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Reacting to Heartstopper Season 2 - Episode 2 "Family"

🕑 Added 2023-08-06 22:07:03 +0000 UTC

Comments

aniatka

Alice said in one of interviews that the language was "softend" on purpose to make the show better for younger public 😁❤️

Kimberly Green

I have so many thoughts on this show and this episode. I was a bit late to the Heartstopper world (being a 50yr old queer woman in the US, it wasn’t on my radar until my bi nephew told me about it a couple months ago and now I’m obsessed and have watched both seasons multiple times!) During the scene with Nick and Ben, I love the detail of Nick rubbing the pen Charlie gave him while Ben is trying to make Nick feel bad about struggling to come out. I don’t know if that was written in or something Kit just did in the scene but it breaks my heart watching it and knowing how much he is struggling 💔 Ugh, David. I have a very homophobic older brother who kept me from seeing my niece and nephew when they were young because he didn’t want me to “influence” them and generally made my life hell so watching David being a “homophobic asshole” is SO painful. Unfortunately, I didn’t have supportive parents that would stand up for me and was kicked out of my house when I came out so this episode (and episodes 7-8 with Darcy 😭) brings up a lot of pain for me and I appreciate your vulnerability while recording these, it helps to not feel so alone. If you haven’t seen it, there is a Darcy edit of her storyline over Harry Stiles “Matilda” and it will make you sob. https://youtu.be/XLY_9q4PWf0?si=KamUT5lIb6yaDwBj

lisa mcarthur

this scene in the park is so beautiful i love how they done that and rainbow over char that was perfect just love it i hate david i dont like him i feel so bad for nick and also char i just want david to just leave them alone and i love how u explan very details of the show just love it u are very good friend

Suzy Dillinger

me too! I feel like a time traveller, going back to watch it all over again for the first time through someone else's eyes!

Jackie-Ross Lavender

You're definitely among friends here ❤️

Jessica Thomas

I don’t have any friends that watch this show and I absolutely love it. Watching it with your reactions makes it feel like I’m watching it with friends ❤️

Kay

I saw someone say in another reaction, that there's a moment at the Park, where Nick looks at Charlie and you see the minute he realises he's in love with him...

Eddie in Texas

Omg, that's an awesome revision ... here in the states no one says "piss off" ...it seems quintessentially British!

Kt B

I think the most impactful part of that scene is the when Joe is walking home. It means so much that Nick has posted that photo to his feed and publicly shown they’re spending time together outside of school and rugby. And that caption - it’s the first proxy for Nick actually saying those three little words that he never quite says during the season, but that Charlie can intuit anyway. This is where he knows in his gut that being boyfriends with Nick will be emotionally deeper than he could have imagined and where he begins to feel genuinely loved. It’s so beautiful to see.

Dennis Verner

Thanks Mark.

Mark Edwards

The 2023 US edition of the Nick and Charlie novella includes Some Bonus Explanation for American Readers. Here's Alice's intro: "Over the years, I’ve had many questions from American readers about some of the particularly British elements of my stories—for example, sixth form, grammar school, and A-Levels. So for this US edition of Nick and Charlie, my US editor, David Levithan, offered to provide an explanation of the Britishisms that might otherwise require a Google search. Over to you, David!—AO"

Trey Cummins

The growl from Nellie says it all

Dennis Verner

Oh, thanks! As I said, no rush, just curious.

Prinsassy

The scene in the park is my most favorite of this season. Sooooo wonderful. The music and the mood are incredible. I watched it 50 times and get goosebumps every time. The relationship between Nick and Charlie makes me really jealous... I love them 💖

Thiago Carvalho

You certainly can! I'm sorry you had to go through something like that 😔

TomF

Exactly! Same with me. I wish I had the ability to name things that make me feel different emotions like Jackie has.

Jackie-Ross Lavender

Can I please join the David hate club asap?? I have a particular hate for homophobic siblings after my own experiences!

Jackie-Ross Lavender

I'm so glad you're enjoying the full reactions, Jess! ♥️ I am ready to embrace where this story is going to take us emotionally this season. But still very nervous!!!

Jess Thompson

Loved this reaction. So glad I joined to watch full reactions. Watching your emotional journey on the backs of these characters is inspiring. Such a beautiful soul to share that with us. I hope the highs of this season carry you above the lows. 💜🖤🤍

Graham & Ruth May

I think this episode is just the beginning of the sometimes stressful exploration of parenting. That it’s difficult to get it right, that there are important discussions to be had (that sometimes aren’t) that respectful listening is a key component of family relationships, that there are times when the boundaries you try to establish for what you see as valid reasons turn into battlegrounds…and one of the aspects that I find interesting about this is the impact of fathers. Absent fathers (Nick and Tao) and kind but ineffectual ones (Charlie) are shown to profoundly affect their sons’ lives and the mothers in question become more dominant, for good or ill. It’s really interesting also to see Elle’s mother giving her opinion about Elle’s outfit just before Tao arrives outside the house and then stepping back to let her decide for herself what she wants to wear. Later, we might see more or hear more of other characters’ family dynamics and their impact on the characters.

lekka

I love your reactions the most because you have very similar emotional responses to many of the moments as I do - although your responses are much more well articulated, lol. The park scene and the song choice totally caught me in the feels as well, it made me tear up immediately! My heart can hardly contain all the joy that this season delivers - looking forward to watching you discover it for yourself!

