As I was doomscrolling through Netflix my freshman year of college (I am now a sophomore) to find a new show to watch, I came across the new Netflix Original, “Heartstopper.” Its name was interesting to me, and it looked like a super cute show. I was very intrigued by this coming-of-age romance/drama. After binge watching the first and second season when it came out, I was stoked for the third. While the show is live action, it has many cute animations that bring the story to life while addressing many different, relevant themes.
The show “Heartstopper” is based off of comic books created by Alice Oseman. Following members of the LGBTQ+ community and set in the United Kingdom (which means I do not understand the British vocabulary used sometimes), the show follows the shy Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and the extroverted athlete Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) as they start their relationship together in season one and season two. The show portrays these two lovers and their friends as they navigate high school.
If you have ever looked through any of my articles, I always try to discuss mental health and both its general and personal relevance. In season three, one of the most notable themes was mental health. Throughout the series, we see Charlie struggle with his mental health concerning his eating disorder and his anxiety. We also see how Nick responds to it and takes the time to take care of Charlie, telling him that it is OK to get help. I will not lie, I definitely cried while watching this character development. I relate to this theme so much because for a long time I thought that I was dealing with being anxious by myself. In reality, I had so many people around me that loved and cared for me. I really appreciated how they accurately portrayed this mental health struggle.
Another central theme in “Heartstopper” is supporting people through their self-discovery. For example, two of the main characters, Tao Xu (William Gao) and Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney) — a couple since season two — talk through their dating life, as Elle is transgender female and starts to experience gender dysphoria. The two discuss the topic, and I think this display of communication and support in a relationship is very important. Their presentation of both mental health difficulties and journeys of self-discovery helps raise awareness for these experiences and offers examples of how to navigate them.
I have always been a fan of animated television shows, so I enjoyed this show's subtle animated elements. For example, when Nick and Charlie hold hands, the filmmakers added in little sparks to raise the mood and set a relaxed and romantic tone. Or if two characters are staring into each other's eyes in a romantic way, animated leaves float around the screen. I absolutely love this because it makes the show much more fun and more enjoyable.
Overall, “Heartstopper” did a fantastic job traversing relevant topics and creating a calm, magical mood through its animations. All of the main themes it broaches are important to talk about, especially in today's age.
