Netflix’s “Adolescence” is a brilliant four-part miniseries that delves into the complexities of teenage life in the age of the misogynistically laced internet. Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, the series offers a gripping examination of how poisonous ideologies can infiltrate the lives of young boys and have catastrophic consequences. With its compelling plot and top-notch performances, “Adolescence” is a drama not to be missed. The show forces viewers to confront uncomfortable truths regarding the world and the power of the internet on young minds.
The series centers on the Miller family, whose lives are left in disarray after 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper, debut) is arrested on suspicion of murdering his classmate, Katie (Emilia Holiday, debut). The story unfolds as Jamie is arrested and later revealed to have associations with dangerous online communities promoting misogynistic ideologies. Throughout the story, the audience is taken on an emotional ride that dissects the reasons behind Jamie’s radicalization and the impact it has on his family and society. “Adolescence” is powerful because it never feels compelled to provide convenient answers or clear-cut good and bad guys. Instead, it is a complex, gut-churning examination of how social failure, loneliness and a pervasive digital environment can shape the life of a teenager.
Cooper is stunning as Jamie, conveying the vulnerability and confusion of a teenager who is entangled with toxic online material. His performance is tragic and compelling, a reflective study of the thought processes of a young boy struggling with identity and acceptance as he descends into darkness. Stephen Graham (“A Thousand Blows”) is equally incredible as Jamie’s father, Eddie, a man desperate to get to grips with his son’s actions. His performance is harsh, heartbreaking and humbly human, capturing the agony of a parent lost in an instance of not knowing where it all went wrong. Ashley Walters’ (“Missing You”) performance as Detective Investigator Luke Bascombe is one of unyielding resolve, with a toughness balanced by a genuine desire to understand how this could have happened. The show is a testament to Walters’ acting versatility, as he is best known for his role as hardened gang kingpin Dushane in the hit show “Top Boy.” Erin Doherty (“A Thousand Blows”) shines as Briony Ariston, the clinical psychologist to whom Jamie’s case has been assigned, adding yet another level of emotion to the series. Her dialogue with Jamie provides crucial indications of his unstable mental state, affirming that his trajectory was never as black-and-white as “good versus evil.”
Maybe the most disconcerting aspect of “Adolescence” is its remarkably unorthodox narrative approach. Every episode takes the form of a single take, a “oner,” which sits the viewer front and center with unwavering ferocity for the drama erupting before their eyes. This technique annihilates any sense of distance, rendering the experience as immediate and unadorned as necessary. The cinematography is just right in capturing the claustrophobic quality of Jamie’s reality, reinforcing the speed and ease with which catastrophic ideologies can overrun a young mind. This stylistic touch also provides heightened tension, locking the audience within Jamie’s deteriorating world.
The success of the show in portraying the dangers of online radicalization is nothing short of admirable. It does not sermonize or sensationalize but instead presents a real, sobering picture of how susceptible boys are led into these toxic surroundings. “Adolescence” forces its audience to face the ugly reality that these influences are all around us, often going unseen until it is too late. What makes the show so compelling is how realistic it is — these children could be people we meet, their struggles something we see every day. The series also raises some very pertinent questions about the responsibility of parents, the manipulation of the media and the failure of institutions to perceive the warning signs in time.
What lends “Adolescence” added force is the way it exposes the ways in which isolation and insecurity lead vulnerable young boys like Jamie to be susceptible to radicalization. Jamie is not a monster; he is a lonely, lost child who found a place among the wrong people. The series doesn’t forgive him, but it raises questions regarding how society could allow so many young boys to fall between the cracks. It illuminates an unsettling cycle — a cycle in which boys, given no healthy outlets for emotions, are drawn toward communities that legitimize their anger and turn it into hatred. It is a grim reminder that these ideologies do not emerge in a vacuum; they are fostered and amplified by cyber echo chambers that thrive on vulnerability.
Beyond its technical brilliance, “Adolescence” is an extremely necessary story in today’s social climate. It calls us to examine ourselves in our efforts to prevent the spread of deadly ideologies, encouraging us to act before a child is lost to them. This program is not just about Jamie’s downfall — it is about the hundreds of real-life cases that mirror his narrative, the families who are left devastated and the communities that struggle to comprehend such tragedies. It is a sober yet crucial viewing that dares not to give easy answers, but rather compels viewers to grapple with questions about what it means to be a man today, about online culture and about what it costs to overlook the emotional lives of adolescent boys.
It is one of the most frightening, breathtakingly performed and mentally challenging productions in recent history. This is not merely one of the year’s best shows, but one of its most important. “Adolescence” is a must-see — a necessary and moving call to consciousness that cannot be avoided.
Daily Arts Writer Tiffany McKalko can be reached at tmckalko@umich.edu.
