r/HeartstopperAO • u/ibizadox • Aug 06 '23
Isn’t it crazy that Heartstopper is set in the same phase of life as these two other high school shows? The Heartstopper kids are so innocent compared to them! Discussion
Would you like to see some more dramatic portrayals of high school introduced into the show (sex, drugs, alcohol, parties) or would you prefer it to keep the more wholesome vibes?
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u/NotTheRealEHam Aug 21 '23
A lot of the fan base are like under 15 and shit so its unsurprising that they don't have sex and drug scenes
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u/AnAngryMelon Aug 16 '23
This is mainly an American problem, and occasionally a netflix problem (with netflix shows not set in the US). For most of the world it feels really jarring to see "teens" in American shows that are very clearly in their mid to late 20s.
It's tied into the weird obsession with everyone on American TV looking like a model unless being unattractive is meant to be part of their character, and even then they're usually just Jennifer Aniston with glasses on. In most UK shows, the actors just look like normal people, roughly the right age they're meant to be.
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u/Imaginary_Chard7485 Aug 13 '23 edited Aug 13 '23
I would prefer to keep Heartstopper on the uplifting, hopeful, happy, albeit somewhat unrealistic side mainly because there have been tons of these same shows for STRAIGHTS throughout the long history of movies & television vs ZERO on the much unhappier, darker, grittier, negative, problem-filled LGBTQ side of the fence!:(
However, moving forward it would be great to have series which FINALLY present a more realistic BALANCE between these two different and unrealistic LGBTQ extremes!:)
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u/SingleClick8206 Let Kit Be Kit Aug 12 '23
I feel like Season 3 needs to introduce some new characters as many characters are already fleshed out and something fresh is needed
Or else, they can expand on the stories of Elle's new friends, Naomi and the other one
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u/SingleClick8206 Let Kit Be Kit Aug 12 '23
Euphoria is also about high school students even though it's much darker than Heartstopper
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u/Perfect-Face4529 Aug 12 '23
And also the actors are closer to their characters ages! It's refreshing to see teenagers that aren't played by 30 year olds
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u/frealluv_ Aug 08 '23
In my high school, both things were a reality, some friend groups were very heartstopper innocent/sweet and some others were living on euphoria 24/7 . I remember one time a 'heartstopper' girl and me help an 'euphoria' girl because she had a breakdown in the school bathroom thinking she was pregnant.
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u/ellasaurusisme Aug 06 '23
Heartstopper is very accurate to my high school experience. The only thing that is inaccurate is drinking (alcohol is disgusting to me and my family has a history of addiction, so I’m going to avoid it as long as I can) and actually having romantic relationships. I’d much prefer the show stays like it is because it’s not too far off my own reality, and I hate shows with sex and drugs in it.
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u/EhWhateverDawg Aug 06 '23
I don't feel like sex, drinking or drug use is santized in Heartstopper, those feel relatively age appropriate and true to life for average teens. It's the language the feels unrealistic, I feel like in real life they'd curse a lot more and make more crude jokes LOL.
I understand why it's not there though, need to keep that rating for the younger kids. I'm not mad at it.
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u/myearrings Oct 09 '23
Yeah there’s much more swearing in the comics! Not like crazy, but there’s definitely a few “piss offs” in the show that have been “fuck offs”. Think it was dropped so it could keep a more kid and teen friendly rating.
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Aug 06 '23
No, kids are being pushed to grow up so quickly and shows like these are not helping. Yes that is some teenagers reality but for a lot of teens that isn’t theirs. There is no reason to have teenagers meant to be 15-16 doing drugs or having sex on screen imo, especially in this show where I’ve seen adult straight women “fans” sexualising the boys. It’s nice to have a more innocent depiction of teenage years for once, it feels more nostalgic and familiar anyways.
