[GVSV Reacts Ep001] Straight Veteran Watches Heartstopper S1E1 & S1E2 for the First Time

Welcome back to Gay Veteran Straight Veteran (GVSV)!!! This episode, Alex has Carl watch the first 2 episodes of Heartstopper Season 1. We discuss the similarities and differences in their High School experiences.
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Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a copyright law doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the copyright holder.

[@jennybaybay96]

hey! did the reaction for episode 3 go somewhere? i was hoping to watch it before episode 4!

[@GVSV-Media]

Good morning @jennybaybay96, I'm very sorry that Episode 3 is currently unavailable... TLDR - Episode 3 will be available after Valentines Day, when we upload our Red, White & Royal Blue react episodes. Long Story - A few of our earlier episodes did not make it through the Copyright Claim system unscathed... I was hoping to get them re-edited/uploaded much sooner. Due to our current workflow and all the episodes we've promised our audience. These episodes will require us to add those episodes back into our upload schedule. Right now, we have an opening in our schedule, once we finish our Heartstopper S2 and S3, Q&A episodes, which are due to air alongside our Red, White & Royal Blue react episodes during the 2 weeks leading up to Valentines Day. Thank you for your patience and understanding 😊 - Alex (GV)

[@maybeso68]

I'm in my 50's and absolutely would have loved to have a gay story that was this wholesome when I was a teen.

[@marktegrotenhuis]

I'm just in my 30's and I feel the same way about this show.

[@michaelhansen2309]

Early 40'ies here man, I felt like a lovestruck teenager watching this, the experience I never had myself.

[@vk3crg]

Yep I’m 55 and like you was a teen in the 80’s and totally agree with you. There was zero representation of people like us back then (here in Australia anyway!). What I would have given to have seen positive young people in a show like “Heartstopper” back then. You either get it or you don’t and I don’t think this Carl guy gets it. This show is lots of things and “campy” isn’t one of them. Craig - Australia

[@jdb101585]

There is adult representation of that joy, (usually bittersweet though.) You're missing the point that for *most* LGBT+ people, we didn't get to have what you consider a very normal and important part of our adolescence. While straight kids dated, kissed, cuddled, broke up, got back together, went on dates, teased each other about who they liked, etc. etc. Many of us spent that entire period terrified that anyone would find out we weren't straight! That meant that every single one of those interactions listed above had to be a lie for us, for our own safety. Seeing teens able to be open and be themselves and experience that normalcy/honesty with their peers is simultaneously joyous and heartbreaking.

[@millersofkent93]

As a gay man in his 30s this show meant so much to me. Gay shows have always been full of trauma, sex and even death. This show is just full of love and joy while still being completely realistic and relatable. It’s why so many lgbtq people, of all ages, love it so much. Great reaction!

[@GQkid13]

Yes!! I just remember growing up and Degrassi was so scandalous..

[@freeride_99]

I don't think the straight guy understands there has been no show like Heartstopper before because he kept saying of course Charlie and Nick get together, there's no tension, blabla. So he needs to watch more gay shows where everyone ends up dead or traumatised 😅 Also if you paid attention earlier Charlie said none of his friends are gay. Kinda weird accusing Tao not being straight when the character and everyone else said they’re straight. You can pause the show when you want to talk instead of missing crucial scenes

[@mark99k]

16:15 Some notes: they're not actually children; they're adolescents. And adolescence is a special time of life, both sexually and otherwise. In the past (and for some people even now), many gay people didn't or couldn't come out until their 20s, so they missed out on the more _genuine_ adolescence that their classmates got. That's why Heartstopper is so beloved by LGBTQ people of all ages. For young people it gives hope. For older people, it gives comfort -- the comfort of knowing that the crap we put up with back then won't have nearly the same ill effects (on those just beginning to discover themselves), as it did on us. Yes, there's also some melancholy, but the pure joy of the show outweighs it.

[@ThatsMyUsborneBook]

@12:10 i love this - recognising just from Ben's mannerisms that he's the type of person who can't handle being told no.

[@xxoldmagicxx]

Yeah that was a good read on his part!

