Series Review: Heartstopper (2022)
by Emily Nagle
British teen drama Heartstopper debuted on Netflix at the end of April, and immediately blew up, becoming one of the top British series on Netflix in less than a week. Since its premiere, this charming LGBTQ+ series has been a social media sensation. The hashtag #heartstopper currently has 5.4 billion views on TikTok, filled with videos from the cast members and fans. LGBTQ+ couples have even used audio from the show to tell their own love stories (like this one).
Based on the eponymous webcomic and graphic novel by Alice Oseman, Heartstopper tells the story of English high school student Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), who falls for popular rugby player Nick Nelson (Kit Connor). Having been outed before the events of the series, Charlie has been bullied by his classmates to the point where he hides in the art room during lunch. As a result, when things heat up between the two boys, Nick struggles to come to terms with his own sexuality out of fear of getting ostracized by his teammates, who gang up on Charlie, much to Nick’s disapproval.
The story is sweet and heartwarming, and as the credits start rolling at the end of the episode and the “Next Episode” button starts filling up, you won’t want to pick up the remote! Each episode shows the progression of Charlie and Nick’s relationship, but it’s not just about them; viewers also get to know Charlie’s friends Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney). Tao is overprotective of Charlie, and skeptical of Nick’s feelings for him due to much of the rugby team being homophobic. Meanwhile, Elle has recently transferred to an all-girls school after coming out as transgender, and makes new friends while realizing that her friendship with Tao might be something more.
Heartstopper is a visual treat, with stunning production design. In addition to the animated bits, the lighting is super colorful and great at showing emotion. The actual comic is in black and white, so the creative team had to figure out how they would use colors to convey emotions in a way that’s fun and youthful, but not overwhelming. In terms of lighting design, my favorite scenes in the show took place at a classmate’s birthday party and the bowling alley. The most notable example of symbolic lighting in Heartstopper is the bisexual lighting during much of the scenes with Nick and Charlie, foreshadowing Nick realizing his sexuality. Even though it’s set in the modern day, the colorful lighting in these scenes gives off retro vibes, and is really pretty to look at. At the same time, it does more than just look nice; it contributes to character development in a subtle way, going beyond dialogue and plot.
The way Heartstopper incorporates comic-esque cinematography and cartoonish effects reminds me of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, except without the superhero energy. During particularly intimate moments between the teens, traditionally animated doodles show chemistry. The most recognized animated effect in the show is pastel leaves dancing across the screen (if you search up “Heartstopper” on Google, then they’ll twirl across the search results!). In an interview with IBC, cinematographer Diana Olifirova explained the challenge of conveying emotions like this onscreen using things like camera angles and lighting (which I couldn’t even tell was a challenge, because she absolutely nailed it). The quirky visuals are a unique, cute way to show the progression of Nick and Charlie’s relationship. If the creative decisions they made on set are an ice cream sundae, then the little animations added in after filming are the rainbow sprinkles. Not only do they set Heartstopper apart from other shows, but it reminds you that these are just kids who are figuring themselves out. It makes me think of a lovesick teen rushing home from school to gush about their love interest in their diary, or doodling their crush’s name absentmindedly in their notebook during class.
Despite the visuals being colorful and reminiscent of a graphic novel, it’s such a human story. Olifirova also revealed to IBC that much of the shots were filmed handheld, like a documentary, to feel more authentic and show more of the story than just the actors. This technique is used particularly in the more tender moments between the characters. A scene that comes to mind is in the third episode, titled “Kiss”: while at their classmate’s birthday party, Nick and Charlie run off from the rest of their peers and kiss for the first time. The whole exchange leading up to the kiss is slow and natural, with Charlie asking Nick if he’d ever date or kiss someone who wasn’t a girl, and then if he would ever kiss him. You can feel the emotions radiating off of the boys; after so long, Charlie finally has the guts to pop the question to Nick, who has finally come to terms with his feelings for him.
Each episode of Heartstopper is around 30 minutes long, and there’s only 8 episodes, making this show the perfect binge-watch. That’s what I did recently, when I was sick with an ear infection for a few days and just wanted to nap on the couch and watch TV. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to start it now, while there’s not that many episodes out, because only a month after its release, Heartstopper got renewed for a second and third season!
I recommend Heartstopper to anyone looking for a short, sweet love story, or if you want to watch something with realistic representation of LGBTQ+ youths. Unlike other trending teen shows like “Euphoria”, this show doesn’t rely on shock value. Heartstopper isn’t about kids experimenting with drugs or partying. Instead, it’s a wholesome story of boy meets boy, and a tale about friendship and growing up. A show about teens just having fun and acting their age is hard to come by these days, and it’s this quality that makes Heartstopper hit home for so many people. This heartwarming series is the perfect binge for Pride Month!