Why Every Man and Boy Must Watch This Netflix Series on Adolescence!

Warning, spoilers ahead! This article delves into the details of the plot of the series Adolescence. If you haven’t watched it yet and wish to avoid spoilers, please stop reading now.

Released on Netflix on March 13, Adolescence packs a punch. This British mini-series tells the story of Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his classmate, Katie Leonard. The girl was stabbed seven times in a parking lot near her school.

Caught on CCTV committing the act, Jamie is swiftly arrested early in the morning at his home by a heavily armed police squad, as if they were apprehending a terrorist. Right from the start, the series sets a relentless tone.

This brutal attack raises a difficult but crucial question: why do men continue to commit such acts of violence against women? And in this case, why would a young boy attack a young girl?

The series doesn’t just follow a typical crime drama narrative which would dilute its impactful message. Instead, it sharply addresses a significant societal issue. “We wanted to ask: what is happening with our young boys today? What challenges do they face through their peers, the internet, or social media?“, Stephen Graham, co-creator and lead actor of the series told Tudum.

A Fictional Tale with a Sobering Reality

Although Adolescence is not based on a real case, it draws inspiration from increasingly common news stories. “Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed a real epidemic of knife crimes committed by young boys in the UK“, Graham shared with Radio Times. “But what really struck me were those instances where young boys killed young girls. I wanted to understand why.“

This disturbing reality is supported by a report from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) published last July, which was featured in an article by the Guardian. It estimates that at least one in twelve women will be a victim of gender-based or sexual violence each year. That’s 2 million victims…

If that wasn’t alarming enough, the report also highlights that perpetrators are getting younger. Observers note that this phenomenon is partly fueled by extreme online content. Essentially, there’s a whole aspect of “education” about life and social interactions that escapes parents of children born in the 21st century, for whom social media is a vital extension of their social lives.

Social Media and Toxic Communities

And this is what becomes clear as the episodes unfold. Adolescence conducts a real exposé. The series reveals what many adults may not realize: how teenage boys can be influenced by harmful online personalities who operate with impunity.

The incel movement, the manosphere, and figures like Andrew Tate are directly addressed. “I’ve heard boys talk about him,” says a teacher in the series. It’s a direct callout of toxic masculinity.

Ashley Walters, who plays Detective Luke Bascombe, discovers that his own son, Adam, is familiar with this highly coded language and online communities. This realization forces the detective, who should be knowledgeable about these societal issues, to reconsider his role as a father and the importance of genuine dialogue with his son.

Essential Preventive Education

By the end of its four episodes, the series poses an equally essential and unsettling question: how can we prevent male violence? For Stephen Graham, it all starts with the education of young boys: “We need to give them the necessary tools to understand and manage their emotions, especially when it comes to rejection and frustration.“

Indeed, it was rejection and frustration that led Jamie to his drastic action. He was a victim of ridicule and cyberbullying. Even several months after the incident, while he is incarcerated in a center awaiting trial, the 13-year-old continues to exhibit the same spite and violence, with no apparent regret for taking his classmate’s life.

Returning to Detective Bascombe, the series presents a scene that might seem trivial but is crucial for educating teens, where he offers to share fries and talk with his son, doing nothing else. What may seem minor is actually vital. It’s about creating a space for dialogue before frustration and anger lead to violence. His son is also marginalized within his school, and his father is unaware…

A Vital Message

Rest assured: Adolescence does not seek to excuse the inexcusable or to lecture its viewers. It aims to explore and thus understand the deep-seated causes of male violence and to find upstream solutions. “What interested me was understanding how these acts happen and what we can do to prevent them from recurring,” says Graham.

By highlighting the dangers of online radicalization and the essential role of parents and education, Adolescence transcends its status as mere entertainment.

By addressing a societal issue, superbly ignored by policymakers despite repeated tragedies and pervasive violence that seeps into everyone’s daily life, it establishes itself as an essential series. It’s a means to spark discussion. It’s also a basic reminder that the fight against violence towards women starts well before any act is committed.

Adolescence is now available on Netflix.