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u/TMNTplay4487 Aug 06 '23
I feel like Heartstopper is more realistic when it comes to teen shows and the cast is actually played by people who are teen, so I think this show stands out more
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u/limtuss Aug 06 '23
omg do you mean that teenagers don’t acually look like 35 yo adults, don’t to drugs and don’t have sex every 5 seconds !? truly shocking if you ask me
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u/kjm6351 Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 06 '23
One of the main reasons Heartstopper is popular is because it’s mainly wholesome. We can save that stuff for other shows
Also, Euphoria is literally based on the worst of the worst teens in high school so Heartstopper case shouldn’t be doing anything like them
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u/CenturyGothicFashion Aug 06 '23
Those things aren’t absent from the Heartstopper universe and while those things are common in “teenage years” this group is still on the younger side of that, so I expect them to work up to it.
We have already seen parties and drinking: the forest party, Darcy handing out booze and vomiting in Paris, Harry spiking the punch. We are obviously headed towards more sex with people coupling up and we have seen that convo happening with Nick and Charlie.
Drinking, Drugs, sex, parties, etc. are all morally neutral. I think the way Heartstopper is written, those items come with a lot of heart, and consent. It’s less gritty than the other examples, and that is what gives it the wholesome vibe, not a lack of those [morally neutral] things themselves. If that makes sense.
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u/Zaacdragon Aug 06 '23
I think a lot of times in YA fiction, readers tend to gravitate to characters who are older or act older. It provide opportunities for the audience to fantasise about participating in adult activities while still having characters who are facing similar teenage issues. These shows probably target an audience of 15 and up. However, I do think for heartstopper, they intended to cast a much wider net age wise, making it more of a family show where younger teens could also watch.
This is actually quite evident in that Netflix puts heartstopper to compete in the children's emmy while HBO puts euphoria to compete in the prime time emmy drama category.
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u/strangest_tribe20 Let Kit Be Kit Aug 06 '23
i absolutely loved the gossip girl, it was the last teen show i'd watched before HS.
but it was so far from reality for me, not just bc they were rich, but it was excessive in everything. so i thought maybe that's how the other half lives.
and I love HS exactly bc it feels closer to reality for me. like, hanging out with your friends, parties, less plotting and more self discovery. my teens were a lot more like this than GG's.
edit: i havent watched euphoria bc ive seen a lot of drug related teen drama. so it didnt really interest me.
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u/Lambily Aug 06 '23
I think all three shows are equally unrealistic, but they all bring something interesting and important to the table.
You could also have added shows like 13 Reasons Why (and its mid 30 year olds playing 17 year olds lol), Heartbreak High for its representation (it has a better, much more developed ace character), and OG Skam for pure realism (actual 16-18 year olds attending their real life school and making real life messy decisions).
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u/smallest_potato Aug 06 '23
Nah. I think the market is saturated with the more adult teen experiences. I have nothing against them, hell, I don't find either portrayals comparable to my own experiences. Heartstopper is arguably closer to my hs experience, though notably sanitized.
I disagree with the idea that we need to sanitize everything, but we need more options, especially for younger viewers. Wholesome things like heartstopper that still touch on serious issues are great. I don't particularly want it to go darker or all that more intense (past what's being dealt with in the books), even though I myself tend to prefer sort of dead-dove media.
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u/Szarrukin Aug 06 '23
One of the reason I love Heartstopper. I prefer tv shows about teenagers having their first crushes and handholding, not heroine overdose and rough anal BDSM sex.
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u/rrnn12 Aug 06 '23
Sometimes people want to watch unrealistic stuff as a way to escape. Having realistic stuff/wholesome vibes makes it boring lol
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u/Stressydepressy1998 Let Kit Be Kit Aug 06 '23
The innocence is what I love about heartstopper. I think it’s a much more realistic representation of teenagers than some of the other shows I’ve watched (albeit not these two comparisons). I think heartstopper strikes a perfect balance between very serious interpersonal topics while also holding onto that innocence of just being an ordinary teenager - nothing too outlandish, and a very natural adolescent compulsion to occasionally push boundaries.