Jackie-Ross Lavender

Thanks, Michael! It was a labour of love but I’m really happy with it!

Jackie-Ross Lavender

Just not in real time 🤣🤣 you can DM me anytime and i’ll respond as soon as I can… that’ll be the closest thing 🤣

Jackie-Ross Lavender

Hey Dennis! I’ll probably throw together a quick video because it’s easier to explain than typing it as there’s 2 different types of schooling routes essentially! I’ll try and get this done asap ♥️

Dennis Verner

Every time I watch this series I am struck by how beautiful Joe is. Particularly with the new production values in season 2. What an amazing and talented young man. In fact, they both are. The whole ensemble is!

Michael D

Jackie does respond, so nothing to be bashful about 😂🥰

Dennis Verner

Enjoyed this as always. I liked that you explained the schooling ages a bit but it's still confusing since in the UK the terms high school and college have different meanings. Here in the US high school is from 14/15 (9th grade) to 17/18 (12th grade) and then on to college (which I think you call university). If you wouldn't mind, a little more info. Since Charlie is 14/15 and in "year 10" in season one, flesh it out when you have time.

Thiago Carvalho

Nelly and I might start the David hate club 😂 I feel for Charlie so much this season. He's trying to take on this impossible protective role towards Nick, which is making himself so stressed out. It was a struggle watching this season knowing what was coming.

Cows With Webbed Feet

I’m newish to Patreon and am living all the full length videos. I found myself talking to you like you were going to respond back. Oh dear. 🤣🤦‍♀️ This season is definitely more mature than the last and can’t wait to see your reactions. Have a great time in Paris.

Daniel Frye

Loved the reaction! Thanks for the shout out love being here. 😊

Joe Lancaster

Nick's got the right of it. David is just a homophobic prick! and the bi-erasure, omg. I love how Nellie growls at him when he comes into the room too!

Charlie

I agree about Ben. I was very skeptical at first because I was worried they only brought him back because Bash is so popular. But, I never should have doubted Alice. I think the arc they gave him makes sense, but I won’t delve into why until we finish the season. In general, I’ve been so incredibly impressed with how the heavier elements of the comics were handled this season. We all felt like S1 was like being wrapped in a warm Nick Nelson-esque hug, and I was worried that warmth and optimism would be difficult to capture again. But if S1 was a warm hug, then S2 is like a balm to our inner wounds: it doesn’t cure them, but it helps ease the pain a little.

Lane Wright

The first time I watched this episode, I found it surprisingly stressful, and I was concerned that this season might be harder to watch than the first one. But now that I’ve watched it more, often with other reactors, I am delighted by the happier elements, such as Nick and Charlie at the park, and Tao’s conversation with his mother near the end. We are finding out a lot more about what makes Tao tick this season, and I think that makes him more sympathetic than some people found him in season one. And without giving anything away, having watched the entire season, I think I understand why Ben was brought back, and I think it was a good decision. P.S. Thanks for the explanation about the GCSEs. I had a general idea what they must’ve been, but it’s nice to have it explained for us Yanks who don’t know about such things. 🙂

Michael D

Jackie, we had the exact same reaction to the park scene! Tho I didn't realize it's symmetry until this watch (my 4th re-watch due to other reactors I follow). We both said it mere seconds apart 😂 Their hug spin is soooo full of love and missing each other, it's gets more touching every time I watch it. I do think Charlie's mom is being too harsh and going with the most drastic "rulings" towards Charlie. It is the same as the graphic novels, so can't fault that. But I do wish that they had started off with something like "no seeing Nick on school nights", rather than a full ban and eventual grounding. Something I have pointed out to another reactor is I feel the only reason Nick is doing great in school, where Charlie is not, is due to the fact that Charlie cares so much for Nick that he is helping him with his coursework and letting his own fall to the wayside. Plus, lastly, something you might enjoy is a BTS fun fact from Alice, is all the non-scripted dialogue that happens in the bg/silent music driven moments between the characters is improved. Like in ep 1 - the dancing and chatting amongst themselves at slumberparty. Or the kissing montages. And in ep2, the silent interactions between Charlie and Nick at the park. And later on in the show, things I won't spoil.