5 Heartstopper Arcs That Only Appeared On Screen & Pleasantly Surprised Alice Oseman's Readers
It's crazy to think these weren't part of the original story.
Every viewer knows that Netflix's Heartstopper is adapted from Alice Oseman's fan-adored graphic novels of the same name. More than that, Oseman is the one adapting her own work. As the sole screenwriter, she makes sure that the on-screen tale of high school lovebirds Charlie and Nick stays as close to the feel of the original story as possible.
While many scenes are mirrored verbatim for this purpose, sometimes it's necessary to change things that wouldn't translate well in a live-action version and add new characters and arcs.
For example, here are five delightful Heartstopper moments that are exclusive to the Netflix adaptation. These add a new layer of charm to the beloved story, and fans can't believe they can't be found on paper.
Mr. Ajayi & His Witty Remarks
It will come as a shock to many first-time Oseman readers that Mr. Ajayi wasn't such a big part of the novels. In fact, he doesn't appear until the Paris trip, which means that all of his scenes in Season 1 were crafted specifically for the show. And they're all so hilarious that it's hard to pick a favorite.
But if we had to, it would have to be the 'being a teenager is terrible' line in Episode 2, when Charlie confesses his crush on a straight boy (who, of course, is not so straight). God, we wish we had teachers like Mr. Ajayi when we were growing up.
Sports Day & Heartwarming Confession
The Season 1 finale was a complete surprise for Oseman fans. The novels don't have Sports Day and everything that happens there. In the show, however, it became a pivotal healing point for Nick and Charlie. It is hard to imagine their romance without Nick's declaration in the hallway.
'You're my favorite person, I need you to believe me,' the boy says in the scene that melts Charlie's and our hearts.
Coming Out & Boyfriend's Support
Another sweet scene added by the script happens in Season 2, Episode 3 after the bonfire party. Nick is struggling to come out to his family and school friends, and Charlie assures him that there's no pressure, even though he'd like to brag to the world how good-looking his boyfriend is.
'I think there's this idea that when you're not straight, you need to tell all your friends and family immediately. Like you owe it to them, but you don't,' Charlie tells Nick, and it's a powerful reminder to anyone who can relate to the boy's struggles.
Patio Talk & Meaningful Easter Egg
Season 2 is filled with many sweet moments taken directly from the graphic novels, but the patio conversation in Episode 6 was created specifically for the show and serves as a nice nod to the kiss between Charlie and Nick at Harry's party in Season 1, Episode 3. As you may recall, Nick abruptly left after the kiss, leaving Charlie heartbroken.
On the patio, during another party, the boys discuss how escaping social gatherings to spend some private time together is becoming their thing:
'I hope so. Not running away this time though,' Nick says, and those are the exact words we have been waiting to hear since Harry's party.
Ben & Courageous Confrontation
Ben's role has been deepened in the show. That's why some of his scenes were original, including the very significant moment in Season 2, Episode 7 when Ben asks Charlie for forgiveness for his past actions and our brave lead refuses to give it to him.
'I'm glad you realize what you did was wrong, but you don't get to ambush me into forgiving you,' Charlie says, sending an important message to all viewers.