that sex scenes have been filmed for the new series, with ‘Together’ seemingly the ideal place for them.

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According to Kit Connor, at least seven hours of footage have been filmed for this – but we’re unlikely to see quite that much onscreen.

We can also assume that this isn’t going to be a Bridgerton approach to sex on screen. Not only are these young adults, but wholesomeness has always been at the forefront of Oseman’s stories. Scenes are likely to focus on love, journey, and connection, rather than the actual act.

Still, Episode 7 could be a real transition from kids to adults. We’re leaving the more traditional Heartstopper format behind for something that’s not afraid to dig even deeper into difficult topics. At best guess, we’re not about to see something that would make parents and kids alike cringe.

Episode 8: ‘Apart’

Of course, Heartstopper wouldn’t be Heartstopper without one final drama, potentially pushing Nick and Charlie apart.

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What good is one of the best TV shows of the year if there’s no dramatic cliffhanger at the end? ‘Apart’ suggests something that could change the foundations of Nick and Charlie’s relationship for good.

But let’s not rule the others out. We know Tao is anxious about spending less time with Elle, Isaac feels more isolated in asexuality than ever before, and Tara and Darcy are also going through some big relationship hurdles.

Honestly, this could be directed at any one of them – or perhaps all of them at the same time. The next step after sixth form is university, meaning Kit, Elle, Tara, and Imogen will be setting their sights on the future. But where will they go, and can the group stay together?

Heartstopper Season 3 is available on Netflix from October 3. In the meantime, check out our Season 3 review, the scenes we’ve been most excited for, and why Ben isn’t in new episodes.

You can also find Netflix updates with Virgin River Season 6 and Stranger Things Season 5, alongside more TV shows streaming this month.