Released on March 13th, the new Netflix series quickly gained 25 million views in its first week. With strong performances and powerful storytelling, it tackles important social issues, resonating deeply with viewers.
What is the show ‘Adolescence’ about?
Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne’s Adolescence follows the 13-year-old Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), who is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl from his school named Katie. The show explores the emotional and difficult journey of Jamie’s family as they try to understand what happened.
The initial concept for the project came from Graham, creator and actor of the show, after a number of shocking, violent crimes. The first case is when a 12-year-old girl named Ava White was killed by a 14-year-old boy in Liverpool, Graham’s hometown, in 2021. Then, in 2023, 15-year-old Elianne Andam was attacked with a kitchen knife by 17-year-old Hassan Sentamu outside a shopping centre in Croydon.
What’s happening with our young men today in society? That this has become a regular occurrence?
Stephen Graham states in his interview with Virgin Radio UK.
With that, the actor brought in his usual partner, skilled screenwriter Jack Thorne, to help create a powerful drama that explores why boys are carrying out such violent acts against girls.
How were the social issues portrayed in this series?
At its core, the story focuses on knife crime. In the first episode, when Jamie and his father (Stephen Graham) are being interrogated, the security footage of Jamie stabbing Katie to death is shown as proof of the incident. It is clear who did it, and the sole purpose of this series is to show the possible reasons why it was done.
Central themes also include cyberbullying, male anger, and toxic masculinity, which are the harmful impacts of social media. This has captured the viewers’ attention as it mirrors the real troubling facts of modern society, particularly among teenagers.
In episode two, Adam (played by Amari Bacchus), the son of Detective Inspector Bascombe, attends the same school involved in the investigation. He privately speaks with his father and shares important information that helps the detectives understand what is going on. Adam reveals that Katie was calling Jamie out by commenting emoji codes that implied he was an incel, a short form of ‘involuntary celibate’ that usually refers to a man who is upset about not having had any sexual experiences. This term is influenced by the ideology of misogynist Andrew Tate.
The third episode centers on the session between Jamie and his psychologist, Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty). She wants to understand his views on toxic masculinity, women, and why Katie started commenting with the emojis. Jamie admits that he could have sexually assaulted Katie, but he didn’t – as if it was something to be proud of. He then slips up by mentioning ‘what he did’ and projects his anger onto Briony, immediately taking it back and blaming her for letting him put words in his mouth.
The fourth and final episode is set a year later. Jamie calls his dad to say he’s going to plead guilty. Eddie changes from a man full of anger to someone overwhelmed with grief, guilt, and regret. The most powerful moment comes when he tearfully places Jamie’s childhood teddy bear on his bed and apologizes to it, saying, ‘Sorry, son. I should’ve done better,’ reflecting on his responsibilities as a parent.
Why is it important for teenagers to understand these social issues?
Awareness of these societal issues is necessary, especially for these teenagers who are already exposed to the dangers of social media. Children these days are rarely taught how to safely navigate the internet. “We’re really about uplifting and encouraging the things that he loves. He has a lot of animation software on his iPad and spends his time using it. But sometimes he’s not animating when we think he is,” says Ashley Walters, who played DI Luke Bascombe in the series.
There is a big gap between what parents think their children are doing online and what they really do. They may be exposed to content that isn’t appropriate for their age, including online trends that spread quickly. These teenagers often adopt these behaviors, believing they are morally acceptable simply because others are doing them too.
What actions should be taken?
Adolescence is a powerful expression of a plea for change. It will connect with troubled teens, their parents, and stay with viewers long after. The questions it raises are important and need to be addressed.
In his interview with This Morning, Thorne said he hoped the show would not provide “easy answers” or claim “this is the way to do that,” but instead spark “conversations on the sofa, conversations in classrooms, and hopefully conversations in government.” The series serves as a warning about the need to reduce teenagers’ screen time and encourage real-life interactions.
In a post on X, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support for the series, saying, “As a father, watching Adolescence with my teenage son and daughter hit home hard. We all need to be having these conversations more.” The UK Prime Minister has supported the idea of showing Adolescence in schools. Netflix has now made the series available for free in classrooms through a charity.
While it may not fix everything at once, taking action is important to protect teenagers. Parents also need to guide their children and limit what they see online. Teachers can help by teaching students about these important issues to raise awareness. The government can help by providing resources to better educate kids about these issues.
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