[@GVSV-Media]

I’m not surprised that SV picked up on that, he’s always been a great judge of character - GV 😎👍

[@pinxerata]

wonderful reaction ❤ as a trans person, i wanted to acknowledge the amount of effort put into being respectful towards the community, and i wanted to share some general tips about referring to trans people that may be helpful to you or anybody who doesn’t have much experience with trans people. - Generally, trans people don’t like hearing “I wouldn’t have realized that she/he wasn’t a ‘real’ woman/man,” since it can feel invalidating to their identity. The best tip I can give is to drop “real” from your vocabulary when it comes to trans people (it’s quite the sore spot for most trans people). - You can usually say “I didn’t realize that she/he wasn’t a cisgender woman/man”. Cisgender refers to anybody who is not transgender, so you two would be considered cisgender men. You can also say “he/she passes (as male or female) very well,” as a similar comment. - It’s okay to say “I couldn’t tell you were trans!” (or the similar “you don’t look trans”), but I would suggest avoiding the phrase, since often, the reaction from a trans person would be, “Well, what do you think trans people look like?” It’s often said as a compliment, but often comes off as a backhanded compliment to the community as a whole. - What matters mosts is your approach. You were very respectful and open in this video about how you didn’t know all the lingo, and sometimes that’s all we want to hear. As long as you’re open to discussions where trans people can inform you of their personal boundaries, nobody will fault you for any mistakes! thanks again for such a great video with open and honest dialogue! if you have any questions on trans people, feel free to reply, I’m not offended by any questions that come from a place of wanting to understand ❤

[@ThatsMyUsborneBook]

@17:00 Schitt's Creek might be the only example of adult queer joy that I've seen in a film/tv show.

[@lindsaynicole4812]

i would love a schitts creek reaction! there arent enough of them! its my favorite tv show of all time!

[@GQkid13]

LOVE Schitt's Creek!!

[@GVSV-Media]

I also love Schitts Creek! 🥰 My husband and I will occasionally listen to “A Little Bit Alexis” for fun - GV 😅🎶

[@stephendaniels2213]

Ages at time of filming. Joe Locke/Charlie (18 playing 14/15), Kit Connor/Nick (17 playing 16) I think Corinne/Tara was the oldest at 22 playing 16. Most of the main cast were at most within 2 or 3 years of their character ages. The actor playing Harry, for example, was actually exactly the same age as his character (16).

[@hughcampbell-ww3bf]

47:00 Yes, but this series not only shows some happy, healthy relationships. It also provides an emotional language that really fits for so many people. Really enjoyed your discussion, thanks!

[@chimaxx]

17:00 The best example I can think of of adult queer joy is the Spanish Netflix series Smiley. It came out after Heartstopper's first season, but similarly leans into the romantic comedy tropes for its gay characters. And that is relatively new in media. The characters have no trauma around being gay. They are just dealing with difference in age, differences in caareer aspirations, differences in relationship expectations and the complications of meddling friends and other plot complications pushing them apart. If you go back to the 1990s, that queer joy was there in the Tales of the City books and PBS/Showtime series, but the romantic foibles of the LGBT characters weren't centered: They were just part of the mix.

[@sarasolomon4812]

You’re not wrong about the speed at which the relationship develops. I’m not sure if you’ve seen the next few episodes, so I’ll try to avoid spoilers, but season 1 covers about 4 months, and season 2 is less than 2 months. People like to joke that “Charlie fell first, but Nick fell harder.” Nick didn’t just fall for Charlie, the poor boy catapulted himself off the commitment cliff like Wile E. Coyote chasing after the Road Runner, and left a Nick Nelson shaped hole at the bottom. Nick was smitten, which most fans find endearing, if not realistic. But Heartstopper isn’t made to be realistic, it’s supposed to be a light fluffy sweet love story. At least Season 1 is. Season 2 is more serious, and Season 3 is gearing up to break our hearts, so brace yourselves…

[@slm_766]

Love your Road Runner analogy! 🤣 💖💜💙

[@davidcwitkin6729]

Mmmbbeeep Beeep!

[@Alex-ck1bw]

The straight vet seems really uncomfortable and painfully unaware of what life is really like for gay people. Which youd think wldnt be the case given one of his supposed closest friends that he has known for 30 years is gay 🙃. 1. Its totally normal at that age to be unaware of your sexuality esp if you like both genders. If you are able to be in a straight presenting r/s you dont really think about the possiblity of liking the same sex b/c its easier just "being straight". Straight is the default. Straight is "fitting in" and thats one of the major themes teens struggle w/, wanting "to fit in" 2. Tao is straight, b/c he identifies as being straight. Denying someones sexuality cause they dont fit your definition of what it looks like is a jerk move. Thats the same mentality that leads to outcasts in highschool and in society in general, to be called "gay" as an insult. Tao is just unapologetically himself. He is geeky and "wierd" and he doesnt care what ppl think of him. He will be true to himself even if it makes others uncomfortable/cringe etc b/c its a *them* problem not him

[@Thriving.Succubus]

You said what I didn’t know how to. I absolutely had youthful moments of not realizing what I was feeling because of comphet. Also, definitely never speculate on someone’s sexuality. It’s just harmful. A person’s sexuality belongs to them and them alone.