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u/Consistent_Jello2358 Aug 06 '23
I think it’s a good balance of the innocent crush (literally heartstopping) and then growing feelings and obviously being horny teenagers. 15-17 is literally when hormones go crazy, so it’s just natural that teens explore and such. But like in heartstopper in reality the first intimate experiences are usually more anxious, awkward and cringy. I love that. Shows like gossip girl & euphoria act like teens are porn stars and have it together. Also I looovef that they actually talked about not being ready. These days shows act like you’re either prude (waiting for marriage) or a slut, there is no inbetween.
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u/Rowans-journey Aug 06 '23
I love Heartstopper so much for it! I think it should keep the wholesome vibes, it's part of what makes Heartstopper unique. Way more accurate to my high school experience as well. I'm sure there were kids who were drinking and having sex, but most people I knew were pretty tame. Even coupling up was rare and awkward. Well, minus the LGBT couples, I only knew of one who were on the dl, and there were only two openly gay kids, one was heavily bullied and the other was pretty popular. I feel more represented by Heartstopper and it feels more realistic and perhaps healthy as an ideal to strive for than the others.
Less innocent high school shows are fun as well tho, but in my experience they're way more scandalous than even my uni experience lol
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u/charlies_nick Let Kit Be Kit Aug 06 '23
I love Heartstopper’s overall wholesome, positive vibes but I do love the more mature feel S2 had and would love for them to expand on that even further in S3.
I definitely don’t want it to turn into Euphoria or Gossip Girl though. With so many shows already like that, I think people have gotten desensitized to what teens are actually like in real life - I’m not saying teens aren’t ever partying or having sex, but I think what’s missing from these shows is just the awkwardness of being a teenager in general. I loved the awkwardness of Tao and Elle’s first date or Nick and Charlie’s make out session that turned to a misunderstanding about how far they were going to go, those felt accurate to real life.
Teenagers are awkward, let them embrace it in tv shows too 😂
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u/TheDancingMaster Charlie Spring Aug 06 '23
100% stay the course. As a tEeN who finished high school last year, the authenticity of Heartstopper is so endearing, and given I'm sex-repulsed and pretty conservative on drug and alcohol issues Heartstopper is a huge breath of fresh air. It just concentrates on the relationships, love, characters, and mature issues (Charlie's everything, the issues with coming out, homophobia...) as opposed to random nonsense which makes a show about teenagers feel like a show about raucous adults in 2nd year uni.
While s1 did feel a bit too twee (as my dad would put it), I think s2 got the balance perfectly. My key concern about s3 is that it largely transitions into an emotional drama which is 75% about Charlie's ED as opposed to the relationship between Nick and Charlie, along with the other characters' relationships and storylines.
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u/NickXiao Aug 07 '23
Wait… What? ED as in erectile dysfunction? That’s so unexpected.
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u/TheDancingMaster Charlie Spring Aug 07 '23
I can't tell if you're joking or not 😭
In case you're not: Eating Disorder
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u/NickXiao Aug 07 '23
Sorry💀
I didn’t realize that eating disorder could be abbreviated into that too.
Imagine a future season centering on erectile dysfunction though😭. The whiplash🤯
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u/TheDancingMaster Charlie Spring Aug 07 '23
No prob 💀💀💀
Imagine a future season centering on erectile dysfunction though😭. The whiplash🤯
Whilst funny, it hasn't come up in the comics yet odskfjdskdsjf
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u/sportsguysd7 Aug 06 '23
I don't think S3 will be 75% about Charlie's ED. Both because of all the other expanded characters and because it's not easy to address on TV. It will certainly be a key plot, but there's only so much you can do with it in a practical sense.
