Netflix’s newest Original Series Heartstopper is an 8-episode series based on the webcomic turned graphic novel series of the same name by Alice Oseman, which is currently available on Tapas. Oseman serves as the series creator and showrunner, and it’s directed by Euros Lynn. We’re here to detail three reasons you should watch Heartstopper as soon as you can.
A coming-of-age romance about self-discovery and friendship, Heartstopper follows the gentle and awkward Charlie and rugby-loving Nick as they meet at secondary school, become best friends, and well, fall in love. Charlie, Nick, and their circle of friends must navigate the ever-relatable journey of self-discovery and acceptance, supporting each other as they learn to find their most authentic selves.
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The Characters
The series’ ensemble cast is more than enough to watch Heartstopper. Young actors across the board, the series stars Kit Connor, Joe Locke, Yasmin Finney, William Gao, Tobie Donovan, Corinna Brown, and Kizzy Edgell. In the series, the main group of friends you follow is Charlie, Tao, Elle, and Isaac. With Nick, Tara, and Darcy rounding out the group of characters that all have romances and friendships with our main characters. To start, Heartstopper is focused on queer romance, but it’s also focused on showcasing healthy relationships both romantic and platonic.
While each character is defined by their identity in their relationship, they are also so much more than just their identity. They have likes and dislikes, they have rooms filled with small insights into their personalities, and they all have a dynamic appearance on screen that lets you know that they are complete people, not just characters on screen to tick a checkbox.
The tensions between characters are pushed by their connections to each other, their friendships, and who they are on their own too. It’s hard to find such an extended cast of dynamic characters in an adult series, let alone a young adult one. But Heartstopper does it.
The Romance
Romance is the core of the series and definitely one of the top reasons to watch Heartstopper. The series follows multiple couples as they explore their identities, their hearts, and how they connect to other people. First, there is Nick and Charlie. Two friends turned boyfriends who are exploring what it means to be together when one person is discovering who they are.
While Charlie has been out, Nick has to find out what to call himself and how the homophobic world around him has impacted how he views attraction. Then there are Darcy and Tara, a couple from an all-girls school who we see through Elle and Nick’s eyes as they come out publicly to their school and friends.
Then there are Tao and Elle, best friends who are having to adapt to a life that’s changed by Charlie spending more and more time with his boyfriend Nick. Tao and Elle are the closest of any of the friends, and we get to see their love blossom beyond platonic care to something more.
Heartstopper explores young love in a way that embraces all of the awkwardness in it. The moments when you question whether you should touch a hand and adapt to new friend groups. Additionally, the healthy and loving relationships in Heartstopper showcase the unique challenges that come with queer romances in a society that devalues queer people. But those moments of adversity don’t overshadow the joy on display in the series. The romances here, while complicated because of the people around them, aren’t filled with fighting or distrust. Instead, they’re filled with safety, consent, care, and joy.
The Warmth
The world is hard right now, and it’s increasingly harder for queer kids as states strip them of their rights. In such a hostile world, Heartstopper offers up warmth and safety that reaches out and says, “You’ll be okay.”
As the series broaches difficult subjects like coming out, being used, and bullying, it never gives up safety. With adorable animations that come into the scenes as a nod to Oseman’s artwork in the webcomic, there is a sense of comfort and exploration that is immediately recognizable.
If there is one thing that Heartsoppper does, it’s that it presents audiences with a blueprint for healthy friendships and romantic relationships. It gives warmth to show that queer kids deserve safety and love. They deserve to be supported by the people around them. And that’s the biggest reason to watch Heartstopper.
Heartstopper is streaming exclusively on Netflix April 22, 2022.
