Heartstopper Review/Recap

Zephaniah Casey, Reporter

Heartstopper is a new show on Netflix that follows the lives of Charlie Spring, Nick Nelson, and their friends. This show is based on the comics by Alice Oseman, and they did a wonderful job creating the same world and feeling. In the show, Charlie Spring is an openly gay boy that goes to an all-boys academy in England. Obviously, there will be spoilers in this article so read at your own discretion. 

The show starts with Charlie Spring in a secret relationship with a boy named Ben Hope. Hope is so ashamed of Spring that he completely pretends he doesn’t exist when in public. Eventually this gets to Spring and they end up splitting. After the break-up, Spring begins to develop a crush on his new close friend Nick Nelson, our second protagonist. 

Nelson invites Spring to join the rugby team when he sees how quickly he can run. Nelson takes Spring under his wing to completely submerge him into rugby culture and give them more reasons to spend time together. About two episodes later, Nelson invites Spring to a birthday party for one of the homophobic bullies on the rugby team. While there, they move away from the main group and begin to have a serious conversation. Long story short, they end up kissing, and Nelson runs away when he hears the birthday boy summon him. 

The next day, Nelson feels horrible for just leaving and goes to Spring’s house in the pouring rain without an umbrella. It’s a very cute scene in my opinion, and they talk about the day before. They decide to begin a secret relationship, not because Nelson is ashamed, but because he doesn’t know what his sexuality is, and thus, is not out. However, Nelson does not slow the pace on showing his affection and need to be around Spring, Nelson invites him to several events and then they go on a “triple date” with this lesbian couple who had just come out from the all-girls school, and Spring’s transgender friend “Elle” who likes their mutual friend Tao. Before the date, Tao and Elle had no idea that it was a date or that Spring and Nelson were dating. Spring ended up telling Elle while Tao was gathering milkshakes for the group, making him one of the only people close in his life that didn’t know, which causes a rift in their relationship that is mended later on.

Eventually, they go public with their relationship after Spring almost dumps Nelson because he feels like he only ruins things (I 100% relate to that…) 

Overall it is an amazing show. I genuinely enjoyed watching it and plan to rewatch it. The way they managed to incorporate everything from the books and elaborate further, this show is top tier and I cannot wait for season two. I would rate this show a 10/10!