THE REALITIES OF NETFLIX’S “ADOLESCENCE”

On March 13, Netflix released a 4-part miniseries “Adolescence”, a British crime drama following the arrest of a 13-year-old boy named Jamie Miller on suspicion of murdering a girl. Due to the unique nature of the series, The Inquirer can reveal that Jamie did indeed kill the girl. The producers and creators of the show never intended to hide the fact that Jamie is guilty from the audience. Rather, they aim to create the show around the question of: why? To ensure that you will still enjoy the series, only the important details will be mentioned. 

Courtesy of Netflix

The first episode involved a team of armed policemen raiding the Miller household, arresting Jamie, and bringing him into custody. The incredible acting paired with one-take cinematography helped create a sense of real-world continuity, suspending the audience’s disbelief. Jamie and the Millers are taken through the initial steps of detainment. When asked who would be his “appropriate adult”, Jamie chose his father, Eddie Miller. When it was time to be interrogated, Eddie, Jamie, and a public defender faced off with two inspectors, determined to extract a confession from Jamie. They started off small - questions about his relations with the girl, whether or not they were friends, and if they had something… beyond. Facing pushback from both Jamie and Eddie, the detectives reveal CCTV footage of Jamie brutally murdering the girl with a kitchen knife. The episode ends with a shot of Eddie and Jamie hugging each other, one incapable of admitting to his actions, and the other shocked by the possibility that maybe did indeed end the life of another being. 

The second episode focused on Jamie’s peers, his school, and the same detectives on a mission to build a case and more importantly, to find a motive for the murder. After minutes of fights, disrespect, and peer confusion, one of the detective’s sons pulled him aside and explained the hidden meaning of the girl’s comments under Jamie’s posts. Originally thought to be flirting and flattering comments, it was revealed that Jamie was instead being bullied and called an incel. 

The third episode was shot almost entirely in a single room, revolving around Jamie and a child psychologist hired to conduct an independent assessment of Jamie’s understanding of the case and his actions to the judge. Starting light, the episode quickly turns a dark corner. Jamie becomes frustrated with the penetrating questions the child psychologist is asking, peering into his relationship with his father, and grandfather and evaluating his view on masculinity. 

The fourth episode followed the rest of the family on Eddie’s 50th birthday. After discovering that their van was vandalized, the Millers take a trip to a local supermarket. An encounter with an incel and the boys that vandalized his van caused Eddie to snap, throwing a newly bought bucket of blue paint on the van. Upon return to the house, the family shares their reflections, thoughts, and pain that Jamie’s actions have inflicted on them and their lives. 

“Adolescence” is a breath of fresh air - a beautifully shot and passionately crafted story, where every word, scene, and action contributes to the plot in some way. The acting should also be commended. From the minuscule role to the main cast, all those who were part of the series were able to emulate real life - how people talked, acted, and reacted to shock and grief. This series shows that people are not cold characters who know exactly what to do in every situation. Rather, they are unstable, prone to emotions, and will do anything it takes to rid themselves of pain. 

More importantly, the series targets red-pill philosophy, a section of the “Manosphere” that teaches men that women are to be used, and that appearance and specific traits are more desirable than others. Propelled by figures like Andrew Tate, the red pill has seeped its way into the minds of most young boys all over the world. The safety of their children in their own households - a standard that generations of parents have long depended upon is slowly being taken apart. Gone are the days of limited information intake. The internet can be accessed, whenever, wherever, in a thousand different ways. However, the series does not exclusively target figures like Andrew Tate but also jabs at the role of society, peers, and the education system that has enabled an ideology of hatred. “Adolescence” does not aim to blame one party for failing a generation of young men. It even points to the girl being a part of the problem, as she and her friends were destroying Jamie’s self-esteem. This is what makes “Adolescence” such a hard watch. The actors and producers do not wish to portray toxic masculinity as a simple one-dimensional issue, but rather represent it as a deeply engrained and institutionalized crisis that has been supercharged with the growth of social media.