As an adult fan of Netflix’s Heartstopper, the way I watch the series is a bit different than the teenagers who flock to one of the best teen shows. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore Charlie and Nick’s relationship, and I respect all the show has done for LGBTQ+ representation on television. However, I do find it hard to relate to the characters because I didn’t have an epic high school love story like so many of them are experiencing. That’s why I was so excited last season when the series introduced the adult romance between Truman's teachers, Mr. Farouk and Mr. Ajayi. However, in the new season, they got basically no screen time.
Unfortunately, Heartstopper Season 3 was so busy giving Charlie and his friends major challenges to deal with that they seemingly forgot about the best adult couple on the show, and their screen time was almost nonexistent.
For those who might have forgotten, Nathan Araji (Fisayo Akinade), is the sympathetic art teacher at Truham whom Charlie is extremely close to. Youssef Farouk (Nima Taleghani) is introduced in Season 2 as a strict faculty member who oversees the study periods for the GCSE exams. Later on, the two teachers chaperone the Paris trip, and they begin to explore a secret romantic relationship.
Unlike Araji, who has been open about his sexuality for much of his life, Farouk explains that he didn’t come to terms with being gay until he was in his mid-twenties. Thus, he had a hard time connecting with the students because he didn't know how to relate to them on a personal level and they didn’t have common experiences. While introducing this storyline took away from the teen relationships last season, it offered the “late bloomer” adults who watch the series someone they could relate to and root for.
You can imagine my disappointment, then, when Season 3 dropped on Netflix and Araji and Farouk were basically missing. We got a cute scene of them arriving to work together, where they talked about how to downplay their relationship so their students wouldn't pester them, but that’s really it.
Even though I know they’re not the main characters, I was really hoping to see more of them — at the very least, we deserved a cute date sequence. I would have even been happy with a scene of Nick confiding in the duo after Charlie leaves school to seek treatment for his mental health.
Look, I get it. Araji and Farouk might not be as exciting of a couple to watch on television as the quippy teens, but their relationship is still important, especially when it comes to LGBTQ+ relationships on screen. After all, not everyone figures out their sexuality as a young adult, and even if they do, there’s no guarantee that they’ll fall into an epic romance like Nick and Charlie have. It’s nice to have a couple that showcases that and emphasizes that it’s okay not to find your other half while you’re young.
Farouk’s story, in particular, is one that feels monumental to be addressed in a show that depicts multiple queer couples in happy relationships. It would have been groundbreaking to see more of his struggle approaching an adult relationship with Araji since he doesn’t have much experience in that department. The writers could have even juxtaposed his experiences with the ones the teenagers are experiencing.
Hopefully, Hearstopper will get renewed for Season 4, and Alice Oseman and the rest of her team will find a way to give us more scenes between the loveable teachers. For now, you can stream the first three seasons of the show with a Netflix subscription.
