I pressed play on Adolescence just for fun, but it left me with a lot to think about

The psychological crime drama series Adolescence was released on Netflix on March 13, 2025. The show, comprising four episodes, chronicled the experiences of Jamie Miller and his parents as they dealt with the aftermath of the former getting arrested for murdering his classmate, Katie.

Each episode averaged approximately 60 minutes and took viewers on a journey through Jamie and his family's life while raising important questions for the audience to ponder. Through careful handling of the subject matter, creators and writers Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, as well as director Philip Barantini, ensured that their project was one with a cause.

Note: This article reflects the opinions of the author.

Once the show ended, I was left with a hollow feeling, considering all the ways that we as a society could have done a better job raising a better generation of men but didn't. I was also left with a sense of hope because, nearly at the same time, I noticed several people praising the show and how it affected them. This gave me a feeling of satisfaction that we were not too far from gone and there was still time to make some amends.

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Adolescence on Netflix raises some important questions about the effects of social media on young people

Coming from an educational background that deals with existing societal structures that affect individuals and groups, the themes explored in Adolescence are no stranger to me. However, despite that, the show exposed me to many things that left me with a lot to think about.

I was not aware of what incel culture was, a term I had only heard from others but did not know what it meant. I also did not know what dropping a red pill emoji under someone's photo meant or what a manosphere is.

My knowledge about the toxic side of social media was limited to the knowledge of people leaving hate comments under each other's posts or, in a broader sense, contributing to the overall downfall of people's mental health.

In that sense, Adolescence was quite an eye-opener. It made me realize that the knowledge we have about all of these aspects is very surface-level. There is a much deeper level at which these things need to be examined to bring about change in societies.

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Adolescence on Netflix highlights the importance of proper conditioning at a young age

Stephen Graham revealed during an interview with Tudum, published on March 21, 2025, that Adolescence's plot was not inspired by a specific incident but by several incidents he observed around him in the UK. He said:

“There was an incident where a young boy [allegedly] stabbed a girl. It shocked me. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening in society where a boy stabs a girl to death? What’s the inciting incident here?’ And then it happened again, and it happened again, and it happened again. I really just wanted to shine a light on it, and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How have we come to this?’ ”

The article also highlighted the ways in which Graham and Bartini came to question their positions as men in society. Through the filming of the show, they were brought to think about aspects such as male rage and the type of conditioning that facilitates such rage. This further led them to revisit their interactions with those around them, including partners and friends.

In Adolescence, Jamie's parents are depicted as ordinary individuals, and his family is shown to be pretty normal. However, his family is the only influence in his life. He is also impacted by his friends, who, as the show depicts, are not so well-intentioned. He is also affected by social media, which paints a polarising picture of manhood and womanhood and how the former affects the latter.

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All four episodes of Adolescence are currently streaming on Netflix.