Parents are urging fellow mums and dads to watch the new crime drama as concerns rise over social media’s influence
Adolescence: Stephen Graham stars in Netflix trailer
Parents across the UK are being encouraged to tune into Netflix’s latest crime drama, Adolescence. The series delves into the harrowing impact of social media on young people amid the rise of the ‘manosphere’. It prompts parents to act and have vital conversations with their children, potentially saving lives.
The launch of Adolescence coincides with the imprisonment of Kyle Clifford, who murdered three women: his former partner Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah Hunt, and their mother Carol Hunt. In the hours leading up to the tragedy, Clifford was reportedly consuming misogynistic content and watching videos by Andrew Tate.
The show uncovers how a seemingly average young teen battling self-loathing and susceptibility can be quietly radicalised. According to Netflix’s Tudum: “While Jamie’s story, specifically, isn’t based on a real person or event, the idea for the series did spring from reports that co-creator Graham had heard about on the news, of young boys being involved in knife crimes.”
Speaking to Tudum, actor Stephen Graham 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?'”
People on Reddit, particularly those on the r/netflix forum, have been deeply engaged in discussions about the series’ profound impact. They’ve highlighted the necessity of maintaining open dialogues on mental health with children and teenagers, reports Surrey Live.
Liquid_Lunch_1991 shared: “It takes a lot for a show/movie to upset and unsettle me. I wanna say with total honesty this show completely and utterly f***** my s*** up. I admire the audacity of the filmmaking and writing and omg the acting is incredible, but seriously. This is the first time I’ve ever watched something I wished I could unwatch.”
Their candid thoughts sparked a cascade of reactions, leading to Heygurl34’s emotional comment: “Really good. As a parent this broke me. I think every parent should watch this.” Closely followed by Rude_Signal1614, who expressed: “Yeah, hits really really hard as a dad.”
They added: “Trying to do so much for your kid, and hoping they turn out okay. But knowing that you can’t control everything and for many parents and children things aren’t okay. It’s just heartbreaking.”
What is Adolescence?
Adolescence is a critically acclaimed four-part series that boasts Stephen Graham among its talented cast. Remarkably shot in continuous single takes, each episode captures the tension and unfolding drama in real time, casting viewers alongside the family and detectives grappling with the repercussions of a shattering event.
The gripping first episode of the series begins with Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) being taken from his home by police and accused of a heinous schoolgirl murder, at just 13 years old. As the storyline unfolds, it delves into the troubling factors driving Jamie’s actions, reflecting a broader crisis of mental health and the impact of social media on boys and young men today.
Chatting with Netflix’s Tudum, actor Graham, who plays the role of Eddie Miller – Jamie’s father – shared insights on the series’ message: “One of our aims was to ask, ‘What is happening to our young men these days, and what are the pressures they face from their peers, from the internet, and from social media?’ And the pressures that come from all of those things are as difficult for kids here as they are the world over.”
Who is Andrew Tate, what is ‘manosphere’ and 80-20 rule?
The ‘manosphere’ is essentially a virtual community connecting various sites, blogs, and online forums that promote traditional male roles, often peppered with misogynistic undertones, while standing against feminist principles. Andrew Tate has become something of a poster boy in this circle, hailed by many as the ‘king’ of the ‘manosphere’.
Since 2022, Tate has been building a cult following predominantly among males online. He’s a British-American social media personality infamous for his polarising stance on women and staunch advocacy of conventional masculinity. Among other contentious claims, Tate asserts that women should be subservient to men, opposed to driving, and relegated to domestic life.
Controversial figure Tate has been under fire for claiming women should “bear responsibility” in sexual assault cases. He’s lived in Romania for the last eight years and is currently being probed by Romanian authorities for alleged human trafficking and money laundering.
The term ‘incel’ is often brought up in the narrative of Adolescence, where it represents ‘involuntarily celibate’. This predominantly online group consists of people who fail to establish romantic or sexual relationships, despite wanting them, and vent their frustrations by vilifying and disrespecting women and girls.
As the plot unfolds, it’s revealed that Jamie was influenced by the toxic ideologies of the ‘manosphere’, where he also suffered from bullying due to perceptions of him as an incel. The ‘manosphere’ houses beliefs in ‘red pills’, ‘truth groups’, and the ’80-20 rule’.
‘Red pills’ hark back to the 1999 blockbuster The Matrix, wherein Neo must choose between a blue pill—maintaining his current existence—or a red pill—to ‘see the truth’. This metaphor is adopted within the ‘manosphere’ to signify awakening to their perceived reality.
The term ‘red-pilled’ in the ‘manosphere’ means a stark realisation of what its members consider ‘true reality’. This involves an acknowledgement of women’s behaviour and dating preferences as ‘shallow’, with an inclination towards traditional masculinity. Such views foster the notion that women are central to their grievances.
Adolescence: Lorraine says series has done ‘a great service’
The ’80-20 rule,’ drawn from the Pareto principle, claims that 80% of women only choose to date 20% of men. This casts the idea that women are too selective, fuelling the resentment of men who struggle to find partners.
Comprising ‘alphas’, ‘incels’, ‘MRAs’ (men’s rights activists), and ‘PUAs’ (pickup artists), the ‘manosphere’ is dissected in Adolescence, examining how these individuals’ ‘fragile egos’ can breed entitlement and rage. For scores of parents, the ‘manosphere’ is an alien concept. As highlighted by a character in the series, this confusion can leave them “blundering around, not getting it.”
Where was the series filmed?
Adolescence was primarily shot in Pontefract, part of the City of Wakefield district in West Yorkshire, England. The decision to cast Cooper as Jamie significantly influenced the location choice.
Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, Barantini shared: “We knew it was going to be set somewhere in the North of England, and we also knew it would be from somewhere around wherever our Jamie was from – in this case near Warrington – because it would have been unfair to make him do an accent.”
What does ‘filmed in one continuous shot’ mean?
On the topic of shooting a film in one continuous shot, Barantini clarified: “Basically that means we press record on the camera, and we don’t press stop until the very end of the hour,” adding, “But it’s much more complicated than it sounds.”
He elaborated further: “It takes months of preparation and weeks of rehearsals and an incredible team of people to pull it off at every stage, from the script to the locations to the production design to where exactly the camera is going to be able to shoot and from what angle.”
Who is in the cast?
- Owen Cooper as accused teenage murderer Jamie Miller
- Adolescence co-creator Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, Jamie’s father
- Ashley Walters (Top Boy) as Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe
- Erin Doherty (The Crown) as Briony Ariston, the clinical psychologist assigned to Jamie’s case
- Faye Marsay (Game of Thrones)
- Christine Tremarco (The Responder)
- Mark Stanley (Happy Valley)
- Jo Hartley (After Life)
- And newcomer Amélie Pease
Where can I find mental health resources?
For those looking for mental health resources, the NHS provides support for children and young people, with detailed information available on its website. Beyond the NHS mental health service, various organisations offer help for children and young people as well as advice for parents or carers on managing thoughts and emotions.
Hub of HopeFind local services on the Mix websiteThe Anna Freud Centre’s Youth Wellbeing DirectoryYouth AccessYoungMindsEvery Mind MattersChildline’s message boardsPapyrus (Prevention of Young Suicide)SamaritansSHOUTThe Mix