By KAITLYN HENSON
Staff Writer
With the recent uprising of more LGBTQ+ content being made available on streaming, Netflix has recently released a new rom-com special series that’s unlike any other! From the creative mind of Alice Oseman and her graphic novel series, it has finally come to life in the lovingly sweet “Heartstopper”.
The show was written by Alice Oseman herself and was directed by Euros Lyn (who’s best known for his work in Doctor Who and Sherlock) and tells the story of openly-gay high school student Charlie as he navigates his everyday life being bullied and made fun of for his sexuality. But when he starts to fall for rugby player Nick Nelson, the two form a strong connection as Charlie’s feelings start to grow – and Nick starts to question whether he likes him back. The show recently aired on April 22, 2022, and currently has a 100% on rotten tomatoes.
I remember seeing a lot of excitement for this upcoming series through social media, especially among those who are big fans of graphic novels. And even though I’ve never read them nor have ever heard of this story, I was intrigued and waited for the day “Heartstopper” would finally come out. And when it did it surprised me a lot! The story is so precious and the main characters are such sweethearts towards each other. I quickly fell in love with this show’s aesthetic with the animated fireworks and sparks that fly by whenever a character starts to feel butterflies for someone, it adds to the lovable atmosphere of where these characters live in.
As someone who’s a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I really appreciated the representation shown in “Heartstopper” and how realistic it all felt. Charlie’s crush on Nick feels so warm and kind and Nick is the exact same towards Charlie as well. They have this love in their eyes for one another even if they don’t realize it yet, and their little greetings towards each other are so awkward yet so cute. I can definitely see myself in this sort of scenario if I had a crush on someone.
And it’s not just the two main characters that show great representation. One of the main characters in the friend group is a girl named Elle, who is transgender and had just transitioned. I love the fact that her gender identity isn’t her only character trait, and that she’s funny, mysterious, and very loving towards her friends. And there’s a sweet bit of romance between her and the other person in their friend group Tao, who is always there for her no matter what and misses her since she had to go to the all-girl school. Elle also meets a lesbian couple at her new school, who throughout the episodes start to grow more and more comfortable coming out to everyone else about their relationship.
Though “Heartstopper” has its loving moments, it also conveys very realistic scenarios. At the beginning of the series, Charlie is in a secret relationship with a guy who, outside their relationship, pretends he doesn’t exist. He makes him guilt himself and tells Charlie how worthless he was to him, which Charlie continuously struggles with on top of constantly being harassed by the rugby team. If it weren’t for the one team member – Nick – to help him up on his feet Charlie would have still felt trapped like he had felt for so long.
Nick, while realizing his feelings for Charlie, struggles to figure out his sexuality and what and who he likes. He searches up different terms on the internet, learning about what makes someone gay, what bisexual means, etc. Nick expresses this confusion to Charlie and it’s such an understanding moment for the both of them. It can sometimes be difficult for those to truly understand what makes them attracted to a certain person, whether that be a boy or a girl, or even if you’re not even certain whether you’re a boy or a girl or neither. I love how this show explores all these different aspects of identity and being true to yourself, as well as how to learn to be comfortable in your own skin before you’re ready to commit to a relationship.
Overall, I’m head over heels in love with this show! “Heartstopper” is truly a one-of-a-kind story that really cares for the source material as well as the story they’re conveying. It’s such an incredibly beautiful and relatable story that anyone can relate to, and it spreads so much love and positivity through its powerful visuals, music, characters, emotions, and above all, love. I would highly recommend this show to anyone who’s a part of the LGBTQ+ community or is an ally because it’s truly an eye-opening experience for anyone and everyone to see. “Heartstopper is very much a masterpiece.