Stephen Graham said the story was inspired by today’s digital age (Image: NETFLIX)
Netflix has dropped the gripping new series Adolescence, which traces the turbulent journey of 13 year old Jamie Miller (portrayed by Owen Cooper), who finds himself in handcuffs on suspicion of a heinous crime. Presented in a unique single-shot, real-time format, the four-episode drama chronicles key phases of the legal ordeal, from Jamie’s initial arrest to the cusp of his judicial fate.
This marks the screenwriting debut of acclaimed actor Stephen Graham, who also steps into the shoes of Jamie’s father, Eddie Miller. Set against the backdrop of an unspecified town in Northern England, the universal themes are poised to strike a chord with viewers globally.
Though not drawn from any specific incident, the story pulls from genuine societal issues impacting today’s youth amidst the digital era. Stephen shed light on the motivation behind the series: “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.”
The concept had been brewing within him for some time. As a parent to Grace, aged 20, and Alfie, aged 18, the surge of teenage knife crimes deeply troubled Stephen. He revealed his impetus: “I just thought, ‘I need to write something, or create something that addresses this situation and holds up a mirror to what is going on’.”
Erin Doherty plays a child psychologist (Image: NETFLIX)
‘s latest series delves into the harrowing issues of social media, online bullying, and the widening gap between children and parents out of touch with their children’s hobbies.
The streaming giant highlighted how ‘Adolescence’ tackles the pervasive issue of toxic masculinity that belittles girls and warps boys’ expectations, examining the rise of misogyny among online groups of young men.
However, Stephen emphasised that the show isn’t an indictment of social media but aims to spark a dialogue on a “thought-provoking” subject to captivate audiences. To ensure authenticity, the cast conducted thorough research for their roles.
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Owen Cooper stars as Jamie Miller (Image: NETFLIX)
The Crown actress Erin Doherty, portraying child psychologist Briony Ariston, shared: “I’ve always been open about my own experience of having therapy over a six or seven year period.
“And though I’m not in therapy right now, I do have an incredible relationship with my therapist and so I reached out to her and said, ‘Could we just sit down and you talk to me about a day-in-the-life type situation?’
“I knew I needed to go to the source, as it were, if I was going to successfully become Briony and inhabit her mind as a therapist.”
Adolescence is streaming on