[@mollybronson2683]

Episode 1 covers about a month & episode 2 is basically another month. So it’s been 2 months since they met & became friends. Book 5 that you guys have right there actually has the whole timeline of the story at the back - shows how time unfolds in calendar form.

[@JayceMaxwell]

Gonna put on my producer hat for a moment. 1) sound balance needs to be fixed. 2) Lots of reactors out there with lots of different styles. The ones that do well pay attention to the show. For the most part you did that, but there was at least one entire scene you had story time on top of. Comments and reacting are great, but if you're going to have a whole conversation, you should consider pausing the show. Pausing also helps fight KZbin's copyright bots, so don't be afraid of it. 3) There will always be people who throw a fit because you paused in their favorite spot or edited out something they think you should have reacted to. It's just a fact of reactor life. Some viewers feel entitled. 4) The more you do this, the more you'll loosen up and it'll start to feel natural. Keep at it.

[@davidcwitkin6729]

SOOOO agree

[@1HalfbloodPrince]

This show is so wholesome. I hope he likes it! I feel like I cried so much at a teen show for being 33 because I wish I had this kind of show when I was younger. I'm just mourning the life that could have been if only I found myself at a younger age. I did not realize and fully accept I was gay until my late 20s.

[@garyprime6983]

I’m only midway through the video but I appreciate the talking about events on the show and having one person that’s seen the show already to answer questions for the other is a great method to make sure important information is being shared. While this is my first video I’m seeing from your channel and I’m not too sure of the dynamics, I’ve gathered that your two have been friends for a while and both pretty open to queer culture. I think it’s important that SV hears about Heartstopper being called an “idealistic fictional queer story” from the perspective of most queer experiences (even today) doesn’t happen to the standard this show portrays. While there’s some darker themes/ issues in the show it is still an easily accessible show with many supportive characters that usually aren’t seen in real life. Also this is one of the few queer media representation where the ending isn’t sad or results in the death of one of the couple. Much of gay stories are about AIDS, hate crimes, homophobia, and darker themes whereas this show is a lighthearted queer teenage romance that so many of us didn’t get to experience when we were young. It’s nice to see and it’s great that younger generations have this show to set a standard for their relationships with friends and family. I get that SV is walking around eggshells on these topics, you can tell that he’s wanting to be respectful and comfortable with what he’s addressing in their conversation. Good video guys and look forward to the rest of the seasons.

[@davidpacheco268]

39:40 it's always better to ask whatever questions you have, if your heart is in the right place. Yasmin Finney, the actress that plays Elle, is in fact trans. Regarding the actors being, in real life, what they're representing in the show, it's not like that entirely. Most of these actors are at the beginning of their adult lives right now, figuring themselves out like everyone else at that age. Kit Connor has said he's bisexual but the rest of the main cast aren't defining their identities so specifically (nor do I think Kit is either. you should look up what was done to him online in regards to his sexuality).

[@ccx7004]

Thanks for saying this! Just adding though that Joe (Charlie’s actor) is openly gay :)

[@davidpacheco268]

@@ccx7004 thanks, I didn't know that!

[@slm_766]

Sometimes I have found that looking at external information from interviews etc, can be helpful. The author Alice Oseman and the actor who plays Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) have both pointed out that --- For Nick's entire 16-year lifetime (until becoming friends with Charlie), Nick had always assumed he was straight; it was not even a question that he asked himself; his being straight was "a given." Not only that, Nick had always been perceived by others to be straight. (There are episodes and dialogue that lend support to or confirm those points.) *** *** Kit Connor's understanding of the character of Nick (especially in first season) is that Nick is very innocent. *** *** From lines of dialogue, we find out that others' perception of Nick's sexuality was based on "what he looks like". In an interview in British GQ, Kit Connor says: "The idea that you can tell someone's sexuality based on the way they look, the way that they talk, the way that they walk, the way that they dress, is quite frankly, ridiculous, and it's really quite harmful. In Heartstopper, one of the strong messages that it sends is the fact that to do that, is frankly wrong."

[@Countfoscolikesmice]

hey bearded guy, you're doing great. unclench. 🤪

[@mishydraws]

I love watching Heartstopper so much. I'm still learning your names but I really enjoyed listening to the dude on the right try to explain why this show is so personally meaningful to him despite it perhaps having this surface level appearance of being something that's been done time and time again... for straight and only straight stories, that is. I'll be tuning in for the rest of these reactions for sure and not to take any attention away from it but if you're already accepting suggestions for the future, I'm going to go ahead and suggest Young Royals because the third (and final) season aired earlier this year and I miss it already. If you're cool with subtitles, watching it in the original Swedish language offers the best experience in my opinion. It retains all of the original emotion and performance of the actors despite them also doing their own english dubbing.