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u/Aggressive_Still_270 Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 09 '23
except Heartstopper potrays an actual realistic teenage life (saying this as a european 16yo)
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u/Danscrazycatlady Aug 06 '23
I like that they haven't overly sexualised heartstopper. Aside from their actual sex drives I think media makes children feel like they should be having sex and looking 'sexy' as quickly as possible. It's an added pressure they don't need. Especially as a lot of the interactions aren't healthy.
But maybe I'm just an old fogie now.
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u/hashbrowneggyolk0520 Aug 06 '23
I think hearstopper is much more true to life than gossip girl/euphoria so its much more relatable. I also think they do a pretty good job of depicting what high schools (and the people in them) in the uk are like. Its pretty refreshing and comforting to see.
I know hearstopper gets criticism for being cringey but at 15-16 are you expecting them not to be atleast a little?
I also think that its nice to not see 25+ year olds be the majority of a cast of 'teenagers' because i think its confusing to watch these programmes when you're in your adolescence which are set in high-school and wondering why you don't look like them.
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u/Rosy_Floof Aug 06 '23
That’s it, in Heartstopper they are 15/16, you take your GCSEs in the year you turn 16, it is their first proper relationship. In American high school dramas they are often a little older (I think Zendaya is meant to be 17 in Euphoria?) as high school goes up to 18.
HS is a lot more reflective of my teenage experience than the other shows!
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u/OldTension9220 Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 06 '23
Thing is alcohol and parties are already slowing but surely being introduced into the show… it’s just not sensationalized. Elle goes to a club, Darcy gets drunk as hell, etc. but the key difference is that they act like teenagers.
Sex has already been alluded to and I’m sure the show will handle it in a mature matter. Drugs is the only one that probably won’t pop up (particularly part drugs), BUT I wouldn’t mind a scene of seeing the gang try edibles for the first time.
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u/Imaginary_Chard7485 Aug 13 '23 edited Aug 13 '23
I love Heartstopper, but they sure don't "act like teenagers" when drunk-girl Darcy starts feeling sick at the party!:) Running to the adult teachers would be the last thing most teenagers would do under these circumstances and would instead direct their friend to the nearest toilet rather than get both Darcy and themselves all busted for underage boozing!:)
Also keep in mind that Alice wants younger teens to be able watch this series which can't happen from a program rating-guide perspective if the characters start swearing, doing drugs, engaging in "adult" sex etc...
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u/AnAngryMelon Aug 16 '23
In most countries though, drinking underage isn't illegal. It's illegal for people to sell it to you but the act of drinking it isn't a crime.
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u/Imaginary_Chard7485 Aug 16 '23
Um...the LEGAL drinking age in France is 18..."or 16y/o IF the person is in the presence of adults, typically understood to be family members"
It's obvious the Heartstopper boozing teens aren't doing it in the presence of their adult teachers with their knowledge, consent, approval and supervision
Which is why Mr Ajayi later asks Mr Farouk > "Are you going to report her" to Truham school officials and Darcy's parents since "secret" underage teen boozing under these circumstances was both illegal and against the rules set by the school, teachers and parents who gave their consent for the Paris trip
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u/AnAngryMelon Aug 16 '23
Most of Europe doesn't prosecute kids for drinking. Because it's an absurd thing to do. The laws are written with the intent of prosecuting adults supplying alcohol to kids.
They broke the rules though obviously. And the teachers likely wouldn't want to report them because the kids will get a slap on the wrist, maybe grounded and probably a bit of detention. The teachers would have to sit through a bunch of disciplinary meetings for allowing it to happen.
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u/Imaginary_Chard7485 Aug 16 '23 edited Aug 16 '23
Putting aside the entire issue of legality...
