Dark truths exposed: TV series Adolescence

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Anjola Fashawe explores the hidden dangers of misogyny and toxic masculinity

There are moments in Adolescence, Netflix’s psychological drama created by and starring Stephen Graham, that hit so close to home it’s hard to tell where fiction ends and reality begins.

Directed by Philip Barantini, the series unfolds in real time over four episodes, each filmed in a continuous single shot. This immersive storytelling technique heightens the tension and emotional depth, pulling you into a world that feels all too real. The series opens in the wake of a tragedy: Katie, a young girl, has been allegedly murdered at the hands of a classmate, Jamie. It centres on the aftermath of her death, exploring the toxic, internet-fuelled culture that’s shaping the lives of young boys today.

It’s a fictional drama, yes – but it feels painfully familiar.

From the very first episode, I was struck not just by the horror of what had happened, but by where the show placed its emotional weight. Jade, played powerfully by Fatima Bojang, is devastated by the loss of her best friend, Katie.

Her grief is not quiet. She rages. She cries. She lashes out. But still, despite the rawness of her emotions, the focus of the adults around her becomes “Why did this happen?” rather than “Why did Katie have to die?”

And that says everything.

Adolescence doesn’t just show us this dangerous culture of online influence and toxic masculinity, it interrogates it

As I watched, at 19 years old, I couldn’t stop thinking about my own secondary school days. The boys in our class were rarely held accountable for the things they said or did – violent jokes, sexual comments, ‘games’ where girls were groped or harassed and told it was just ‘banter’.

I remember being in Year 11, walking out of the school building, when one of the boys pinched me. I screamed at him and his clueless group, but what I remember more than anything was an overwhelming sense of embarrassment. We’re taught to protect ourselves, to be smart, to avoid danger. But when it happens so suddenly and so casually, it leaves you feeling humiliated, not empowered.

Adolescence doesn’t just show us this dangerous culture of online influence and toxic masculinity, it interrogates it. And it makes sure we understand that it’s not only up to girls to fix boys. Teachers, parents, role models must step up too.

Ashley Walters is especially compelling as DI Luke Bascombe, a detective trying to trace the threads of Jamie’s motives, only to discover his own son is exposed to the same kind of toxic content that may have influenced Jamie. That storyline, a father blindsided by what his son has been consuming online, felt very real. Because how can adults treat problems they don’t even realise exist?

There’s a particularly gut-wrenching scene in the final episode, where Jamie starts to open up to his father but the moment he hears his mother and sister he clams up. The show subtly points out how some boys are taught to save their vulnerability for men, if they express it at all. Emotions become weapons or weaknesses, never something to actually feel.

The series confronts dark truths, staring straight at the grotesque grip of the manosphere

Young actor Owen Cooper, who plays Jamie, delivers a terrifyingly believable performance. In Episode 3, dubbed a “chess match” by Netflix, he faces off against child psychologist Briony, played by Erin Doherty and the tension is unbearable. He talks over her, mocks her and invades her space. At just 13, he’s already internalised a sense of male dominance that’s as performative as it is insidious. It reminded me of watching clips of Andrew Tate with the same smugness, the same sense of entitlement, the same danger.

It’s no wonder that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly supported the idea of showing Adolescence in schools. The series doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable, dark truths. It looks directly at the grotesque influence of the manosphere, from Instagram comments to sexual videos, and asks, “What happens when this goes unchecked?”

But it’s important to note — this is not a cause-and-effect issue. The show is careful not to oversimplify. PSHE classes can teach consent and healthy relationships, but if they don’t address the wider system, the social media algorithms, the online influencers and the peer pressure, they’re only treating the symptoms, not the sickness.

Jamie’s arrogance and objectification of girls is horrifying and all too real

At one point, Jamie casually admits he expects to be sexually active at 13. And that reflects a scary truth, the way sexual content has become commodified, especially through platforms like OnlyFans, which are often glamorised as easy money. Young people are being bombarded with messages that confuse worth with desirability, attention with affection, and sex with power.

I worry for my younger sister who is only 16, growing up consumed by these online pressures and how she may be exposed to this unchecked behaviour by younger boys in school.

Adolescence does an incredible job of exposing that. It’s not always an easy watch, nor should it be. It’s a show about the cracks in our culture, about the way masculinity is warped into something violent when left unchallenged. Jamie’s arrogance, his desensitisation, his inability to see girls as anything more than objects is horrifying. And it’s real.

The series is fictional, but the problem it reflects is not. Jade’s grief, wild, unfiltered and deeply human, serves as a reminder that behind every viral headline about ‘another teenage boy gone wrong’ is a girl who’s gone, full stop.

In the end, Adolescence is more than just a show. It’s a mirror. And the reflection it offers isn’t easy to look at but we need to see it!

If you need support around issues raised here, check out:

Childline offers confidential support for young people, including issues related to bullying, mental health, and online safety. You can contact them at 0800 1111.

White Ribbon UK is committed to ending male violence against women by engaging men and boys in conversations about healthy masculinity, respect and emotional awareness.

Check out the trailer here ↓