[@ariadnepyanfar1048]

I loved that this show sparked so many personal reminiscences for both of you, and side thoughts. I was interested in all of Them. I’ve seen other reactors pause the show they’re watching whenever they have more than a single phrase to say, and it is critical to them not missing out on crucial information and character moments in a first time watch. I’d really love for you to pause shows in the future. I think Carl is right about Ben noticing Nick’s smiley mark on Charlie and getting jealous. AND at the same time Charlie is thinking how nice Nick is to him compared to Ben. I love how Carl can clearly see Nick already catching feelings by last scene ep 1. Carl, I think a vocabulary word you are missing is cisgender, In comparison to a trans person, either mtf (male to female) or ftm (female to male, a cis-male or cis-female is the vast majority of us that never feel a burning discomfort with the gender of the bodies we were born into. There’s no need to go around using ‘cis’ in everyday language, but it’s hella useful in discussions involving trans people as distinct from cis people. (Cis comes from the Latin meaning ‘on the same side as’, ‘aligned’.). Your inner gender is aligned with your outer gender. So Elle is played by a trans woman, not a cis woman. AFAB (assigned female at birth) and AMAB (assigned male at birth) are extremely useful acronyms in the medical setting and general discussion not only because people can medically transition now, but also because of the massive rise in Intersex babies/people. Intersex babies are born with genitals that are neither clearly male nor female.. Technically a birth defect, but we don’t want to go around calling people’s genitals defective. Can you imagine the depth of the self esteem hit? The rise in petrochemical products (that act as Endocrine Disruptors), since the 1950s have resulted in a rise in Intersex babies from 1 in 100,000 births, to 1 or 2 in a thousand births, depending on nation. The estimated rate of Intersex people in the USA population is 1.7%. Many doctors and parents decide that the child will have a better life growing up with a clear gender, and perform surgery on the genitals of babies giving their best guess of what they ‘should’ be. Unfortunately, half the time they guess wrong. A pubescent ‘boy’ starts growing breasts. A pubescent ‘girl’ starts growing a facial hair. An obscene amount of these teenagers commit suicide. Looking at the XY or XX chromosomes of these Intersex babies doesn’t help. They have been exposed to Endocrine Disrupting pollution in the womb so strong that it has overwritten the DNA plan for their bodies. And now their hormonal Endocrine system may be set up to express hormones that are unvorrelated with their DNA. In short, their phenotype: their body that is built, does not match their genotype: their genetic code. In a very similar way to the phenotype of Thalidomide Babies not matching their genotype.

[@khantimettaful]

So wholesome. Thanks for doing this one. (I'm also down for the sprinkling of physics content LOL) - Kate

[@1HalfbloodPrince]

One more comment: You explaining the importance of this show for kids today made me absolutely bawl my eyes out. The way this show would have changed my life ...😢

[@thomasscrace]

Massive respect for Carl. What a great individual being really respectful and mindful of sensitive topics. The world would be better if we had more Carl’s 👍

[@georgechristianjr]

1st off to you BOTH Thank you for your service ❤ LOVE this consept Gay / straight friendships , came cuz of Heartstopper, SV you are good my man as a Bi male your questions were heartfelt & important to ask & understand , Gay / straight sometimes people know straight away they will spend their lives together meeting early , my dad knew a week in a 1/2 in he was going to marry my mom, almost 50 yrs later still going strong. i wish also i had this growing up

[@salemoh9759]

Yeah, Tori is the Wednesday from Heartstopper

[@davidcwitkin6729]

I love Tori

[@livinginstereo]

You weren't a gay teen. 100% wasn't EASY. you think we just passed notes?? Are you nuts?

[@slm_766]

I appreciate what Alex is trying to do on this channel with regard to explaining/showing Heartstopper. I also appreciate Carl's willingness to look into this show and to try to understand a different perspective in viewing it. 💖💜💙

[@tideoftime]

28:45 They alluded prior that Tao is often mistakenly perceived as gay (per Charlie's comment), which thematically is about misperceiving someone as being gay/queer for stereotypical reasons (in Tao's case that he's on the feminine side, slight of build, into art/performances, etc.). Now, while in real life there is little confirmation relative to the _actor's_ -- William Gao's -- sexuality or dating history, it can be that his RL queer sensibility is (as intended) bleeding through the characterization. But some straight people do indeed have "queer" qualities, just as some totally gay men (for example) can have all of the conventional heterosexual male qualities with no stereotypical gay/queer ones... but are still 100% gay. Same thing, just mirror-reversed, with Tao. 34:30 You might be missing it because it can go by fast in context-reference, but these first two episodes cover a span of over 2 months -- it's not just an immediate infatuation on Nick's part. (On *Charlie's* part, yes, lol -- he was properly smitten when he first saw Nick.) In the first episode, alone, the events we see take place over a period of a month, as it started during the first week of January (just getting back from Christmas break), and by the time Ben assaults Charlie it's February (as Charlie says to Ben when the latter asks him why he's wearing a coat, then saying "lame" when Charlie says "It's February..."). There are other blink-and-you'll-miss-it time-cues throughout the season (both this one and the next season), with time ironically moving much faster in this initial episodes then slowing down the further we go along. (Seasons 1 and 2 cover the time from the beginning of January of the year in question and end one the first weekend in July of that same year; S-3 will cover that summer and into the following first semester of the next school year.)

