The streaming wars are showing no signs of slowing down, with various streaming services having a handful of megahits. Those with a Netflix subscription will know that one for those projects is the teen romantic comedy Hearstopper. The beloved show recently returned to Netflix for Season 2, further expanding the story of Charlie, Nick, and their friends. The show has gotten a big response from queer fans of all ages, who delight in the feel good series. And Hearstopper’s editor spoke to CinemaBlend about that emotional response to the LGBTQ+ love story, and the importance of representation.
When the sweet series premiered on Netflix in April of 2022, the internet was set ablaze. While it’s focused on teen characters, adult LGBTQ+ folks sounded off about how healing it was to watch Heartstopper’s innocent love story play out on the small screen. I recently had the chance to speak with editor Andonis Trattos about his work on the show, when I asked how he felt about the strong emotional reaction that fans had to the series during its two seasons on Netflix. He responded honestly, saying:
I was doing some research here and there and I found this reddit. I don’t know if you’re aware, it’s called Heartstopper syndrome. Which is exactly what you're talking about I think. And it's people having this kind of outpouring of a real mix of emotions but kind of grief in a way being one of them. I guess you just want to make things better for the people coming after you. They didn’t need to struggle in the same way.
Points were made. It looks like the artists behind Hearstopper have indeed seen the online discourse surrounding the show. That includes the popular reddit r/heartstoppersyndrome, which fans use to describe their complicated emotional reactions to the show. But what exactly is Heartstopper syndrome?
Hearstopper syndrome describes the mixed feelings that accompany watching the show, particularly for adult queer people who grew up without representation or the feeling they could live their authentic life as a young person. Some found it incredibly validating to see Charlie and Nick find themselves, while others almost experienced a sense of mourning for their younger selves. Later in our same conversation, Trattos spoke about the importance of representation, saying:
When I was a kid there just wasn’t that kind of representation, and it really underlines how much it matters just to have it there[…] It’s life and nobody should be denied love and the most basic human connections. So it's really quite emotional reading comments about it.
These types of comments will likely continue, as Heartstopper is already gearing up for its third season on Netflix. It should be interesting to see what comes next for Charlie and Nick, especially now that the latter has come out to his friends and family. There’s also the growing plot line about Charlie’s eating disorder, as well as the story of their friend group.
Heartstopper is currently streaming in its entirety on Netflix. In the meantime, check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
