The new Netflix original series, “Heartstopper,” shows its viewers that coming to terms with your sexuality isn’t simple.  

The show is an adaptation from the graphic novel series by Alice Oseman, and follows a 14-year-old boy, Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), who is openly gay because he was outed to his school. His friend, Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney), has recently transferred to a new school due to the harassment she faced at her old school, which begins to worry his friend Tao Xu (William Gao) as changes within the friend group begin. During the beginning of the school year, Charlie meets an older boy by the name of Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), a well known rugby player at his school. As the two boys grow close to one another, their friendship soon turns into a love affair. Nick had never noticed his feelings toward his own gender before he met Charlie; he has to learn more about himself and his sexuality, which comes with twists and turns.

Unlike other TV shows centered around teenagers, most of the actors in “Heartstopper” are actual teenagers instead of adults who pass as teenagers. They are able to deliver the witty script in a way that isn’t cringeworthy. Most shows over use some modern slang, which causes the show to be uncomfortable for its main audience. But when I was watching the show, I could barely tell that modern terms were used in the series. They all have great chemistry on camera which makes the show that much better.

Not only is the acting great, but the music that plays throughout the series is very upbeat, which brings a layer of joy to the viewer throughout the show. It contains a mashup of different artists, including mxmtoon and Waterparks, both of which are very relatable to teenagers. My favorite song out of all the ones on the soundtrack is “Telephone” by Waterparks, a very upbeat song that can lift anyone’s mood and fits the scene it’s in very well. 

The set designs, which primarily include places like Charlie’s bedroom and Truham School, are incredible. The sets closely mirror the settings Oseman created in the graphic novel. If you were to compare the rooms of Charlie, both in the book and film, they are very similar, and this attention to detail is fun to notice for anyone who has read the book. The sets by themselves are also aesthetically pleasing with a clear color scheme to help reinforce the film’s tone and characterization..

With eight episodes, “Heartstopper” is exclusively streaming on Netflix. I highly recommend this show for anybody to watch. Each and every episode was very heartwarming to the point that I would audibly “aw” almost every minute.