Heartstopper Review

Netflix’s Heartstopper, redefined T.V. show adaptations when the first season became streamable on Friday, April 22, 2022.

There are many aspects to this show that make it amazing. One of the most important aspects to viewers is the relatability of the show. From the anxiety that the characters face to the awkward text exchanges in adolescent relationships, queer teens relate a lot to Alice Oseman’s characters. Throughout the show, there are multiple kinds of queer characters. There are lesbians Tara and Darcy, gay Charlie, bisexual and questioning Nick, and transgender Elle. This helps queer teenagers to feel represented by the show. Sophomore Avari Baldwin expressed, “It was different and it was kind of new because there aren’t very many shows with gay people in them.”

The series was adapted from the graphic novel series by the same writer. Many teenagers had already read the comic book in anticipation of the series or had followed Oseman’s posts of the book on the popular site, Webtoon as she released them. Many enjoyed the books, so they were glad to see the same plot in the show. Junior Parker Lambert explained, “I feel like [the show and the book] are on the same level and it allows one of my favorite graphic novel series to come to light properly.”

The series also took some characters in the show, like Tara, Elle, and Tao, and gave them their own plot lines. Thankfully, the adapted T.V. series was also written by Oseman, so these plot lines were similar to their stories in the book and felt fluid between the show and the book series.

The show also follows in the book’s footsteps with illustrations. The show uses illustrations to showcase love. Whenever a character falls in love with another, you can typically see illustrated leaves falling or bushes flowering. This helped the viewer to understand the character’s emotions and incorporate aspects of the graphic novel into the show.

Heartstopper included a lengthy list of popular and indie music to bring the teen love story to life. The show almost never had a moment without music. The catchy soundtrack used songs from both big and small artists. The hit songs were also intertwined with instrumental music curated by Adiescar Chase.

One major criticism Heartstopper faced was that the season felt too short. Some people enjoyed the length of eight 30-minute episodes but others wanted to see more of the books. Junior Keegan Foell said, “I felt like it just ended. They got together and then it ended. I want to see them in a relationship.” The audience will get to see more romance and friendships if the show gets greenlit for a second season.