Adolescence is a four-episode limited series available on Netflix since March 13, 2025. This UK-based TV series follows a group of young kids whose innocence is slowly slipping away due to social media. What makes this series truly phenomenal is that it was shot in a single take. You don’t realize how incredible that is until you actually watch it. The actors did an outstanding job, especially Owen Cooper, who plays the lead role. His performance is so convincing that it makes you believe in the evil lurking inside a 13-year-old boy.
What Adolescence Is About
The series revolves around a boy named Jamie Miller, who is accused of murder. He stabbed a girl named Katie seven times with a knife. There was no clear reason as to why he did it, but his intense conversation with a psychiatrist in episode three gives some insight into his mindset—his thoughts on women, adult life, and masculinity.
Episode 1: The Arrest
The first episode begins with the police arriving at Jamie’s home and taking him into custody for murder charges. Throughout the episode, he keeps denying the accusations and repeatedly asks for his dad. Though not proven guilty yet, he is made aware of all the legal procedures. His family is completely shattered, struggling to process the shock.
Episode 2: The Investigation
The second episode shifts to Jamie’s school, where the police try to find more clues. They speak to his and Katie’s friends—Ryan, Tommy, and Jadie. Jadie is too overwhelmed to say anything, but Ryan’s behavior raises suspicion. When questioned again, Ryan panics and runs, but the police catch him. Eventually, he confesses that the knife Jamie used was actually his.
The school didn’t even feel like a normal school. The kids’ idea of being “cool” has become so fragile—they’re just trying to act like adults now. Having a girlfriend or boyfriend seems more like an achievement than real love.
Episode 3: The Mind of a Killer
This is my favorite episode, purely because of the acting and dialogues. The writing is sharp, but the execution is even better. The scenes between Jamie and the psychiatrist are intense. She is straightforward yet tricky with her words, while Jamie tries to manipulate her. The whole interaction is chilling.
Jamie opens up about social media—how he thought he was ugly, how he believed engaging in certain “adult things” would make him cooler. Instagram wasn’t just a place to chat but a battlefield for popularity. The word smart doesn’t even exist anymore. Everyone just wants to be cooler.
It becomes clear that social media played a huge role in shaping Jamie’s toxic mindset. He didn’t like being ordered around by a woman. He thought being masculine meant being dominant and feared. And somehow, in his twisted mind, that led to Katie’s murder.
Episode 4: The Aftermath
The final episode focuses on the consequences—how Jamie’s family deals with everything, how the neighbors and his schoolmates treat them, and how they try to move forward. Jamie eventually turns himself in and pleads guilty.
His parents question if they failed, but then they look at their other child—a beautiful, sensible, and smart girl. Yet, that doesn’t mean they were completely innocent. If they had asked what Jamie was doing all the time in his room, why he barely spoke to them, or what was going on in his mind, maybe things could have been different.
His parents thought he was safe at home, but what he did tells a different story. That smartphone he spent all his time on—it wasn’t just a device. It was the place where he learned what he thought would make him stronger and more masculine.
Review of Adolescence
Adolescence is a disturbing yet powerful series that highlights the dangerous influence of social media on young minds. The one-take execution adds to its raw and real feel. Owen Cooper delivers a strong performance, making Jamie’s character feel unsettlingly real. The school environment, the conversations, and the way kids define “coolness” now, all feel unsettlingly accurate. Jamie’s mindset, shaped by social media and his warped idea of masculinity, is troubling to watch. The most disturbing part? He felt proud that he didn’t do something worse. The series doesn’t exaggerate or dramatize—it just shows a reality that many fail to notice. Adolescence isn’t just a show; it’s a reflection of a growing problem.
Adolescence is not based on true story but there are several events happening in the world, same as what the series has shown.
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