THeartstopper’s children are growing up, so this beautiful, almost absurdly wholesome drama must grow up with them. The third season of the TV adaptation of Alice Oseman’s hugely popular graphic novels follows much of the same path as its predecessors. The central couple, Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke), are still together – and are considering taking their relationship to the next level. The viewer may be surprised to learn that the initial point is to say that you love each other. When Charlie’s sister Tori (Jenny Walser) expresses shock that they haven’t done it yet, she speaks for all of us. I was tempted to look again.

I wonder if this feeling that the relationship is further along than it is suggests that some of the stars have moved on to a much bigger stage. Watching it is a reminder that while Connor and Locke have already gone to Hollywood, it’s a cozy, comfortable drama that defies almost all the bells and whistles. The extent of its conspicuousness lies in the occasional cartoonish flourishes and penchant for celebrity cameo appearances. Since Olivia Colman is missing as Nick’s mother this season, Hayley Atwell and Jonathan Bailey have stepped in. Otherwise, this Netflix series would be perfect on the BBC (and I don’t mean that as an insult).

Each episode follows the same loose formula. There’s a significant or seasonal event – GCSE results, a summer holiday, Christmas, a birthday – and the teenagers find out how they feel about an issue, be it Tori recognizing her need for companionship now that Charlie is in love , or a high-school Tara (Corinna Brown) tries to figure out how to balance her relationship with her mother’s desire to attend a top university.

As we begin, it seems like this season needs to find a little more courage for its oysters. The tension between Charlie and Nick has long since passed. As with any romantic story where the main characters come together, it’s harder to keep the spark alive.

But it soon finds new, if still gentle, maturity. Previous hints of Charlie’s problems with food are brought to the forefront as Nick finds himself in the difficult position of figuring out how to help his friend with something far beyond his teenage abilities. Nick is essentially the safe dream boyfriend for teen viewers – a figure of calm, romance and support wrapped in a willingness to wear a vest or go topless whenever duty calls for it. Charlie’s decline progresses steadily while maintaining some semblance of truth. Locke’s scenes with psychiatrist Geoff (another famous adult, Eddie Marsan) feel authentic and quietly insightful.

Likewise, Yasmin Finney takes on a more challenging role as Elle, this time dealing with the realities and details of life as a trans teenage girl and her place in the world. If one of the main themes this season is sex — and whether and when the couples are ready to have sex — then a scene in particular between Elle and her boyfriend Tao (William Gao) is beautifully and delicately handled, as if cradling fine china. While Tao’s great enthusiasm for his role as friend is slightly irritating, there are subtleties in their relationship that are explored with great care.

The teenagers of Heartstopper all have their problems and face self-doubt and insecurities, but they explain what’s happening to them as if examining every facet of their behavior from a great distance. While I don’t doubt that real teenagers are articulate, this understanding of what’s happening offers the comfort of a fantasy without the rough edges of reality. Ultimately, everything feels just manageable here, even in the worst case scenario. That’s one of the reasons it’s so enjoyable to watch.

Smartphone natives will find the hectic pace more bearable than those of us who grew up with Snake on a Nokia, but the truth is it’s not for us. It’s a young teen series about personal dramas that seem all-consuming at 16 and 17, but as time goes on they take on a hazier, even slightly nostalgic sheen. For adults — especially those who grew up under Section 28, when being LGBTQ+ often came with an air of shame — the beauty of “Heartstopper” is imagining that teenage life could have been like this. For those who can relate directly to the teenagers on their screen, what a treat.