Genre: Psychological drama, mystery, mini-series
Netflix’s latest offering, Adolescence, is not an easy watch, but it is an essential one.
This captivating four-part miniseries explores the darkest dangers of social media and the worst ways it can affect and shape young minds.
The story centres on 13-year-old Jamie Miller, portrayed with chilling authenticity by newcomer Owen Cooper. The series opens with Jamie’s arrest for the murder of his classmate, Katie Leonard, immediately setting a tense and somber tone.
The first episode focuses on Jamie and his family’s initial reaction to the arrest. Jamie insists he did nothing wrong, despite all the evidence against him. The second episode focuses on the investigation, with detectives digging into Jamie’s school life, revealing important information on how the pupils use social media.
This revelation carries weight throughout the rest of the episodes as it seems Jamie’s behaviour is heavily influenced by his experience online.
The third episode reveals more about Jamie’s character and personality. His true nature is revealed in an intense scene with his therapist Briony (Erin Doherty), exposing Jamie’s deep-seated anger and entitlement. The final episode focuses on the impact that Jamie’s trail has on his family.
One of the series’ most notable technical achievements is the use of single continuous takes for each episode. This approach immerses the audience in real-time storytelling, adding an emotional intensity that keeps the viewer intrigued and immersed from beginning to end.
A particular shot in episode two is so impressive, it will leave viewers questioning how it’s possible to capture it with a single continuous take.
The performances by all the actors in the show are commendable, especially young Cooper. His ability to convey the emotions of a damaged, confused and dangerous teen is incredible, especially considering this is his first acting job.
The series also touches on the covert language used among teenagers, particularly the use of emojis to convey radical ideologies highlighting the generational communication gap. This highlights the need for more parental awareness where children’s exposure to social media is concerned.
The show ends on a somber note and leaves viewers with many conversation points regarding how to avoid the deterioration of young minds. This is not just a crime drama. It is a thought-provoking, uneasy commentary on parental awareness and the complexities of growing up with unmonitored access to toxic online content.
Adolescence is available to watch on Netflix.
