While avid readers have been burned many times before by screen adaptations that don’t do justice to the source material, they can rest assured that Netflix‘s Heartstopper is one of the good ones.
Based on the webcomic turned graphic novel by Alice Oseman, the new series chronicles the blossoming romance between schoolboys Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor).
Oseman has been heavily involved in shepherding her creation from the page to live-action, ensuring that this new version of the story remains faithful to her massively popular books.
That said, some changes along the way were inevitable, with the writer admitting that her story needed a touch more drama in order for it to make a compelling television show.
“Some things that are in a comic just don’t work for TV,” she told RadioTimes.com and other press. “Like Heartstopper, the comics, is a very low-stakes story. Problems are resolved pretty much immediately, which isn’t normally how TV works, so we had to add a bit more drama – a bit more angst – into the show.”
Much of this comes from the character of Nick, who is uncertain of his sexuality at the start of the series and is confronted by some scary questions as his feelings for Charlie begin to develop.
Oseman continued: “I think the main thing that we changed was probably slowing down Nick’s journey of self-acceptance. I think, in the comics, Nick has a bit of a crisis but then he’s kind of OK.
“But in the show, we’ve really spread that out a bit more and given him more time to come to terms with himself, and because of that there is a bit more drama and angst in episodes 4 and 5.”
You can purchase Heartstopper volumes 1-4 now, on Amazon.
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An obvious change that longtime Heartstopper readers will notice right away is the complete omission of Aled Last; one of Charlie’s closest friends in the graphic novels.
Oseman made this decision as she wanted a supporting character whose story could conceivably go anywhere, but Aled is somewhat tied down in continuity as a main protagonist in 2016 novel Radio Silence.
Therefore, in the Netflix series, he is swapped out for an original character named Isaac (played by Tobie Donovan), who fulfils a similar role in the first season but could develop in unexpected ways moving forward.
There is another new addition in the form of Imogen (Rhea Norwood), a schoolgirl with a crush on Nick, who was created as part of the aforementioned push to add more tension to the story.
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Oseman recalled: “I wanted Nick to have a friend who wasn’t one of the lads. We knew we needed a bit more drama and angst in the story and Imogen is kind of the one who brings the drama in the mid-season.”
She added: “I’ve really fallen in love with these characters and I think they really fit the world of Heartstopper.”
As we mentioned in our Heartstopper review, the Netflix series is aimed firmly at a young audience, with Oseman disclosing that she actively aimed to reach those below the target age group of her graphic novels.
“The comics are definitely YA [young adult] – mid-teens, older teens – but [with] the show, we wanted it to be accessible to young teens and tweens, which is why there’s no swearing, for example,” she revealed.
“We really just wanted it to be accessible for as many people as possible. But particularly in our minds were the young viewers who are like 11 or 12, and they will be able to sit and watch that show safely.”
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In spite of these changes, Heartstopper remains a faithful translation of the source material overall, even incorporating design elements that honour the show’s comic book origins – most notably, whimsical animations that appear in pivotal scenes.
“We’ve worked really hard to portray the aesthetic of Heartstopper,” said Oseman. “In the comics, in moments of high emotion, you’ve got leaves or flowers, and we’ve kind of taken that for the show and done even more with it.
“Even other stuff, like the transitions sometimes look like comic panels… I think it’s great. I think it gives it such a distinct and unique and magical aesthetic, which really suits the tone of the show.”
As for her favourite moment in the first season, Oseman admits that her answer changes regularly, but ultimately decides on the first kiss between Charlie and Nick.
“I really love the original scene in the graphic novels, it’s one of my favourites that I’m the most proud of, and then it’s so true to that in the show. It’s so accurate to the comics right down to the expressions and gestures.”
Heartstopper volumes 1-4 are available for purchase on Amazon.
Heartstopper is available to stream on Netflix from Friday 22nd April 2022. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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