Heartstopper is a British coming of age series based on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman. It’s about the romance between grammar school students Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor).
Although Heartstopper is primarily a gay romance, the series delves into subjects such as bullying, abusive relationships, and peer pressure. The cast is culturally diverse, and the story explores a wide range of sexual identities. And because Heartstopper includes such a varied cast of characters, the story has a depth not often seen in a romantic coming of age series.
The central characters are: Charlie Spring, a shy, gay student who was recently outed; Nick Nelson, a rugby player questioning his sexuality; Tao Xu (William Gao), a film nerd and intellectual; Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney), a transgender girl who has romantic feelings for Tao; Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan), an avid reader who is more at home with a book than people; Tara Jones (Corinna Brown), an out lesbian who is romantically involved with Darcy; and Darcy Olsson (Kizzy Edgell), Tara’s girlfriend.
Every episode feels fresh and topical without being in your face. And the script allows the characters to be who they are without calling unnecessary attention to how they identify. They come across as people with feelings and problems. Charlie is dealing with an abusive relationship, Nick must come to terms with himself and the expectations of others, Elle is feeling lonely in her new school, and Tao is missing her.
The acting, script, pacing, and look makes it easy to get lost in the story. With rich colors, shots framed like images from a comic, and graphics that swirl about to underscore feelings, Heartstopper is a delightful nod to its graphic novel origins. And it all works, feeling natural and fluid.
I can’t think of anything negative to say about Heartstopper. It’s a sheer delight to watch. The young cast does a fine job understanding their characters and breathing life into them. The story is engrossing and full of honest emotion. You’ll want to watch all eight episodes in one sitting, so feel free to set a day aside.
You can watch Heartstopper on Netflix.