[@slm_766]

Where in the episode does a character allude to Tao's being mistaken for gay? I've looked through the transcript for season 1, episode 1. There is nothing said that implies that Tao is mistaken as gay. If you are talking about Charlie's conversation with the art teacher, there is no indication that the teacher even knows who Charlie's friends are. Charlie is careful not to name names. The teacher merely suggested that Charlie discuss the 'Ben' problem with his friends. Charlie says "they won't get it." The teacher wants to know why. Charlie says that they are not gay. The teacher does not look surprised about that.

[@tideoftime]

(OMG, I hate YT so much -- it just ate my entire post/citation... >sigh< ) Long/short: the scene where Charlie, Tao and Isaac are seated in class (when Isaac flares/rolls his eyes at Charlie's bi people comment) -- when Charlie notes to Tao about him (Tao) not being the best example for determining who is an isn't straight, that's not Charlie commenting on Tao's ability to suss out who is/isn't but rather that he (Tao) himself skews the stereotypical perceptions of gay/straight *because* he has many conventionally gay/queer traits that would lead others to think that he is gay (though he as a character is straight). It's a counterpoint to how in that moment Tao was using similar straight stereotypes to insist that Nick is a massive heterosexual. That's the point of that dialogue/interaction: it's a two way street. Tao's interests/demeanor can register as stereotypically gay -- that's why Charlie counters him with that in-passing. It has nothing to do with Tao being accused of being gay directly (which, BTW, Harry does in-passing in later, such as when he refers to Charlie as his (Tao's) boyfriend, etc.), but being mistakenly misperceived as such, again due to stereotyping which Tao himself was doing relative to Nick. (Sidenote: referring to transcripts can be misleading in cases like these vs viewing the lines as-delivered, within the scenes as-acted, because crucial context information can be lost in that regard.)

[@slm_766]

@@tideoftime 1. In that scene, Tao says [timestamp 7:35 on Netflix video]: "He's straight, Charlie. Like, you only need to glance at him to see that he's a heterosexual" Charlie replies to Tao [Timestamp 7:45 on the Netflix video]: "Masculine guys can be gay. You're not exactly the authority on *** *** working out who is and isn't gay. *** *** " 2. Harry is a bully, who does his bullying through verbal insults. One of his favorite insults is to imply that a guy is gay / has a boyfriend. Harry throws that insult at Tao multiple times, referring to the fact that Tao hangs out with Charlie, who everyone knows is gay. ("Guilt by association) Later, in episode 7, Harry verbally bullies Charlie by commenting on/questioning points about Charlie's gayness. Nick points out later in the episode that Harry wasn't 'joking'; he's trying to make Charlie feel miserable.

[@SEETHROUGH88]

Y’all are doing great! Can’t wait to see the rest of the reactions.

[@davidcwitkin6729]

I love Heartstopper. I really love the perspective you two bring to it. You can really stand to bring the volume up on the show you are watching as you react to it. It will help us watch the video with you.

[@1HalfbloodPrince]

When you change to just showing your faces, it throws me off that you switch places 😂

[@ja-mie01]

Well done gents and Carl - you navigated the minefield of how to ask about the actors playing the characters very well 🙂(from a UK watcher)

[@sandramatras8345]

Tori always pops up out of nowhere! 😂 And please watch the entire show. Season 3 is coming next month.

