Another week and another Friday of new content on Netflix has arrived, and as happens from time to time one of the new shows released this week has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with critics. Heartstopper, a YA romance series based on the graphic novel by Alice Oseman (who created the show and penned every episode), arrived this week with eight episodes and critical acclaim. As of this writing there are 16 total reviews for the series on the aggregation website, all of them positive and with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10. Even the audience score for the series is high, sitting at 99% with over 230 user ratings.
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In their review, The Hollywood Reporter said that Heartstopper‘s “dulcet tone is addictive,” writing: “Whereas Euphoria’s interest in adolescent emotions depends on an exaggerated nihilism, Heartstopper leans into earnestness, constructing a coming-of-age story notable above all for its sweetness.” Digital Spy awarded the show a perfect 5 out of 5 score, writing: “I’m so grateful that Heartstopper exists. Because if you can’t see yourself in the world around you, it’s hard to see a future for yourself too. And no one should ever be made to feel like that.”
Netflix’s official description for the series reads as follows: “Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. When gentle Charlie and rugby-loving Nick meet at secondary school, they quickly discover that their unlikely friendship is blossoming into an unexpected romance. Charlie, Nick and their circle of friends must navigate the ever-relatable journey of self discovery and acceptance, supporting each other as they learn to find their most authentic selves.”
Kit Connor of and newcomer Joe Locke play the roles of Charlie and Nick in the series, flanked by some major talent including Academy Award winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Stephen Fry, Chetna Pandya, Sebastian Croft, and William Gao.
“Growing up as queer can often mean that you don’t really have as much representation,” Connor tells Teen Vogue in an interview about the series. “You don’t have as much guidance in the media [about] how life sometimes goes…It’s always good to have this kind of representation for not just educational purposes, but also so that people can see what it’s like to grow up and be a queer teen.”
Heartstopper is now streaming on Netflix, and everyone who has seen it is loving it!