Thursday, August 3, 2023

Heartstopper: Episode 14


14. Truth / Dare
Nick meets up with his father Stephane (Thibault de Montalembert) but can’t get to come out to him and introduce Charlie as his boyfriend. The reunion does not last five minutes as he receives a phone call and has to run. However, he tells his son that he will be in England the following week. Darcy throws Tara a surprise birthday party in their hotel room where the flowing liquor leads to a game of Truth or Dare. As Charlie is put on the spot on a dare to kiss either James or Ben, he opts for truth instead resulting in the million dollar question as to who gave him his hickey. Nick answers on his behalf and practically comes out to everyone in the room, admitting that they are dating. Harry comes over to apologize for being homophobic so he can join the party but Charlie shuts the door on his face. James admits to Isaac that he is his new crush and the two kiss, but the latter gets confused and runs away. Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk share a bed for the night as Darcy throws up on the other bed. The group leaves France the next day.


So Mr. Farouk is gay too. His case is different, though, that of the closeted guy who chooses to stay in the closet and comes out later in life. While his narrative is more of a millennial piece that might seem out of place in a show targeting a Gen-Z audience, the younger generation can actually learn a lot from this through a comparative perspective, reflecting on how attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community have evolved over time. In a way, it serves as a rather compressed timeline view of the challenges the community has been facing as a whole. As for other subplots, it looks like Ben will be getting his turn in the limelight soon. I’ve always found this character interesting because I just know that there is a more nuanced explanation for him being such a dick, and I’ll be glad to discover what the story behind that is. Another subplot bubbling up is Isaac’s. He obviously likes James so it makes you wonder what the reason might be behind his reluctance. Perhaps this is just another case of not wanting to experience the bullying that is included in the coming-out package?

“Why did I get into teaching?” –Mr. Farouk

<<Episode 13                Episode 15>>

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