[@slm_766]

I've watched this show a lot. (I have been studying it as well as studying the channels that have reaction videos on KZbin.) Alex has taken on a difficult job here. He has already seen the episodes in advance, so he knows about key events as well as, most likely, a lot of the dialogue. So he has a lot of information at his disposal. BUT because of copyright considerations, he has to edit out some portions. Now, if the viewers of this channel have already watched the show all the way through (and it's possible some of them have watched the episodes more than once) - then the fact that Alex has had to skip scenes or sections of dialogue, is not likely to get in the way of the viewers' understandings of the points he is trying to make about the scenes or dialogue. Such viewers will probably 'get it'; the “Missing Information” from his replay of the video is likely to be still available in those viewers' memories. BUT if other viewers, such as Carl, have not seen the whole episode, then they will not have key pieces of information to help make sense of what is going on, and their judgments of some meanings may be off. *** *** *** For example, in season 1, episode 1, Charlie goes to the art room for lunch. We know from the teacher's dialogue that Charlie has, prior to this episode, hidden out from bullies in the art room. We find out that it took Charlie 3 months of getting bullied before he told the teacher about it, after which the teacher was able to take care of that problem. This time, Charlie is explaining that his “boyfriend” (Ben) treats him disrespectfully (by, for example, pretending he does not know who Charlie is). The teacher asks whether Charlie has talked to the “boyfriend”; Charlie says no. Teacher asks whether Charlie wants to break up with the “boyfriend”; Charlie says he doesn't know. The teacher eventually asks Charlie whether he has talked to his friends about this situation. Charlie says no, because his friends wouldn't “get it.” *** *** ***When the teacher asks why they would not 'get it', Charlie reveals that his friends (Tao and Isaac) *** *** aren't gay. *** *** When I watched other Reactors commenting on (Tao and Isaac) the friend group at the picnic table, the Reactors have assumed that they are gay. Why do they assume that? Because they are in a friend group with Charlie, who is out as gay. It is not until Charlie reveals that they are not gay, that the Reactors realize their own assumptions had led them astray. I re-watched Alex's showing of this episode again and checked the transcript. A lot of that information had been edited out. As a result, Carl also presumed that those guys were gay. The information that they were not gay is needed in order for viewers to assess events in future episodes; otherwise, the viewers will misjudge motivations and the meanings of future dialogue. *** *** I know some Reactors have other people do the editing, but if they do their own editing, they have the chance to make good decisions about what to leave in. (What do my viewers need to see or hear in this scene to understand the observations I'm make about it?) *** *** *** That said, I sympathize with Alex for having had to take on a challenging job. 💖💜💙

[@floppsymoppsy5969]

So, as a 44 yo fan of the graphic novels when I heard Netflix was making a live action adaptation I was terrified they'd ruin it (even when I heard the author was heavily involved) But honestly they couldn't have done a more excellent job.

[@sobelou]

Guys, great reaction, Kudos to SV for being open to learning about the emotional void that may blanket LGBTQ kids and how beneficial this kind of representation can be. And GV, thanks for your eloquent explanation on how so many scenes and dialogues in this beautiful series cab move you so much. Just because we're able to relate on a personal experience basis. BTW, maybe you've heard about it already, but a movie with young adults that's funny, endearing, heartwarming and overall delightful, is Red, White and Royal Blue. Certainly less cuddly and innocent and more adult and raunchier than Heartstopper, but a really good movie to react to. And of course, I'm subscribing. Much success!

[@angelinarinaldi7071]

The facial expressions LOL 😂

[@GVSV-Media]

😅😅😅

[@auroralee7451]

Kit Conner the actor who played Nick was 18 when they were filming season 2.

[@KirkLinnDeGrassi]

Can’t wait to see the rest of the episodes of the three seasons

[@artursouza2488]

Loved this reaction! ❤ Had some really fun conversations. I'm excited for the reactions of the next episodes. Hugs from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@garyprime6983]

Thanks for your service! If you guys like Joe Locke, he’s going to be in the upcoming Agatha All Along show which seems like a witchy queer show if you want to react to those episodes. PS is that a key blade tattoo on your arm?

[@ezequielmondada6427]

Season 3 would be on October 3, waiting for the reactions.

[@deoradh]

“Start him off easy” .. well, yes. This is definitely not Torch Song Trilogy.

[@ThatsMyUsborneBook]

This was amazing - you guys are great

[@GVSV-Media]

Thanks a lot @ThatsMyUsborneBook!!! We’re definitely trying our best and improving as we go 😅

[@aussie_chick]

Excellent discussion!

[@mark99k]

Sure hope you guys will react to the rest. (You'll see your subscriber count spike if you do.) I also hope Carl can relax a bit...😎

[@JulezCharles]

I really wanted the straight vet to get the chance to watch the show and take it all in, not just the story and the dialogue, but the looks, cues, and everything in between the lines. To agree to do this showed he’s open minded, and I would’ve liked to see his true reaction with full awareness. I wished the gay vet would’ve paused the video when he wanted to talk about his life instead of talking over it and then quickly telling him what he just missed while they were talking. But other than that I appreciate this effort. I commend the straight vet for having no clue about the show but at least trying to watch it. I think he was just being a good friend.

