Hello!
I want to recommend to you a fabulous mini-series that I finished watching yesterday: Heartstopper. It was released on 22 April 2022. It's a British coming-of-age story about the romance between two schoolboys. It's the first LGBTQ+ series I have watched and I never imagined I would be so moved by a coming-of-age story. I thought I was too old for that, but here we are.
The series consists of 8 episodes, each lasting about 25 minutes. I finished it the same day I started watching. I don't normally binge-watch, but the story was so nice and intimate that I couldn't stop myself from watching all of the episodes at once. If you're looking for a series that won't take much of your time and have a pleasant story, I highly recommend this series.
It is based on a graphic novel and webcomic series of the same name by Alice Oseman. The series also reflects its graphic novel character through various visual effects it features from time to time. For example, when there is a romantic intimacy happening between the characters, we see little flowers and butterflies surrounding them. These graphic novel effects not only give the series a unique visual character but also enhance the overall narrative.
The series tells the story of the romance between the gay schoolboy, Charlie Spring, and another schoolboy who sits next to him in class, Nick Nelson. Nick Nelson is portrayed as a masculine boy who is very successful in sports and gets along well with the bullies and other cool boys in school. However, from his first encounter with Charlie Spring, we see that he has a quite sophisticated personality, unlike the rude males in his friendship group.
He is kind, helpful, and warm, which leads Charlie to have a romantic interest in him. This interest is not unreciprocated though, as Nick also starts to have feelings for Charlie as they spend more time together. Through their relationship, Nick starts to explore his sexuality on a deeper level.
As time goes by, what starts as Nick's exploration of his own sexuality turns into a general questioning about all aspects of his life. He starts to also question his friends and behaviors.
The story does not only revolve around Charlie and Nick though. It also tells the story of the lives of their friends: Tao, Elle, Tara, Darcy and Isaac. They all have their unique struggles related to romance and friendship. The series also shines a light on high-school bullying and the damaging effects it has on LGBTQ+ individuals.
I believe this series also has a great educational value for anyone but especially young people, children, and homophobic people. It shows the innocence, purity, and naturalness of LGBTQ+ love. It helps the viewer empathize with the struggles faced by this community while showing the unique character and dynamics of same-sex love.
A Song Recommendation from the Series: Why Am I Like This by Orla Gartland
I want to finish this review by recommending you a song I heard in the series and have been obsessed with since then. I couldn't count how many times I have listened to it in the past 24 hours. It's an incredibly sweet, catchy and emotional song that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did!
