"Breathtaking" magically describes small moments of great emotions

Netflix's heartwarming British series began as a comic book series that grew from the bottom up.

There was therefore a fear among the fans that the adaptation would not do kindness to the original they love so much.

It turns out that there is nothing to fear.

Now as a month for two more seasons, this is an opportunity for those who missed out to check out why she is getting so much love

Songs of salvation

27/05/2022

Friday, May 27, 2022, 00:00

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Trailer for the series "Breathtaking" (Heartstopper) (Netflix)

After many years in which teen series have been either "euphoria", presenting us with the reality of teens at the most extreme there is, or "Riverdale", familiar to us a melancholy, dramatic and far from realistic experience, it's time long for a teen series that just feels pure good.

A modern romantic drama that just warms the stomach and tears of happiness at the tip of the eye.

"Heartstopper" is a youth series you did not know you wanted, and from the moment it aired on Netflix in April, it has become an instant hit that crosses audiences and ages.

As is well known, it is not only teenagers who enjoy following the difficulties and joys of high school students.

In many ways, this series is a perfect example of a modern Young Adults series.

At the heart of the story is a love-turns-love relationship between Charlie (John Locke), an introverted boy who has been forced out of the closet and bullies at school, and Nicholas (Kit Connor), a popular boy and star of the high school rugby team.

Unexpectedly, the two become friends and then get closer, which confronts Nick with the fact that he may have an attraction towards boys as well and not just towards girls.

Around them is a cast of companies that are almost all of them on the LGBT arch, and they all deal with the complexity that comes with it.

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Romantic comedy without comedy, romantic drama without drama.

"Breathtaking" (Photo: Netflix)

"Breathtaking" is proof that a youth series does not have to be as sharp as a knife to convey the exposed truth of the generation.

Even if it has no sharp edges, the series has enough heart to warm even the most cynical among viewers

The way these themes are presented in the series could not have existed a few years ago, let alone one generation back.

But the generation that grew up today does not remember life without the Internet, without the concept of an online community and the creation of an alternative family.

This is a generation that also grew up with a completely different understanding of the issue of gender and sexuality, and although the difficulties are the same, and the haters are the same haters, teens now have much more exposure to positive tobacco representation and proud imitation models in popular media and culture. Older viewers may feel that the proud variety in the series is unreliable, while younger viewers will probably not bat an eyelid.

But not only its content and addressing burning issues like dealing with gender definitions and sexual orientation (and to a lesser extent this season, mental health) make it the look of the contemporary teenage generation, but also the series' source, the way it did until it hit the screens.

Even before it reached Netflix, "Breathtaking" already existed as a successful series of graphic novels (the first book was translated into Hebrew), which is actually an association of network comics written and illustrated by Alice Osman (creator of the series) over the years.

The comic has been published since 2016 in sequels mainly on Tumblr, where users have moved it from blog to blog until it has become a crazy cult phenomenon, growing from the bottom up.

The intricate characters, the delicate love story and the beautiful friendships between the group of teenagers captivated the readers, who saw themselves reflected in it, and very quickly developed around an entire comic fandom.

It was so popular that when Osman launched a Kickstarter campaign two years later with the goal of getting the comics out in the form of a book, it reached the requested amount within hours.

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If you're already an adult, then you should be Olivia Coleman.

"Breathtaking" (Photo: Netflix)

In such cases there is always a concern of the veteran fans about the processing, and how it will go that they are so invested in it between platforms.

Will the story lose its charm when actors give their interpretation of favorite characters?

Will the original spark be lost in the hands of a director who does not understand the spirit of things?

In the case of "Breathtaking" the fans had nothing to fear.

Already with the release of the trailer, the network was flooded with exciting posts by happy fans, who felt that there was a perfect match between the original and its TV incarnation - and not by chance.

In the adaptation of the story for the screen, Osman and director Euros Lynn made sure to stick as much as possible to the original, which is evident in the selection of actors who are very similar to the characters in the comics, and also in the casting of really young actors, octopuses and everything.

There are very few adults in the world of Charlie and his friends (several teachers, one dad, one mom), and the young and inexperienced actors hold the entire series on their shoulders admirably, reinforced by a wonderful guest appearance by giant Olivia Coleman as Nick, and Stephen's mom Fry as the director's voice.

The shooting angles and framing of the scenes recreate, sometimes one by one, frames from the comics, and are occasionally emphasized through illustrated elements that are taken from the creation of the original and intensify the emotion in the scenes.

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Young viewers will probably not bat an eyelid.

"Breathtaking" (Photo: Netflix)

The amazing set design also helps a lot, and the very stylish and deliberate coloration created by the use of two main color scales, of blue and yellow, which represent Charlie and Nick, and resonate in clothing, objects, lighting, and "coloring" the scenes.

Although this colorfulness did not come from the original (the comic was painted in black and white), it only adds to the special atmosphere, which is all internal processes and a sense of intimacy.

"Breathtaking" excels at creating small moments, emotions that pass through glances, close-ups of characters as they ponder, touching-not-touching hands, even writing and deleting text messages.

The moment is small but the feeling is great.

This is a romantic comedy without the comedy, and to some extent also a romantic drama without the drama.

Despite all the difficulties arising from its main themes, despite being a teenager it's hard and painful, somehow the series keeps the protagonists and us viewers from all evil.

Yes, there are struggles and internal struggles, but everything is pretty much wrapped in layers of colored wrapping paper, so as not to make us too many triggers.

Even in the darkest moments (e.g., the exploitative relationship Charlie is in), there is a sense that in the end everything will be fine.

The main characters are like two cute puppies walking around happily, happy to have found each other - and that's fine.

"Breathtaking" is proof that a youth series does not have to be as sharp as a knife to convey the exposed truth of the generation.

Even if it has no sharp edges, the series has enough heart to warm even the most cynical among viewers.

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Color that adds to the special atmosphere.

"Breathtaking" (Photo: Netflix)

It remains only to see if this warmth will be able to be maintained in the all-too-desirable seasons to come.

The plot will likely continue to follow the lives of Charlie, Nick and their friends as they unfold in the graphic novel, and will cling visually and atmospherically to the original material.

Not all of the characters have been introduced yet, and not all of the conflicts the members are facing have yet received the depth they deserve, including the very important issue of mental health.

The question is whether the small and everyday dilemmas will suffice, and whether the minor drama will still be effective and charming even deep into the third season.

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• Breathtaking - Heartstopper

• TV review