[@Fairplayer43]

Thanks for the video review guys!!! BTW, Why are we whispering? 😊we may need to boost the volume gain or get closer to the mic? (on a separate note: So you know, assuming someone's sexuality ((bisexuality is a real thing)) or guessing about the length for a relationship to flourish is considered inappropriate. With love, when you know, you know. Explanation necessary? Nah... )😊 There is already a lot to unpack in twenty some minutes per episode within eight episodes. When has love made any sense or be clean cut anyway? Does it matter if is gay or straight? Love just is. Is not representation what matters here. For me, it Is the romantic side of this series that was important. The attractiveness of the show is that love goes on beyond labels.

[@garyprime6983]

28:48 yeah rejecting Tao being straight is concerning and bi erasure happens but he’s coming in knowing it’s a queer love story so he’s probably openly assuming more than he’d normally.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

It's a little bit odd/funny to me how (20 minutes in) that "Straight Vet" was all like "Oh I didn't even know" about all the gay/queer stuff.... it was a little unsettling to me, but also funny. I don't QUITE know how to feel about that....

[@deneevagarner-belcher5784]

Noah's Arch if anyone remembers, was also an example of an adult queer series

[@myownproductions333]

Great 1st effort. Red, White & Royal Blue is the queer fairy tail we all need!

[@slm_766]

There are a lot of fairytale elements in RW&RB. In fact, the opening narrative refers to the wedding as a farytale wedding -- I think that wording was intentional. BUT Seasons 1 & 2 of Heartstopper are considered appropriate for kids 12+ in the UK (depending on the country it's shown [ I saw that some countries rated it for age 6 whereas very anti-gay/conservative countries rated it for age 21]) In contrast, Red, White, & Royal blue is rated R (for age 17 and up in the US) (Some dialogue and a couple of sex scenes aged it up) But in the UK it is rated for age 12 and up.

[@sofiaspetsieris6799]

When y'all were talking abt how Ben feels and why he keeps looking a certain way at Charlie and Nick when they would hang out tgt I don't think it's cuz Ben was acting that way just cuz he also likes the boys...I think the main reason is that he's jealous of how Charlie and Nick are very close with each other even in public without caring abt what ppl think abt them...I think Ben wants to and wishes he can be like them and it's killing him inside so he puts all his anger and frustration from his internal conflict with himself on Charlie to make himself feel better

[@camillemayers103]

I LOVE HEARTSTOPPER!❤

[@rachelleroyert448]

Where is the second part? 😅

[@donnaread]

Y'all need to react to RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE. Young adult gay joy.

[@BroadwayBound009]

You should add Young Royals to your list but it’s much heavier then Heartstopper. Excellent though!!!

[@JulezCharles]

I as a gay man also had a strong feeling Tao was gay when I first started watching the show. After a few episodes I just let it go and accepted that in the story he’s straight. The actor who plays Tao for whatever reason is the only person on the cast who doesn’t comment on his sexuality. And he has that right obviously. But I personally had the same reaction as the straight vet when I first observed Tao in the first couple episodes. Nevertheless, Tao is still awesome. And the actor, Will, who plays Tao has to perform romantically regardless of his real life personal sexual preference, which he does amazingly.

[@__miya__]

Plss more heartstopper reacts ❤❤

[@MattheusSantos-sf3zb]

This is such a beautiful series, the best LGBT series of the decade 🥹🩵

[@IKronosI]

I would love for you guys to react to Close (2020). A Belgium movie. It was an Oscar nominee. It is one of the best movies I ever watched, it's a masterpiece.

[@mark99k]

Have to agree. And it'd be an especialty good film for these guys to review (for reasons obvious to anyone who's watched it).

[@ccx7004]

I hope they watch this too. I was close to sobbing in the cinema.

[@ArcySparky]

Oh god that film is so sad. Very moving though.

[@christianslater2736]

this is a cute dynamic the two of you..Most of my friends have often been straight,, I think we often underestimate how perceptive straight people can be about our situations, because we tend to think the worst or underestimate them, but anyone can struggle in highschool, or with relationships etc. Also I feel like even though this show focuses on highschool, they deal with a lot of trauma many gay kids have gone thru and it is cathartic to see how things could of should of been. Also they are young people deal with adult issues .

[@harperwiccan475]

11:00 I feel like Ruby is a much better physical contact sport than American "football"

[@pubbleslime]

If you wanted to watch a adult love story Red white and Royal blue is a happier gay love story. I would also recommend that you read the book it goes way more into details about the story.

