Netflix has a plethora of content on its platform. From sci-fi to rom-com, you name it! In recent years, the streaming platform has been giving a green signal to series like Sex Education, which explores the world of teenagers going through puberty and learning about physical intimacy. Such shows have been welcomed with open arms by the fans. Adding more to the library is an upcoming British coming-of-age romance series titled Heartstopper. It is based on the webcomic and graphic novel of the same name by Alice Oseman.
The show will revolve around two guys (Charlie and Nick) who meet in a British grammar school and develop affection for one other. The beautiful setup will explore love, life, and friendship. This will be followed by Charlie’s mental illness and coming out.
If we talk more about the plot of the show, it centers around Charlie Spring, an openly gay teenager attending an all-boys grammar school. He is anxious and high-strung but things change for him when he befriends the school rugby player, Nick Nelson. The rugby player is kind, easy-going, and straight. While the two spend time together, Charlie develops feelings for Nick. Although, he is convinced that there will be nothing more between them, except friendship. Surprisingly, Nick might be developing a little ‘crush’ of his own. The series will follow how the two find love in the most unlikely place.
Heartstopper is one of those shows that will make you feel good after you finish watching it. When it comes to teenage romance, there’s a pleasant undertone to it. The gushy feeling when you see your crush, the young lovers, and so on. Such shows have the ability to remind you of your high-school days. The days when you fell in love with someone and could not stop thinking about them.
As per National World, the show is “very, very watchable”. It is upbeat and gentle, full of sunlight and bright colors, with a welcome lightness of touch that sets it apart from others of its genre.
The audience is praising the show for its LGBTQ+ representation. We have seen series that focus only on teen drama but not representation. Heartstopper is bringing a unique love story that is rarely talked about.
Yes. The characters originally appeared in the author’s debut novel, Solitaire which is about Charlie’s older sister Tori. The Heartstopper comics are purely based on the boys and their love story. It also features Tori, who provides her older-sister advice to her brother.
The series began as a webcomic, and it continues to update digitally three times a month on the 1st, 11th, and 21st. You can access the full comic and catch new updates for free on the Heartstopper Tumblr, Webtoon, or Tapas.
While the Council to Protect Children from Obscene Publications has declared the comics to be “inappropriate”, the show will be a little different.
The audience has been exposed to various series that include drug abuse, sex, and even harsh language. Whereas Heartstopper will be different. The 15-year-olds don’t take drugs, drink alcohol, have sex, swear or even argue with their parents. Instead, they go out for milkshakes, perform dutifully in school music concerts, and have chaste movie nights.
The characters are sweet, and polite and are away from the stereotypical representation of teens on television. Talking to The Guardian, author Oseman shared that she was “determined” to keep the original story of the two boys’ relationship into something “optimistic and joyful”. The author is also working on the series. She did not write the script but is overlooking every other detail from casting to costumes. She started working on reshaping the comic into TV series in 2019.
Oseman started working on Heartstopper in the year 2016. She picked characters from her YA debut novel, Solitaire, and went on to create the story. There are four volumes in the series so far. If you are willing to read the books, there is a certain order you need to follow. Start with Heartstopper Volume One (2018), then move on to Heartstopper Volume Two (2019), Heartstopper Volume Three (2020). Finally, you end it with Heartstopper Volume Four (2021). Click on the link to buy the whole set!
| Genre | Teen Drama |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 22nd April 2022 |
| Certificate | U/A 13+ (as per Netflix) |
| Cast | Joe Locke, Kit Connor, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Sebastian Croft, Fisayo Akinade and Chetna Pandya |
| Director(s) | Euros Lyn |
| IMDb Ratings | N/A |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Countries Where Available | Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States |
| Total Seasons | 1 |
| Total Episodes | 8 |
| Episode Length | ~ 30 minutes |
| Current Season | 1 |
| Filming Locations | Herne Bay |
| Soundtracks | Spotify Playlist |
