The Netflix series “Heartstopper” quickly became a fan favorite amongst many teens and young adults. The fanbase has only grown since its second season released on August 3.
The series is centered around Nick and Charlie, two British grammar school boys who meet when they are seated together. Charlie, played by Joe Locke, is openly gay and instantly falls for Kit Connor’s character Nick, who he assumes is straight. After discovering he has romantic feelings for Charlie, Nick realizes he’s bisexual.
Originally, “Heartstopper” started off as a webcomic created by Alice Oseman in 2016. Over the years it has been published into a four volume graphic novel series before getting a Netflix series adaptation. After a successful first season, “Heartstopper” was renewed for two more seasons.
As the creator and executive producer of “Heartstopper,” Oseman plays a huge part in how the series unfolds. There are many important scenes and story arcs that Oseman was passionate about including.
There are animated leaves throughout the series, which represent the romantic feelings characters have for each other. In addition, they are also an easter egg for readers, as the leaves are prominently featured in the comics.
It was very important for Oseman to include a large spectrum of LGBTQ+ experiences in the series.
“One of the most important things about Heartstopper is that it’s got a big queer friendship group at the center of it all, and that’s something we should all celebrate,” Oseman said.
True to their word, the series explores a diverse set of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual and aromantic experiences. The series also deals with important issues such as transphobia, homophobia, biphobia, bullying and mental health by making it a point to discuss discrimination openly and without judgement.
In one scene, Charlie shares his struggles with mental health and Nick listens in a supportive and loving way to show the importance of talking about mental health .
Throughout season two, Nick comes out to his friends and family. However, he realizes that coming out is much more complicated than he expected, which many young queer people can relate to.
Eventually he gets to the point where he openly and proudly announces his sexuality with his iconic catchphrase, “I’m bi, actually.”
“Heartstopper” season two has a notable soundtrack which helps the audience feel the emotions of the characters. “Seven” by Taylor Swift starts playing after characters Darcy and Tara reach a milestone in their relationship. The song continues playing as a heartfelt montage of the main characters is shown on screen. “Heartstopper’s music supervisor, Matt Biffa confirmed on social media that Taylor Swift watched the scene beforehand and thought it was so beautiful that she gave showrunners permission to use the song.
Adiescar Chase, the show’s composer, wanted the audience to feel the characters falling in love. So, she created a vibrant sound that is full of emotion for season two. Chase explained she has a theme for each character and couple in the show in a Netflix interview.
Regarding the theme for the character Ben, Chase said “It’s very gritty [with] slapping sounds — almost like him as a person, the way he looks and how his attitude slaps you in the face. I love the punchiness to it in the music.”
Overall, “Heartstopper” is a refreshingly cute, queer teen romance that anyone can enjoy. The series does a great job of representing a healthy, realistic queer relationship not commonly seen in popular media.
