Charlie Spring (played by Joe Locke) is starting back at his all boys school, returning from Christmas Break. He has a secret boyfriend, Ben (played by Sebastian Croft), but it's not the healthiest relationship as Ben wants to keep their relationship secret and refuses to acknowledge him outside their secret rendezvous. He has also been assigned to a new Form Group (think Home Room, for my fellow U.S readers), where he has received a seat assignment next to Nick Nelson (played by Kit Connor). Nick and Charlie could not be more different. Nick enjoys playing Rugby while Charlie is more interested in music and video games. Even their friend groups are different. Charlie's friends include cinephile Tao Zu (played by William Gao), Bibliophile Isaac (played by Tobie Donovan) and Elle (played by Yasmin Finney), who herself has just transferred to the neighboring all girls school after coming out as Trans. Nick, on the other hand, hangs out with the more popular crowd, including Imogen (played by Rhea Norwood) and his obnoxious teammate Harry (played by Cormac Hyde-Corrin) Yet, against all odds, Nick and Charlie start bonding. Nick notices how good of a runner Charlie is and invites him to join the Rugby team. They start spending Saturday afternoons together at each other's houses. The more time they spend together, the fonder Charlie grows of Nick, developing a serious crush. No one is more surprised than Nick when he realizes he feels the same way about Charlie, sending him into a spiral as he tries to figure out just what his own sexuality is. As their romance develops, Charlie breaks it off with Ben, no longer wanting to spend time with someone who is clearly using him. Meanwhile, the growing relationship between Nick and Charlie sends ripples throughout their respective friend groups. Nick begins to question why he hangs out with his current friends, including the increasingly hostile and homophobic Harry and Charlie's now ex-boyfriend Ben, while Tao begins to fear his beloved friend group is going to drift apart when Charlie begins spending more and more of his time with Nick and Elle is over at the Girl's school, making friends of her own with Tara (played by Corinna Brown) and Darcy (played by Kizzy Edgell).
The series was written by series creator Alice Oseman, who was heavily involved in the making the series alongside director Euros Lyn, resulting in a show that is in many places very faithful to the original graphic novels (the first season is based on the first two volumes). There were some changes in the translation to television though, but remains one of the more faithful adaptations I have seen, which is not always successful but in this case works quite well. There is something quietly revolutionary about this series that for all it's wonderful flourishes, it remains an incredibly grounded and relatable story, especially for LGBTQIA kids. The series omits any edgier aspects found in similar series such as Young Royals or Sex Education, which only made this series hit that much closer to home as it stirred up all kinds of memories of my own time in high school. While I, regrettably, did not have a romance like Charlie and Nick's, but I did have a devoted and eclectic friend group not all that different from Charlie's. I suspect many viewers will have a similar experience. Yet, the series also adds certain unique stylistic flourishes that only accentuate what the characters are feeling, such as animated hearts around various characters developing romantic attachments or animated sparks anytime Nick and Charlie hold hands. It's an unconventional but surprisingly effective stylistic choice that only deepens the emotional impact of certain scenes. I also love the series' use of colors, with a recurring and symbolic blue and yellow throughout the series, as well as maybe the most rampant use of bisexual lighting I have ever seen, as if the entire Heartstopper universe was desperately trying to tell Nick something. The series moves at a brisk pace, made up of 8 episodes that are approximately 30 mins each with the entire season clocking in at just under 4 hours. It's ideal for binge watching as one episode easily flows into the next.
The cast for the series is top notch led by Joe Locke and Kit Connor as Charlie and Nick. It's hard to believe that this is Joe Locke's first professional acting job because he is so good in the role of Charlie. He capture's his character's insecurities and anxieties so well, but also does great showing Charlie's hidden strengths, crafting a truly endearing character. Kit Connor is just as great as Nick, who does a great job conveying not only Nick's heart and caring, but also his own share of anxieties, especially as he starts to discover new parts of himself when he meets Charlie. Both of them just embody their characters so well, I found it genuinely moving especially in the way that each character creates a safe space for the other. William Gao is fantastic as Tao. It's a tricky role to play since for much of the series, Tao is very much against Charlie being friends with Nick and playing Rugby since it was the kids in that group that mercilessly bullied them, but Gao pulls it off beautifully and keeps his character from being unlikable, mostly because his concerns are quite valid. He does a great job conveying his character's fierce protectiveness as well as Tao's own insecurities. He can also convey so much with just his eyebrows, it's kind of incredible. I won't give it away, but you'll know the moment when you see it. Yasmin Finney is wonderful as Elle, who is in her own transition in life, as she has recently moved to the all girls school and does a fantastic job capturing that sort of awkwardness of being a new kid in the school. Of course, things do get better for her as she makes friends with two other girls, Darcy and Tara. She also plays off William Gao quite well as the two friends find themselves left to their own devices several times while their other friends are off by themselves. Speaking of Tara and Darcy, Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell are great. The way the two actresses play off each other is so much fun to watch. I love that their relationship also runs parallel to Nick and Charlie's and the way one inspires the other. I also loved the way they both get folded into Charlie's friend group as the series proceeds. Last, but certainly not least, is Tobie Donovan as Isaac. Tobie Donovan repeatedly cracked me up in his role. He really captures his character so well in the way that he is just as interested in his books as his is with his friends. I also found it amusing the way his character was constantly has no patience for his friends' drama. Sebastian Croft is certainly memorably detestable as Ben as he turns up throughout the season, going all in on making Ben as awful as possible. His character is an interesting contrast to Nick. Both characters are trying to figure themselves out, but unlike Nick, Ben does it in the most self-serving, narcissistic and abusive way. This is all the more impressive of a performance as Sebastian Croft is by all indications delightful in real life. In supporting roles, the series also sports a couple seasoned actors in surprise appearances. First up is Olivia Colman as Nick's mother and she is fantastic in the role. She really captures her character's warmth and love, while easily conveying the deep connection she shares with Nick. She's only in a few scenes, but makes the most of every moment. Then, we have Stephen Fry as the voice of the school's headmaster heard at various points throughout the show. He clearly has a lot of fun in the role and it'd be fun to see him in person at some point in Season 2.
Overall, Heartstopper may be my new favorite show, at least for right now, as anyone who follows me on Twitter already knows. It's basically 85% 95% a Heartstopper fan account now. It was interesting watching this as an adult, and having this show stir up all sorts of high school memories for me and how I wished I could have had something like this when I was that age. It made for a bittersweet viewing experience. I genuinely enjoyed the heartwarming nature of the show, but at the same time it brought up a lot of memories for me because a lot this show is quite relatable for me in many ways. It made for a unique viewing experience that I have seen echoed by many others similar to my age. In the end, I just went through it and made peace with it. Needless to say, future viewings have been far more pleasant. Which makes sense because despite some of the more serious elements of the show, in the end it is one of the most heartwarming and optimistic shows I have seen in a long time. I absolutely am in love with Heartstopper and have my fingers crossed we get a season 2.
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