Netflix’s newest heartwarming teen romance, Heartstopper, released on the platform on April 22, 2022, and has received raving reviews. Despite only being out for a week, the show has a rating of 9/10 on IMDb and a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

One of Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics, Saloni Gajjar, says Heartstopper “aces this portrayal of the bashful hope and gutting anxiety that accompanies young love.”

The eight-part episodic series is a live-action adaptation of Alice Bosman’s graphic novel series that goes by the same name as the show. The show and books follow the budding love story and lives of two teenage boys, Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, played by Joe Locke and Kit Conner respectively. The pair meet in the first episode when Charlie is sat next to Nick in one of their classes and quickly bond over whether it’s appropriate to do your math homework on the way to class. 

The show is wholesome and contrasts many of the shows popular amongst teenagers today, like Euphoria. The series softens the hard edges of some topics and has a heartwarming love story at the center. While there is a mushy center to the story, it addresses something that many LGBTQ+ teenagers have to address, coming to terms with sexuality. 

The topic is told in two different ways, showing there isn’t just one way to self-discovery. The character Ben Hope is a closeted teenager in the show who is scared to come to terms with his sexuality. His story shows that it’s not always a positive or easy experience exploring your identity.  

Nick Nelson is the contrast to Ben, his journey of self-discovery, while still emotional, is more positive. Nick is shown going through these difficult and confusing moments that are relatable to the majority of LGBTQ+ teenagers. There are emotional scenes of Nick opening up to friends about his relationship with Charlie and researching sexuality. 

Heartstopper is a relatable story for LGBTQ+ teens and includes representation that a lot of modern media doesn’t have. There is a wide range of sexualities and genders represented in the show and even in the cast. The casting process was strict in making sure the actors matched the race, sexuality, and gender of the character they were playing, ensuring there was accurate representation. 

The critically acclaimed series has not only captured the hearts of millions around the world but also the hearts of A-West students. 

Sophomore Maggie Hodson has fallen in love with the show, “The thing that really draws me to the show is the characters. The main characters are just like any other high schoolers, they’re relatable,” 

Hodson, like many others, was intrigued by the live adaptation of the graphic novel series and was drawn in by the relatability and representation. “The LGBTQ+ representation in the show is so great. It shows the good and the bad of coming out…it’s so relatable.”