Jane: “Heartstopper” (2022) TV show
Eight episodes long, roughly 30 minutes each, “Heartstopper” (2022) is a TV show adaptation of the first two volumes of Alice Oseman’s coming-of-age teen drama series. I binged the entire show in the span of a single weekend.
With animated heart and leaf doodles and an uncomplicated romance plot, “Heartstopper” is undeniably directed at an audience of impressionable adolescents. Charlie, an openly gay high schooler, endures the twists and turmoil of his love life until Nick, a kind rugby jock, is seated next to him in class.
Shots are filled with bright colors, from pastel palettes to jewel tones of modern fashion, and purposefully so. Almost all characters in “Heartstopper” are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and especially in the social media age, when representation affects how people perceive minorities, shows like this can be a driving force for educating a younger generation to accept people of all backgrounds and sexualities.
“Heartstopper” is relevant, sweet, endearingly childish and progressive. Compared to the book, the show doesn’t delve too deeply into the recent regression of LGBTQIA+ rights and marriage equality, making it more digestible for a wider range of viewers and keeping it a feel-good series throughout. Whether it’s the struggle of coming out or the chaos of discovering one’s sexual orientation, it’s gratifying to finally see a show that includes neoteric minority representation without making a big deal out of the fact that they’re doing it. Indeed, “Heartstopper” is among the few shows that doesn’t subscribe to tokenism: the inclusion of marginalized and LGBTQIA+ characters in order to give a facade of equality.
For those wanting an easy, uplifting watch (that takes less time than reading the four volume series), “Heartstopper” can be found on Netflix.
Ananya: “Heartstopper Volume One” (2019) graphic novel by Alice Oseman
“Heartstopper Volume One,” and the following three books in the tetralogy, have recently gained widespread popularity with the release of the 2022 series adaptation of the graphic novels. While the show had an explosion of media coverage after its release, the books have been redefining representation since the first volume was published in 2019.
The first volume of “Heartstopper” served as a catalyst for a new era of LGBTQIA+ representation in media. The way characters in the book accurately portray facets of the community in a way that feels natural and realistic to the high school setting, drawing in readers more than other books and shows that seem to be grasping for diversity points.
The graphic novel series has become so popular over the past few years because of what it represents: confused people on their journey to discovering who they are. The book centers around two characters, Nick and Charlie, and their friends who are at different stages of understanding themselves and their relationships.
The sweet bestseller teaches important lessons to many of its readers who may be facing similar situations in their own lives. It emphasizes the normalcy of feeling unsure about oneself, the need to rely on others, and the fact that fitting into societal norms is not more important than being yourself.
While the book specifically addresses those serious topics more than the series, it ultimately gives a much more well-rounded perspective for readers.
“Heartstopper Volume One” and the following books may not be as flashy or have as many TikTok edits as “Heartstopper” (2022), but they are just as pertinent, if not more so, to the lives of readers they have been affecting and supporting for years.
“Heartstopper” can be found on Amazon for $13.89, at various bookstores, or at a public library near you.
Images courtesy of Netflix and Amazon
