Adolescence: A Gradual Awakening to the Modern World
A drama series review
Adolescence (2025) is a new British crime drama series written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, and directed by Philip Barantini.
It is a murder story centred on a 13-year-old schoolboy Jamie Miller who is arrested and accused of knifing to death a female classmate the previous night. Jamie protests his innocence to his dad, Eddie Miller, a man who is shocked and bewildered by the sudden events he is swept up in.
Jamie is initially held for questioning at the police station but is then sent to a Secure Training Centre while awaiting trial. Police investigations at Jamie’s school, his friends and family, reveal his bitterness and pent-up anger at bullying focused on him via social media.
The series looks at the case from different perspectives: police investigations, lengthy psychologist interviews, and finally Jamie’s parents’ barely concealed, distraught reaction.
A disturbing aspect of the bullying was the use of the term ‘incel’ [involuntary celibate] for a 13-year-old schoolboy.
Jamie reveals a complex set of emotions during his interviews ranging from denial, to not caring one way or the other, to “furious outbursts, an accidental confession, displays of learned entitlement, and pent-up anger”.
The formal qualities of the series are in the use of documentary techniques and a realist style to the point of giving the impression of a camera switched on all the time recording the actions of those investigating, discussing, interviewing, and commenting on the case. This is achieved through using one continuous take for each episode, a method that gives a dynamic, active feel to a story which is largely static with long scenes of discussion, conversation, and interview.
It is a style that intensifies the realism of each episode. However, a heightened realism also implies a more unquestioning ‘truth’. The truth is taken for granted as truth and becomes familiar and more likely to be accepted.
For example, the series starts with a type of British SWAT team that rams the Miller’s front door open very early in the morning as the family is just getting up for breakfast. Such teams in the USA and the UK are generally used in dealing with hostage situations, armed criminals, and counter-terrorism operations, not in arresting a 13-year-old boy accused of a knifing. This over-the-top police operation is presented as normal and acceptable given the general kid-glove treatment Jamie is given in the police station post-arrest. For the state this is a kind of Trojan Horse that makes such operations more generally accepted and acceptable.
In Episode 3 there is a long dialogue of an interview between Jamie and Briony, a forensic psychologist whose role is “the application of scientific knowledge and methods (in relation to psychology) to assist in answering legal questions that may arise in criminal, civil, contractual, or other judicial proceedings.”
A narcissistic element to Jamie’s personality emerges, which sees him almost enjoying the attention of Briony. However, as Jamie slowly comes to understand that Briony’s role is to elicit information and not be his ‘friend’, he demands Briony to tell him if she likes him or not as he is led out after several outbursts.
Jamie gradually moves away from his entitled, aggressive behaviour as the seriousness and reality of the situation dawns on him. He initially denied he had anything to do with the victim or her murder, even directly to his dad’s face, believing he could simply lie his way out of the situation without much stress to him or his family. However, as evidence builds up there are cracks in the facade and Jamie is finally forced to accept reality and grow up. Jamie’s final dialogue over the phone with his dad is a very different, more mature Jamie, as he announces his plans to accept responsibility and change his plea.
The last scene sees Jamie’s dad in grief as he looks around his child’s bedroom and stares at Jamie’s toys, contemplating the sudden end of a short childhood.
Adolescence is a series that attempts to give some idea of the effect of social media in schools today and show the potential tragic consequences of bullying online. The audience is just as bewildered as Jamie’s dad [except for pupils who understand the hieroglyphics of emoticon symbology immediately] and we are taken for a roller-coaster ride through the modern world of digital natives who seem resigned to their digital fates in the same way that the polytheistic pagans of yore believed themselves the playthings of the callous gods.
Adolescence is creating a media stir as parents are confronted with the possible consequences of their own inertia or lack of questioning, or even power, in the face of these incredibly powerful miniature tools that they themselves have put into their children’s hands. The ensuing discussions should at least bring some sober thinking to the debates on digitisation.
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Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin is an Irish artist, lecturer and writer. His artwork consists of paintings based on contemporary geopolitical themes as well as Irish history and cityscapes of Dublin. His blog of critical writing based on cinema, art and politics along with research on a database of Realist and Social Realist art from around the world can be viewed country by country here. Caoimhghin has just published his new book – Against Romanticism: From Enlightenment to Enfrightenment and the Culture of Slavery, which looks at philosophy, politics and the history of 10 different art forms arguing that Romanticism is dominating modern culture to the detriment of Enlightenment ideals. It is available on Amazon (amazon.co.uk) and the info page is here.
He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).
Featured image is licensed under Fair Use
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