And he hates Christmas And he hates fun And he really hates you He hates everyone The only things he doesn’t hate are making money and work And if you say Happy Holidays He’ll shout his favorite phrase Bah Humbug!
Starkid presents VHS CHRISTMAS CAROL: LIVE! Choreographed by James Tolbert Written by Clark Baxtresser Directed by Corey Lubowich
Being a little older than the target audience for heartstopper, one of the parts of the show that stuck out to me from the first watch was the presence of the adult figures. In so many teen-focused shows, the adults don’t exist and the kids are left to figure it out on their own, or the adults are only there to be some sort of obstacle or challenge to overcome. This makes sense as this is the part of life where we start transitioning from our family units to creating our own communities, but in heartstopper, there is a recognition that these adults still play a role in our lives.
Most people can easily name Nick’s mom (aka Sarah Nelson) or the art teacher (Mr. Ajayi) and a lot has been written about them. They serve as real guides for Nick and Charlie respectively. I think the key quality they both share is they are listeners. When Nick and Charlie are there to talk, they put down what they are doing, and they listen. They answer the questions and give advice. They don’t tell what to do. It’s kind of the opposite of what we think the job of an adult is. It embraces the idea that these teens have reached a point where they have their own experiences and should be trusted to decide their own best way forward.
The one adult who sticks out the most, though, is Charlie’s dad, Julio. He’s in the show two times, basically as Charlie’s chauffeur. But when he’s there, he’s really there. When he picks Charlie up from Harry’s party, he can see that Charlie is distraught, and what he offers is comfort. The hug and comforting words that he offers to Charlie are so gentle and kind. He doesn’t try to pry the information out of Charlie or fix his problems. When he picks Charlie up from the movies, he can see Charlie is in distress, but again, he doesn’t press. He opens the door for Charlie to share, and, when Charlie doesn’t, he respects the choice and gets Charlie away from the distressing situation. This sort of quiet, loving support shows a real respect and kindness in his parenting.
On the other hand, we see Charlie’s mom once, and it is kind of a non-event if you don’t know the rest of the story. But when you look deeper, you see the seeds of the dysfunction in their relationship. She’s completely oblivious to the obvious emotional tension between Nick and Charlie. Nick is literally standing in the foyer soaking wet without a coat or umbrella. Shouldn’t that register as odd or at least elicit a query if everything is alright? But it doesn’t. Instead, she feels the need to highlight the need to keep their meeting short and then chastise Charlie for not changing out of his pajamas first! It’s subtle but lays the groundwork for the strife to come.
Let’s talk about Tori, too. While Tori is only a year older than Charlie, she plays a big role in Charlie’s life and support system. This is an important positive familial relationship. She can tell when Charlie is going through something, even from him just staring at his bowl, and encourages him to name what he wants for himself. She’s subtle in her warnings and fierce in her need to protect him. This isn’t just typical older sister love. This is genuine care and support, and, as she’s more Charlie’s contemporary, she gets a real insight into why he needs this. Hers is the most informed and necessary adult presence in his life — even if she’s just on the edge of being an adult.
I want to also add Coach Singh briefly. She’s in the background of the action and manages to drop a line here and there. You see her really trying to make him a part of the team with her encouragement. She’s a little more prominent in her support in the comic, but there is one moment in the show that really stuck out for me. When Charlie goes to quit the rugby team, she is truly excited to see him. And when Charlie tells her he wants to quit, she really wants him to stay and asks if it’s the other boys. Charlie doesn’t really notice how she’s trying to help, though. She’s a subtle supportive character that I would guess will have more to say next season… if the comics play out onto the screen.
In conclusion, once again, I am impressed with how much Alice Oseman managed to fit into four hours of amazing television.
