Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman teases a second season could be on the way
Alice Oseman has told Digital Spy that future seasons of the hit show could explore the series' darker themes.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Netflix and Instagram/@patwalters_
If, like us, you spent the weekend bingeing Heartstopper on Netflix, then firstly, it was a weekend well spent, but also you’ll probably be dying to know if a second season is in the works. Well, the show’s creators have teased that it is!
Heartstopper writer and creator, Alice Oseman, and the show’s executive producer, Patrick Walters, have been speaking to Digital Spy about the show and what fans could expect from any possible future seasons.
In their discussion about the show’s focus on positive LGBTQ stories, Oseman touched on the series’ darker and more serious themes such as mental health.
“That is very much my goal for the show”
“If we do get future seasons, I’ll definitely want to be bringing in the themes of mental health, because that’s something that’s really important in the books. The challenge of writing Heartstopper is exploring those darker issues while keeping the tone so optimistic and hopeful,” says Alice.
She adds that it has been a struggle to write these themes but that she has managed it in the books the TV series is based on.
“I’ve been able to be very candid about mental health, and I explored that in a real way, while not writing something that’s intensely triggering or really dark and horrible to read or watch. So that is very much my goal for the show.”
Patrick thinks it’s definitely possible to explore darker material with the show’s cast, who he says have proven themselves capable even though most have little to no on-screen acting experience before now.
“I’m hoping that we can continue in that vein,” he says.
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Alice also tells Digital Spy that if they get a second season they’ll be moving into volume three of the Heartstopper web-comic.
“That is when the teacher romance happens”, she says. “So in the show, we’ve already got Mr. Ajayi, but in the books, there’s also Mr. Farouk, who comes in, in volume three. And they have this kind of interesting friendship going on in the background that eventually becomes something more.
“I think that will be so much fun to write in the show, and I’m very excited to hopefully get to write it.”
Heartstopper is streaming now on Netflix.
The Attitude May/June issue featuring the cast of Heartstopper is out now.