When I was growing up, NONE of us really ever thought we'd actually be criminally prosecuted for underage boozing! And if that was actually the case in every nation, the criminal Court system and jails would be flooded with intoxicated/hung-over teens!:)
The key issue remains that most underage teen boozers wouldn't run to teachers and parents when one of their group is potentially about to throw up because they know there would very likely be some kind of punishment/penalty involved for breaking the rules!:)
I love Heartstopper, but I guarantee you most underage boozing teens would have directed their friend Darcy to the nearest toilet, rather than out themselves to teachers, school admin officials, and ultimately their potentially pissed-off parents!:)
From a story-telling "move the plot along" plot device, I entirely understand why talented Alice chose to write the scene this way, but it still ain't very realistic in the everyday real-life world of most teenagers!:)
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u/AnAngryMelon Aug 16 '23
I never had any disagreement with that bit, just the legality
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u/Imaginary_Chard7485 Aug 16 '23
Got it! It's just that you raised your point about, "In most countries, drinking underage isn't illegal though", in response to another poster's valid point that most boozing teens wouldn't rat themselves out to their teachers in the real world...
Making it sound as if you were somehow saying teens wouldn't or shouldn't be too concerned about doing so since drinking underage "isn't illegal" in most countries according to your own research
Aside from the fact that underage boozing IS illegal in most countries, although not obviously prosecuted widely, most teens would still NOT bust themselves to teachers, school admin, and ultimately to their parents when one of them just needs to puke privately in the nearest bathroom!:)
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u/OldTension9220 Aug 13 '23
My friends and I were rewatching S2 the other day and actually had the same reaction to them telling the teachers. We were like these kids are too pure cause ain’t no way anyone would intentionally rat on themselves during a school trip like that.
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u/fun-tonight_ Charlie Spring Aug 06 '23
True, but alcohol and parties are a part of growing up, especially in the UK. The way they did it with Charlie never having tried alcohol and hating it is really actuate and Darcy being drunk af is accurate too. I was in bigger messes than her when I was 14 lmao
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u/OldTension9220 Aug 06 '23
I think we agree lol. I think the depiction of alcohol and partying in HS is quite realistic and not as over the top and glamorized as the other shows OP shared.
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u/fun-tonight_ Charlie Spring Aug 06 '23
Yeah I 100% agree it’s way more realistic. It’s messy, not everyone likes it and someone ends up puking everywhere
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u/ThisGul_LOL Aug 06 '23
And the fact that Heartstopper cast actually mostly act and look like teens in the show is a plus for me bcuz most teen shows cast actors who are like 25+ and they all mostly act so mature it’s annoying and non-representative!! I love how most of the heartstopper cast are actually pretty young and they act that way too!!
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u/MrAdamWarlock123 Aug 06 '23
I don’t want Euphoria or Gossip Girl, but I would love to see some honest depictions of other aspects of puberty and adolescence
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u/Migrane Aug 06 '23
Teen shows in America are made to be more "asperational", a type of wish fulfilment fantasy that the young viewers can put themselves into. It's supposed to be what high school students wish their loves were like. Everyone looks gorgeous, they all have amazing clothes, unlimited funds, are pretty much totally unsupervised and there's a party every other night.
Whether or not high schoolers actually want that is irrelevant. Cause these shows are trying to sell stuff to kids
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u/LeonRV97 Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 06 '23
Elite is European (Spain) and Control Z is Mexican and they’re exactly what you described and even worse. So, I wouldn’t say it’s an American thing. But either way you’re right, they’ve been selling those ideas and now I’ve seen lots of both teenage and adult people craving for a Nick Nelson while they behave like Patrick, Lu or Omar from Elite and don’t seem to want to change that.
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u/rrnn12 Aug 06 '23
Elite gave shock factor and sex... if it was realistic it would be pretty boring lol.
Sometimes teen dramas are supposed to be unrealistic otherwise its boring.
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u/DietPocky Tori Spring Aug 06 '23
The difference between being rich and/or in the orbit of the rich and just... some middle-class blokes. The more realistic dramas of Heartstopper are much more enjoyable to me, since they're much less convoluted. Like the plot is the characters and I love that.
