“Heartstopper” Leaves Viewers in Awe
On April 22, Netflix released the first season of graphic novel adaptation “Heartstopper,” an LGBTQ+ dramedy detailing all the wild emotions and angst of uncharted teenage romance. In addition, the show sheds light on the mental health of its teenage characters as they navigate life, loyalty and relationships in a fun and nuanced way. “Heartstopper” was originally released on Tumblr as a webcomic in 2016 by Alice Oseman, which was later published as a physical graphic novel in 2019. The story has been viewed over 60 million times and has amassed a subscription of over 259 thousand followers (The New York Times). Whether it was due to previously devoted fans waiting for “Heartstopper’s” return as a television show or the refreshing plot lines, the show placed number one on Variety’s “Trending TV Chart of the Week” within the first weekend of its debut. The show has also remained in Twitter’s “Top Trending Chart” for three consecutive weeks.
Seen by all of “Heartstopper’s” recent success, audiences have been able to appreciate how the cinematography closely follows the original comic-book art style. For example, every time the main character, Charlie Spring, would flirt with his secret crush, Nick Nelson, animated butterflies would float across the screen—clear symbolism of a person getting butterflies when talking to someone they like. However, this is not the only instance where emotions are brought to life on the screen in “Heartstopper”. Whenever the characters feel a surge of powerful and consuming emotions, the creators of the show utilize that moment as a creative outlet for other kinds of wholesome, animated imagery. When Charlie and Nick share their first kiss, different shapes and colored hearts appear throughout the screen, making the moment even more touching. Additionally, the use of transitions cutting between scenes accurately mimics a comic playing out in front of the audience’s eyes. Senior Prudence Bhattarai believes the show’s creative cinematography helped bring its success and likeability.
“[‘Heartstopper’] was a super fun and unique show,” Bhattarai said. “It was [like] nothing that I had seen before, which made me [really] like it. I think that everyone kind of caught on to it because [it did really well] with helping [the audience] connect to the characters’ emotions, [depicting] teenage romance and ultimately [falling] in love with [the characters].”
The show’s execution in representing and portraying LGBTQ+ relationships has earned itself widespread support from the LGBTQ+ community. While many other shows characterize their LGBTQ+ characters with exhausted stereotypes and overused tropes, “Heartstopper” sheds light on different issues the LGBTQ+ community confronts, as well as embraces the characters’ sexualities in a heartwarming and enlightening way. Almost the entire main cast is part of the LGBTQ+ community; for instance, the main character is gay and his main love interest is bisexual. In addition, there are lesbian and transgender characters, which help to catapult the show’s LGBTQ+ representation even further. Senior Nicoletta Gagliano describes why a show like “Heartstopper” has been so important and impactful to the LGBTQ+ community.
“After watching [the show], I realized that there needs to be more shows [that represent the LGBTQ+ community] the way ‘Heartstopper’ did,” Gagliano said. “Among all the shows I can recall that have LGBTQ+ representation, most feel super repetitive and the main focus is always on their struggles rather than appreciating [their sexuality] and giving that character the happy moments they deserve. Instead, ‘Heartstopper’ felt more genuine and comforting to watch and that is what the [LGBTQ+] community should have.”
From the show’s creative adaptation to its incredible representation of the LGBTQ+ community, “Heartstopper” has set a substantial precedent for future teenage dramas. The discussion of sexuality at a young age and the effects of homophobia on mental health intertwine with playful moments that keep audiences emotionally invested all in one single episode. Not only has “Heartstopper” proven its place as one of the most comforting shows to watch this year, it has also highlighted the importance of certain bonds that carry on through life’s toughest moments. English 1 and 4 teacher Lisa Dohren details why “Heartstopper ” is an incredible adaptation to experience.“I have always been very into reading comics, so I was excited about this show,” Dohren said. “Although I did not expect ‘Heartstopper’ to be adapted the way that it did, I think [that the producers] made all the right decisions. I was able to feel the same experience and emotions that I get when I read comics. People [are able to] connect to the characters and really understand them in a comic, and I do not think the ‘Heartstopper’ adaptation could have done any better in upholding that.”
