Adolescence is a unique miniseries on Netflix that has viewers considering the impacts of today’s world on children, exploring the life of a family after their son is accused of murdering a schoolmate. The recent release was directed by Philip Barantini, who uniquely filmed in a single continuous shot. This technique is garnering plenty of attention outside of the thick plot, which focuses on deep emotional scenes that highlight underlying societal issues. Some audiences see Adolescence as a riveting experience, but the story takes on some heavy subjects like bullying and even toxic masculinity. It was officially released for viewing on Mar. 13 and has since risen to the streamer’s No. 1 show as reactions continue to pour in across social media.
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The name of the miniseries truly encapsulates what it is about – the perils and struggles of adolescence. Unlike others of its kind, this Netflix drama takes things to the next level; instead of worrying about school work and football practice, the main character has to worry about jail time. Adolescence unfolds across four episodes that are an hour long yet span a period of a little over a year. It is set in a northern English town in the United Kingdom during modern times, taking viewers for a wild ride from the very beginning with an abrupt opening. Viewers watch as a teenage boy named Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is bombarded by armed police officers in his room. So, the downward spiral of the 13-year-old’s life becomes apparent quickly for viewers. He is arrested and taken into custody as the main suspect in the murder of his classmate Katie’s (Emilia Holliday) death.
The first episode of Adolescence focuses on Jamie’s arrest and incorporation into the system as a criminal suspect. As the investigation gets underway, police scour through Jamie’s room to try to find the murder weapon. They also search through Jamie’s messages to figure out his relationship with Katie, which brings in the element of social media. Naturally, his family is shocked and confused by the accusation. His father Eddie (Stephen Graham) stays by his son’s side during questioning, which allows viewers to observe their father-son relationship. As Jamie adamantly asserts to investigators that he is innocent of the crime, viewers and his own family get a huge surprise at the end of episode one.
Uncovering the Killer in ‘Adolescence’
The big twist in Adolescence occurs when Jamie and Eddie are asked to watch CCTV footage with detectives, which captured Jamie stabbing Katie multiple times in a parking lot. He stabs her seven times, to be exact. Still, the hard evidence is not enough to get Jamie to snap out of his story of innocence. Eddie, having just watched his teenage son commit a violent crime, struggles with what he’s seen. After this, much of the series follows Jamie’s family as they digest what has occurred.
In typical fashion, Jamie is made to see a psychologist while he is detained. Episode three is when he starts to truly understand the gravity of the situation and things unfold further. His psychologist, Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty), has an intense conversation with Jamie, shedding light on his mental state after the crime. It also clues viewers (and the adults in his life) in on what was happening between Jamie and Katie before her murder.
Why Did Jamie Kill Katie?
As Jamie explains to Briony, pictures of Katie topless were leaked on Snapchat in what has become known as revenge porn. Although the pictures were not released by Jamie himself, it entices him to ask her out. He explains that he thinks he is ugly and that her humiliation may make her consider him as an option. Katie, in response to Jamie’s interest, expresses that she is not interested in him. She even takes it further by humiliating him online. Katie calls him an incel and says he will die a virgin. “Incel” is a term that is used a lot in online culture; it means an involuntarily celibate man who blames women (or society) for their lack of success in romance. Given that Jamie appears to spend a lot of time online, this mockery is seemingly what sets him off.
While Jamie’s inner world is clearly overwhelming, his family is also navigating through the tragedy as time passes. In episode four, viewers see how their community has reacted to their son’s involvement with the case. Jamie’s mother Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco) and his sister Lisa Miller (Amélie Pease) struggle to come to terms with the situation. Lisa is bullied and Manda seeks therapy with her husband to try to stay afloat mentally.
Even Jamie’s father is devastated, so the family considers moving away to escape the judgment of their town. Ultimately, however, they conclude that leaving would likely only make things worse, yet they continually face harassment. Eddie’s truck is spray painted with the word “nonce,” which is English slang for a person who is a sex offender. This alludes to the community’s harsh judgment and the situation even impacts his plumbing business negatively. Jamie’s parents struggle and wonder where they went wrong and if they could have prevented their son’s actions.
Breaking Down the Show’s Somber Conclusion
In the same episode, Jamie finally changes his mind and says he will plead guilty to the crime. While he technically does not admit guilt straight up, this shows a change from his consistent commitment to his innocence. Jamie calls his father to tell him of his decision. He repeatedly says, “I’m sorry,” which brings the ominous themes of the show home. During the final episode, which happens to be on Eddie’s birthday, viewers see how all the family pressure manifests. After a heart-to-heart between Eddie and Manda, Adolescence ends where it began in a full circle moment. In the final scene, Eddie goes to Jamie’s room and breaks down. He grasps his son’s teddy bear. Eddie even speaks to it in place of his son, whose fate seems to be sealed. He apologizes profusely in an emotional scene and viewers are left with that to reflect on.
The themes in Adolescence explore many different parts of society. The fact that Jamie had been a part of online communities that promote toxic masculinity and incel culture was a surprise to his parents. This may make viewers wonder about the boundaries that should or shouldn’t exist between children and the internet. Of course, as his parents wondered, the responsibility of it all is a question. But the producers of the Netflix original do not seem to place the blame on any one thing.
Jamie is also bullied both in person and online, so cyberbullying is a big part of the narrative. Adolescence shows that the lives of children can be very different from the ones their family thinks they are living. So, this element highlights issues that might have inspired Jamie’s violence. Overall, the series does a good job of shedding light on the complex issues that contribute to at-risk youth. It is a distinct interpretation of contemporary issues that face today’s children.
