The new series Heartstopper has fans falling in love with the story and its characters but if you look closely, it shares a lot of similarities with another Netflix series. The coming-of-age teen show with lots of heart and promise lines up nicely with the hit teen show, Sex Education.
Fans of both series can find many familiar themes and even storylines, which is why people who like Sex Education would enjoy Heartstopper. Heartstopper may focus on two main characters falling in love, but there's so much more to this show and the same could be said about Sex Education.
It Is Set In England
Fans who enjoy the clever British humor of Sex Education would appreciate the British humor in Heartstopper. Both of these teen shows explore the beautiful setting of various locations in England. The characters spend a lot of time outdoors to show them off.
The storylines can be universal, but both of these shows highlight their own set of rules. Ultimately, the culture is similar and fans of Sex Education will find the setting comforting. Both of these shows showcase some of their best young British actors.
Male Leads
Sex Education begins with awkward teenager, Otis Milburn. Although the series goes on to explore other characters, Otis is still at the center of it all and interacts with all of the characters, making him the male lead. Just like in Heartstopper, the main character is Charlie Spring. He is also a shy and awkward teenager who struggles to fit in and stand up for himself.
Charlie and Otis both find themselves alone at times throughout both of the shows, making them sympathetic. They both pine over someone and overall, the show focuses on their lives the most.
It's About High Schoolers
Fans of Sex Education know that the main focus is on the high school students that attend Moordale High. There are many storylines that hit close to home for their teenage audience due to the relatable characters. It is more relatable and comforting to know the characters are trying to figure out their identity in high school.
In Heartstopper, Charlie and his friends are constantly seen walking the halls of their high school, Kent Truham Grammar School For Boys. Nick and Charlie meet in their shared class where it is apparent that Nick is in the 11th grade.
Heavy Focus On Love & Relationships
Charlie struggles with a past relationship in which the boy he was seeing wanted to keep their romance a secret. He deals with the aftermath and the insecurities as he navigates his feelings for Nick. Nick struggles with figuring out his sexuality and coming to terms with his budding romance with Charlie. Their chemistry grows stronger with each episode.
In Sex Education, there are many characters that deal with their feelings for another person but the main storyline is about Otis and Maeve and how they go back and forth with their feelings for one another. But ultimately, fans are split on if Otis and Maeve are the best ship on the show.
LGBTQ+ Characters & Sexuality
Both shows deal heavily with themes centering around LGBTQ+ characters. They both focus on everything from realizing sexual orientation to adjusting to queer relationships. Heartstopper focuses mainly on the relationship between Nick and Charlie. Charlie is out in his high school and at times, gets bullied for it. Nick, on the other hand is coming to terms with the idea of being attracted to Charlie and realizes that he is bisexual.
There are also side characters who are also dealing with being comfortable in queer relationships and the judgement of it all. This is why Heartstopper is one of the best LGBTQ+ shows right now.
It Is A Non-Heavy Teen Show
Unlike other teen shows today, Sex Education and Heartstopper are educational and uplifting series. They don't typically deal with heavy material that can be upsetting or triggering. Even though Sex Education continues to have serious conversations for the side characters, the show also focuses on sexual content at its core.
Both shows center on not taking themselves too seriously and having fun with both the characters and their personalities, as well as the dialogue. Heartstopper still deals with themes such as homophobia and bullying. However, the show never takes a dark turn which is refreshing to see compared to other teen drama shows. The characters are more accepting and the storylines are more innocent.
Gender Identity
One of the characters in Heartstopper deals with adjusting to a new school after coming out as trans. This storyline is important to see because there aren't many plot lines like this. It is clear that the high school Charlie and his friends attend is an all boys school. However, Charlie's friend Elle tries to make friends at her new all girls school.
She is still apprehensive when it comes to her old high school, but she finds new friends that accept her. Sex Education also deals with gender identity this was apparent in the most recent season with the show's first non-binary character, Cal.
Music Plays A Big Part
Both shows have some great cinematic moments. These need to have a soundtrack that fits the tone and timing of the scene. In Heartstopper, there are many times when Charlie and Nick grow closer and their tension needs to be heightened.
From running around an empty house to the anticipation of texting a crush, it's all here. These scenes needed to have the perfect song in the background for fans to feel like they are in the moment of these two characters falling in love. Sex Education does the same thing and it makes each storyline stand out in the best way.
Similar Target Audience
Since both shows are high school centered, they both cater to a young and impressionable audience. Sex Education tells a great story about dealing with everything from sexual orientation to friendships. Although Heartstopper is only through season 1, it has a lot of potential just like Sex Education.
The shows may share some of the same fans because of the topics discussed on both shows. Both shows do a great job at exploring realistic and relatable plot lines. The overall impact of Heartstopper is growing.
Modern Takes
Both Sex Education and Heartstopper take a look at realistic teenage characters in a modern setting. Heartstopper often uses social media and technology to get across the emotions of each character.
Sex Education does a great job at highlighting injustices and focusing on what's right. The characters stand up for themselves even though they are trying to figure themselves out, which is a very modern approach. They will march and protest and band together when someone is in need. Fans of both shows can speculate what would happen if shows like these aired a few decades ago.