[This story contains spoilers from the season two finale of “Heartstopper.”]
Alice Oseman hadn’t anticipated the Euphoria comparisons.
When the Heartstopper creator released the Netflix adaptation of her viral web comic in the spring of 2022, the comparisons to TV’s other popular teen drama became almost impossible to avoid. “As if there’s a sort of scale of teen media and Euphoria is on one end and we’re on the other end,” she says, acknowledging that it had caught her by surprise. “I guess everyone saw Heartstopper as being this completely wholesome, pure, adorable story, which in some ways it absolutely is, but in other ways, it explores real and serious issues.”
And, it’s worth noting, the British series does even more of that in season two. Though the queer love story between Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) remains at its wholesome center, as it does in Oseman’s beloved comic, season two leans more heavily into tougher subjects including grief, eating disorders and matters of mental health. The day before the second season dropped on Netflix, Oseman Zoomed in to discuss her decision to let the series and its characters “mature a little bit,” and what it is that scares her as the critically beloved series begins rolling out.
You have your own source material to draw from, of course, but when you set out to make season two of the TV show, what was important to you?
So many things. Firstly, we wanted to see the leveling up of Nick and Charlie’s relationship. At the end of season one, they decided that they’re boyfriends. But now, in season two, we really get to see them being in a relationship and just enjoying being in a relationship, and yet they’re still learning more about each other and getting to know each other better. But we explored so many new things in season two. We’ve got Tao and Elle’s big romance and that was such an important and exciting element of season two for me, and it’s so expanded compared to what is in the comics. There’s just so much more in the show and so much more buildup that was really exciting.
The new season is much more of an ensemble piece. Talk to me about that decision to really lean in and explore more of the supporting characters?
I was really happy with how season one turned out. But what I did with season one is preserve what is in the comics and just expand outwards. So, particularly with the supporting characters like Tao, Elle, Tara, Darcy; they don’t really have much in the comics, but in the show we’ve got so much room to just do what we want. And so it’s challenging and it’s quite hard to add new story while also keeping the comic story the same, but that’s kind of the fun of it, I guess — just getting to delve deeper into those characters I already love so much.
I suspect it could get confusing to move between the comic world and the TV world. Is there ever any inclination to move some of the TV characters or storylines into the comics or do you like that the two worlds are separate?
I actually quite like that they are separate. I often get asked, “Do you ever get confused between the show and the comic?” And honestly, I don’t because to me they do feel so different. The comics are very, very focused on Nick and Charlie, while the show is more of an ensemble. And the comics are much more slower-paced, much more low drama, while the show is a bit more angsty and dramatic. So, they have different and distinct identities and I don’t really feel the need to write one for the other. I mean, I’m writing the comic first, so that will always be the foundation of what the show is. But there are new things in the show that just don’t exist in the comics, new characters, new stories, and that’s fine with me. Like I said, that’s kind of the fun of it.
One of the other storylines that evolved a lot this season was Isaac’s. I know you’ve talked about wanting to explore a storyline about asexuality in the past. At what point in the process did you realize this was the place to do it, and what did you ultimately want to say?
That was very much my intention for Isaac from when I created him. I always knew that I wanted to take his character to that place because it’s something that I just never really had room for in the comics. And I, myself, am asexual and I am very passionate about asexual representation. It’s something that is hardly ever on TV and film, especially in the way that we’ve done it in Heartstopper, which is a real journey of self-discovery that goes on throughout the entire season. And Heartstopper, in my opinion, is really kind of a perfect place for it because it’s a show about queer teens, about self-discovery and going on these coming out journeys like that. So, yeah, it was very much my intention, and I was really excited about it.
I assume you’ll continue to explore that storyline in season three?
Oh, absolutely.
What has surprised you most about the response to the show?
What surprised me the most was the kind of comparisons with other teen media. When season one came out, we got bombarded with comparisons to Euphoria and Sex Education, as if there’s a sort of scale of teen media and Euphoria is on one end and we’re on the other end and I wasn’t expecting that at all. I guess everyone saw Heartstopper as being this completely wholesome, pure, adorable story, which in some ways it absolutely is, but in other ways, it explores real and serious issues, and even more so in season two. So, I’ll be interested to see if we get the same kind of response this time now that I do feel we are letting the show grow up a little bit and mature a little bit. And so, yeah, although we are not Euphoria, we are letting the show change and evolve, and that’s what I want to happen and also, there’s space for all different kinds of teen shows and I love that. I love Euphoria and I love Heartstopper.
Part of it, I assume, is that you have this really healthy, loving relationship at the center of the show, even if both characters have their genuine struggles. As you noted, you’ve leaned into even more of the latter this season, and I’m curious how much of the decision to do so, if any, was inspired by that feedback?
It wasn’t really the result of that at all, because it’s all stuff that existed in the comics beforehand and it’s stuff that I’ve been exploring in my work throughout my career. Before I wrote Heartstopper, I wrote four young adult novels and they all look at mental health — that’s a core theme of all of my works and so that was always going be an element of Heartstopper, and now it’s just kind of becoming more apparent in the show. I do hope people will embrace that and want to go to that place with these characters, even if we do have this reputation as being this, like, pure, sweet, wholesome show.
As a viewer, I’m so used to seeing romantic relationships on TV be this sort of angsty rollercoaster ride of break ups and make ups, but here you never doubted Nick and Charlie and their love for each other. Was that important to you?
Yeah, absolutely. That was very much what I wanted the show and the comics to be. When people think of a romance story in a TV show or in a film, you think, will they or won’t they — you get them together, third act breakup and then get back together at the end, that kind of structure. And we kind of did that in season one. But season two it would’ve been very easy to say, “Nick and Charlie, they’re having a great time… Oh no, they’ve had an argument, now they’re not talking… Oh, don’t worry, they’re going to get back together at the end.” That’s a thing that you see a lot. But I think there’s something so lovely about just seeing a couple being together and how they’re still growing and facing challenges and learning more about each other. There doesn’t need to be another breakup or another big argument. You can still find moments of drama and cliffhangers and whatever else you need for TV. You can do that, I think, without breaking up couples.
What scared you most about this season?
I think what scared me most in terms of what we’re showing to viewers is the mental health stuff. I think it’s going to cause conversation. People are going to have thoughts and opinions, and some people might not like that we are taking it to that place and that’s quite nerve-wracking. Writing a follow-up to anything is really scary because there’s so much expectation, and people have all kinds of different thoughts and opinions about what they want out of your follow-up to whatever the first thing was. And all I could do is tell the story that I feel is enjoyable.
Where are you with season three?
Well, we’ve started writing. I say we; I’ve started writing.
I was wondering who the “we” was there…
Well, I work with Patrick Walters, who is an exec producer, and also Lauren James, who is kind of an editor and someone I bounce ideas off of. But it is me doing the actual writing and I have started writing season three. It’s a busy time right now — very, very intense. We want to get season three made so there’s not a big, long wait in between the seasons.
Interview edited for length and clarity.
Heartstopper‘s second season is now streaming on Netflix.
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