Some news to cheer you up if you are a Netflix fan – or, indeed, a Netflix executive.
Despite losing 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022 (and reportedly having to cancel some of its upcoming shows and films as a result) the streaming service does have one sure-fire hit on its hands: the new British series Heartstopper.
Billed as a queer teenage love story, the show has managed to impress both audiences and critics. In fact, it’s become so successful that it currently holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The website’s synopsis describes it as “an inclusive romance told with striking sensitivity,” adding, “Heartstopper is so effortlessly charming that viewers won’t dare skip a beat.”
For context, this means it has already beaten veterans such as Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Friends to become one of Rotten Tomatoes’ best rated shows.
The drama, which started life as a webcomic and graphic novel and was adapted for TV by its author Alice Oseman, follows the story of teenage boys Nick and Charlie (played by Kit Connor and Joe Locke), along with their friends Elle, Tao and Isaac.
As the two boys navigate high school, they realise they might be more than friends.
Though it only premiered on April 22, the show has already won praise for its warmth and the way in which it represents people from across the LGBTQ+ community in its characters.
Fans of Oseman’s original books have also been sharing their love for the show on social media.
“Heartstopper is a show that helped a lot of people to become brave enough to express their feelings, to find who they were really is and to be proud of themselves. That’s why this show became so special to me,” one user posted.
“The cast are amazing! The story is truly beautiful! I cried a few times, I wish my story was this romantic,” another wrote.
Though a second season hasn’t yet been announced by Netflix, author Oseman has certainly teased one, telling Digital Spy that “if we do get future seasons, I’ll definitely want to be bringing in the themes of mental health, because that’s something that’s really important in the books."
Here’s hoping that Olivia Colman – who makes a surprise cameo in the first series – will make a reappearance if so.
