By Molly Gawthrop, Staff Writer
Charlie is coming out of a toxic relationship where he was kept a secret. Nick is still figuring out who he is. Both do not realize they need each other until they do or that their friendship could be more than they originally thought.
Adapted from the graphic novel by Alice Oseman, this coming-of-age Netflix series appeals to a wide range of viewers. With accurate representation and LGBTQ actors cast for LGBTQ roles, this show is set up for success.
Alice Oseman had a pivotal role in filming, alongside director Euros Lyn. The actors commented on how helpful it was to have her there for any creative acting choices, as she knows these characters more than anyone. The cast has become very close friends making them very loveable from an audience perspective.
Heartstopper is the prequel series to the novel Solitare, which follows Tori, Charlie’s older sister. I came into the show after reading Solitare with some knowledge of Nick and Charlie’s relationship. I love Tori as a character although she does not have a huge role in the show, she still has a lot of great moments and is very witty. She is very wise and a great sister to Charlie.
The show also focuses on Nick and Charlie’s friends including Tara and Darcy, and Elle and Tao. Their friends are all supportive of their relationship except for Tao who believes Nick is leading Charlie on, he just wants what is best for Charlie.
Heartstopper has been widely talked about on social media with a 8.9/10 Imdb rating and a 4.9 star audience rating.
Viewers seem to have a deep connection, seeing themselves in Charlie and Nick.
Showing LGBTQ relationships in a positive light and having more media representation is crucial for others. Sophomore Cailin O’Keefe agrees saying, “I think it had good representation and it showed a lot of the struggles that people in the LGBTQ community go through. I also thought it was a cute show.”
It is rare for shows that have LGBTQ representation to have a happy ending. Heartstopper is an exception but it is very important for more shows to follow in its footsteps.
In an interview with Variety, Kit Connor (Nick Nelson) said, “To have a show where you see queer people being happy and being together and united as a group, I think there’s something really beautiful about that…I think it’s really important to have a show that is just portraying queer love and queer beauty.”
The representation in Heartstopper allows young queer people to see that they can have positive relationships in their lives and in media. Heartstopper is the representation the media needs right now, it is current and a great story. I would personally encourage everyone to watch this show.