[@Mimi-ct6bl]

Yes!! 🥰 I've never seen a film as much as this one. 😇

[@Room142]

First time on the channel and I'm 15mins in. Imo the guy on the right you need to stop explaining the whole plot and just let your partner watch. And left guy seems uncomfortable to be watching and disinterested. Sorry just my first impression

[@license2kilttheplaidlad640]

I think its great that the 2 actors became instant best friends and are frequently seen in public together and the athletic one was shamed by trolls for taking acting work from lgbt people so he replied i am a member of the lgbt community fools. He was only 17 and felt forced to come out which is sad .

[@DustyHams]

Let's do this!!

[@anthonywilson6554]

Sv do you understand the teenage emotional spectrum these days?? Just asking because I'm probably 10 years older than you pair and I look at it like how I saw the world and realised how much easier (not always) it is for kids of today and how they don't have to worry about being sent to jail for being homosexual and all the fighting we (me) had to do to get where they are now. I find you just close your mind to certain things and think like I did about how I grew up, plus maybe some predujices you may of had growing up.

[@MrBaumGeo]

This video apparently has 2k dislikes. Where did the dislikes come from? I don't dont see too many people disliking the video. But alright, I suppose the concentration on the show wasn't too big and there was a lot of distractions. Edit: the dislikes are actually 14, either the video was dislike botted or the information was inaccurate

[@slm_766]

I've wondered about this: How did you find out the number of 'dislikes'? About a year ago, KZbin stopped showing the number next to the thumbs down symbol; they only show the number of thumbs up.

[@MrBaumGeo]

@@slm_766 the number of days dislikes is still shown. Some people don't like ads, shorts, sponsorships etc. and so there is a solution to get rid of these things....

[@nsaxton]

My guess would be because the straight guy was so adamant about mislabeling Tao.

[@MrBaumGeo]

@@nsaxton the true number of dislikes was only 14, there must have been some sort of glitch on the app or someone dislike botted the video

[@ThatsMyUsborneBook]

They are 17 year olds in this season

[@salemoh9759]

Kit was the only 17 one, the others a little bit older

[@ThatsMyUsborneBook]

@salemoh9759 Joe and Yasmin were 17 when season one was filmed between April and June in 2021. They were still in their first year of A levels at school.

[@salemoh9759]

@@ThatsMyUsborneBook no, cormac was the youngest, he plays harry

[@ezequielmondada6427]

​@@salemoh9759they didn't say they were the youngest, they said Joe and Yas were 17 too.

[@ezequielmondada6427]

​@@salemoh9759Joe and kit were doing their A levels.

[@megdelaney3677]

💙Nick&Charlie💛

[@bethrunkle76]

I still say that's a stupid/ weird reaction for Ben to have when Charlie just said "Hi". If you were walking down the hall at school and A kid you do not know said hi to you you would do one of two things, either say hi back and keep walking or just ignore them and keep walking. By Ben stopping and saying " why are you talking to me" it just makes him look suspicious.

[@slm_766]

I get what you are saying. I've thought about that myself. Off the top of my head, just now, I thought that maybe Ben, who is pretty much insecure about who he is/who he might be --- might have been thrown off because Charlie was with Nick. We find out here and later that Ben is in the same year (year 11) as Nick. Nick is the captain of the rugby team. The rugby team hang out together at one end of a picnic table before school. Ben is not a member of the team; but he hangs out with them as a hanger-on (probably wants to be seen associating with the athletes). *** *** So Ben might have panicked because the Captain of the Rugby team would see him "socializing" with the 'nerdy" non-athlete. *** *** *** Aside: [What many viewers do not notice is that Nick always hangs out on the opposite end of the picnic table, with his back to everybody else; he's usually checking his phone or looking off into space. The teammates are his mates but they are not his close friends.] 💖💜💙

[@rjcarter2904]

How about Red, White, and Royal Blue? (though it did come after Heartstopper) OK...you sort of lost me when you started saying that straight actors should now play gay roles. That would mean that gay actors can't play straight roles. That means they'd starve--there are not enough gay roles for all the gay actors. Get real on that. And all of the actors, I'm pretty sure, were 18 or older other than Joe Locke (Charlie) who was 17 in Season 1 and it was his first role ever. Kit Connor (Nick) has been an actor since he was about five or six, I think. On the other hand, I agree 100% with your thoughts about representation--so critical and totally missed by me--now as an old gay man! BTW, Red, White, and Royal Blue has two (presumably) straight actors playing the queer roles, and it's one of the best-done films I've ever seen. Also, Top Gun may be the most homoerotic movie I've ever seen. LOL

[@FuturePaparazzi]

React to Riverdale in the future

[@lisamcarthur3225]

hi are u going to dpo the rest of this season and season 2 and season 3 season 3 is cameing out this oct 3rd

[@stndred4753]

Same GV same

[@mark99k]

Alex, I thought I was all cried out from repeated HS viewings, but your final comments have made things pretty wet here...