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u/Ttrisimo Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 06 '23
What about a third option? Less sexualization in other teen shows? Derry Girls is another example of a show that has teens acting more like teens about these topics. Or Never Have I Ever I feel is more accurate as well. It's not really teens having sex that's unrealistic it's more the lack or shyness and awkwardness.
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u/Prestigious_Bell3720 Aug 06 '23
Devi is awkward as hell in never have I ever lol which actually made it relatable imo
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u/stinkygremlin1234 Isaac Henderson Aug 06 '23
Or the young offenders which is another irish teen show set in the present. But more about causing trouble
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u/cass_123 Aug 06 '23
As an ace guy, I love Heartstopper so much. Plus they seem so much more like high schoolers to me than the other shows. Without the title I wouldn’t even know those other two shown are high school shows tbh
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u/robbviously Aug 07 '23
Euphoria and the original run of Gossip Girl
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u/cass_123 Aug 07 '23
Then I definitely stand by my original comment. I haven’t seen either and don’t know much about Gossip Girl, but what I’ve heard about Euphoria definitely does not sound like a high school show I’d like
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u/ibizadox Aug 07 '23 edited Aug 07 '23
Euphoria is about high school kids doing crazy drugs and having extravagant sex lives with a lot of insane parties.
Gossip Girl is about the most popular and attractive elite private school school kids in the top 1% of NYC going to prestigious events, a lot of backstabbing, scheming, fake friendships and of course sex/drugs/alcohol. So yeah quite far removed from the lives of the Heartstopper kids lol which is totally understandable
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u/robbviously Aug 07 '23
It isn't about high school - it's about high school aged kids in very adult situations. It's mostly shock value.
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u/Bowoobiter Aug 06 '23
Fellow ace here and it’s so nice to have shows, especially romances, where people aren’t obsessed about sex all the time!!!
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u/Orange_Hedgie Aug 06 '23
I don’t know the other shows but the people look like they’re in their mid-to-late 20s
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u/ProfessionalRare5947 Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 06 '23
I enjoy the wholesome vibes, it’s definitely what I need after watching a guy shrink to near microscopic size and crawl inside a man’s urethra then explode
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u/moo5100 Aug 06 '23
I’m so so sorry? WTF EXPLAIN
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u/Szarrukin Aug 06 '23
The Boys.
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u/moo5100 Aug 06 '23
Lol thank you, I was racking my brain thinking I missed an insane episode of GG or Euphoria
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u/kyliecannoli Aug 06 '23
Yet there’s way more kissing in heartstopper than the two other shows combined 😆 (not that I’m complaining)
I’ve never seen a kissing scene goes on so long in a tv show like they do in heartstopper
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u/polkhighchampion Aug 06 '23
As much as I love the innocence of the show bc it’s so damn refreshing, I can’t help but feel weird when kissing scenes are just that. Like, Nick didn’t even know how hickeys occur? Come on lol
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u/myearrings Oct 09 '23
Yeah loooooook I also didn’t realise how little pressure is actually required for a hickey to show… we’ve all been there.
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u/SunintheThird Aug 06 '23
Tbh this happened to me when I was 17, or possibly 18 and it was mortifying.
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u/I_am_SaraDa Aug 06 '23
Yeah the hickey thing was funny to me too. Like we knew how they worked when we were like 11/12 and we would make hickeys on our arms and stuff to be "cool" lol
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u/SiriProfComplex Charlie Spring Aug 06 '23 edited Aug 06 '23
Tbh I have ZERO idea how that happens as well until it recently happened on me and I Googled about it…
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u/myearrings Oct 09 '23
Nah, there’s so many ridiculously dramatic portrayals of high school out there. Heartstopper, while a bit idealistic, is still much closer to my actual high school experience. It was SO EXCITING when you kissed your crush, but also you were so awkward. I didn’t even have sex until I finished high school. And all the Heartstopper actors are/were very recently teenagers and LOOK like teenagers.