'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMhkBz//xAAcEAEAAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEIQAREhP/2gAIAQEAAT8AKIY2J7hVX6nixmdg7+sYS2muxeWK2SRQXn//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAgBAgEBPwCP/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH/2gAIAQMBAT8Aj//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Even before taking home eight Emmy Awards this year, Netflix’s Adolescence had been making headlines for its time-relevant storyline and striking cinematography. The show, containing four episodes in total, premiered back in March. In the lead is Owen Cooper, who plays 13-year-old Jamie Miller. His life and that of his family are turned upside down when he is arrested for the murder of a young girl.
At first, Adolescence feels like a whodunnit as it seems unlikely that innocent, young Jamie is capable of murder. But once the truth is revealed, the show transforms into a psychological drama that explores cyberbullying, incel culture, and much more. The fact that every episode of Adolescence was shot in one continuous take also adds to the charm of the show.
Adolescence is a must-watch for parents as it highlights ideologies and influences that young children are exposed to, and the scenes mentioned on this list tend to hit the hardest.
Trending
Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources and has spoilers.
7 eye-opening scenes from Adolescence that will give parents plenty to think about
1) Eddie realizes that Jamie has been lying to him
In the first episode of Adolescence, it is hard for the audience to believe that Jamie could be the real culprit. The fact that he wet himself when the officers burst inside his room to arrest him reinforced the idea that he was just a young boy who was startled and scared.
Therefore, it is not surprising to see his father, Eddie Miller, portrayed by Stephen Graham, express his discontentment in front of the police when they treat his young boy like a criminal. During interrogation, Jamie denies that he did anything wrong, and Eddie is very vocal about the fact that Jamie is telling the truth.
However, the situation takes a sharp turn when they watch the CCTV footage that clearly shows Jamie stabbing Katie, the murder victim. In this moment, Eddie's perception of his son changes almost instantly. He not only has to come to terms with the fact that he doesn't really know Jamie like he thought, but also accept that, as his father, it is still his duty to protect Jamie in whatever way he can.
2) Adam reveals that the emojis have deeper meanings
The generational gap is not new, but Adolescence helps throw light on the fact that in today's internet age, adults are strikingly unfamiliar with the lingo and terminology used by youngsters in the digital space.
In Adolescence, when Ashley Walters' DI Luke Bascombe and Faye Marsay's DS Misha Frank start investigating the relationship between Jamie and Katie, they interpret their social media exchanges as friendly due to the use of seemingly innocent emojis. But when they start asking questions at the school, it becomes clear that Jamie and Katie weren't really friends.
The main revelation comes from Adam, Bascombe's son. He explains to Bascombe about the incel 80/20 rule and the emoji code. This reveals how parents can easily overlook harmful content if they are unaware of the coded language used by their children.
3) Eddie and Manda accept that they could have done more
One thing that Adolescence makes very clear is that it isn't always the parents who are to blame. In most cases, when minors are involved in criminal activities, people automatically assume that it is because of an abusive or ignorant home environment. In Jamie's case, his parents were clearly trying to raise him well, but he still managed to stray from the right path.
After Eddie and Manda (Christine Tremarco) find out about Jamie, they start to question their parenting methods, but reassure one another that there was no way of knowing what Jamie was up to. They truly believed that they did the best they could.
But there is one heartwrenching scene in Adolescence when they have to accept the hard fact that they were wrong in thinking that Jamie couldn't get in trouble if he's on his computer in his room. In fact, it was spending all that time on the computer that enabled radical influencers and self-claimed experts to rewire his way of thinking.
4) Jamie's motives are revealed
After it is revealed that Jamie really killed Katie in Adolescence, viewers are curious to find out why. His demeanor also seems to suggest that he isn't necessarily aggressive or violent, which is why it is hard to understand what prompted him to stab a young girl seven times.
In the third episode of Adolescence, Jamie finally opens up about his motive during his session with Erin Doherty's Briony Ariston. He felt ashamed when Katie rejected his romantic advances and called him an "incel" which prompted others to make fun of him online.
This Adolescence moment revealed how young children, in their formative years, can be affected when their sense of self is destroyed. It also confirmed how easy it is for young minds to be influenced at a time when they are still figuring out their own identities and where they belong.
5) Luke Bascombe realizes that he needs to be more involved
Walters' Luke Bascombe is a dedicated law enforcement officer, but Jamie's case helps him understand that he should be paying more attention to his family life. While investigating the connection between Jamie and Katie, Bascombe visits the school that his son, Adam, portrayed by Amari Bacchus, also happens to attend.
When Bascombe sees Adam in a school setting, he realizes that there is a lot that he doesn't know about his son's life. Jamie's actions weigh on his mind, and it prompts him to open communication channels with his own son. He openly asks Adam about cyberbullying and the struggles he is facing at school.
Even though Bascombe's relationship with Adam doesn't miraculously switch gears in Adolescence, the fact that Bascombe is willing to really listen to his son signals the possibility of a stronger bond between the two in the future.
6) The hot chocolate and sandwich test
There is no doubt that some of the best moments in Adolescence are when Jamie and Briony are interacting with each other. As a psychologist, Briony knows exactly when to push and when to step back to allow Jamie to open up.
During one such session, Briony brings Jamie food offerings in the form of a hot chocolate and a sandwich with pickles. The fact that he is presented with two options, one that he finds comforting and one that he dislikes, is not a coincidence. It is a psychological testing strategy that Briony subtly puts into action.
The way Jamie reacts to both items is meant to gauge his self-regulation. This Adolescence moment showcased how professionals approach troubled kids and test their ability to control their emotions.
7) Eddie's apology
After his breakdown in the session with Briony, it becomes evident that Jamie is still unable to let go of the radical beliefs and ideologies that drove him to murder. He then calls his father to say that he will plead guilty to Katie's murder. Even though Jamie finally owns up to his actions, his voice doesn't have any empathy or vulnerability, which makes viewers feel that he still has a long way to go.
In the final moments of Adolescence, Eddie enters Jamie's room and tucks his teddy bear into bed. He whispers, "I'm sorry, son. I should've done better." Parents will certainly relate to this scene because it captures how parents today can do everything in their power to raise well-mannered, adjusted kids, but they cannot always protect them from outside influences that can have a long-lasting impact.
These moments from Adolescence tend to stay with viewers because they raise a lot of pertinent questions about parenting, digital influences and cyberbullying.
