Adolescence

Before even winning an Emmy award "Adolescence" (2025)  had received a lot of publicity.  I didn't know what to expect and certainly it was different.  Different in a thought provoking manner.  We are used to watching murder mysteries which despite complications generally direct us to some sort of resolution. 

"Adolescence" gives more focus to those affected by the violence beyond the victim and supposed perpetrator.  The police, school mates, a psychologist and most of all the father and mother to Jamie.

First off we see a family settling in for the night and suddenly police cars appear with protectively armed police officers, one of whom quickly breaks the door down and they come in taking standard police procedures to find out where a young boy is.  He is in bed and has guns pointed at him. He is told he is being arrested on suspicion of murder.  He is flustered and claims he didn't do anything.  The police are considerate, explaining his rights, but firmly stating he has to go with them.  When he gets out of bed one officer tells him to change his trousers as he has obviously wet his pants.

From there we go the police station where he is photographed, blood taken and a strip search.  A lawyer is provided who before getting many details tells Jamie to say, "no comment" if he is unsure.  We are shown a video where a boy is following a girl and they have some sort of confrontation and she pushes him to the ground and walks away.  He designates his father to accompany him and in a private talk says he did not do it.

On the second episode we see the two original arresting officers visit the school Jamie went to.  We encounter a close friend to the victim who is very upset and attacks another boy (a friend of Jamie's) and later the police officer chases down the friend.  The officers are led to different classrooms, but are unable to find any students or teachers willing to give any information.  After the two officers get set to leave, the one officer talks to his son who is a student at a higher grade and doesn't know Jamie very well.  But he does know teen culture and explains some of it to his father.  This was news to the police, schools and also to the creators and is a key message from the series.

In this second episode we learn the police have not found the weapon.  We are also led to believe that Kate had rejected an advance from Jamie.  

This post is not meant to be a summary of the series.  The final two episodes are more focused on some consequences.  Jamie is taken to a psychologist who claims her job is not to determine his guilt, but to learn what drives him.  He is suspicious, becomes upset and acts out.  She is professional and maintains her cool in Jamie's presence, but afterwards in private she breaks down.

The final episode is focused on the parents and his sister.  They are stressed.  Essentially this all I want to reveal.  The point of the series is how the events affect people.

 Researching the background to this series has been mind opening.  One new concept for me was one shot filming.  Each episode was filmed with no breaks.  The effect makes the viewer get closer to the action without realizing it.  The details are many and I don't understand them all, but the director, writer and many of the actors had been involved with it before.  It does require a lot of preparation with the risk that some small mishap means it has to be done all over again.

To create the experience takes a lot of talent.  Here are a few of the people. 

Phillip Barantini was the director.  He is a master of the one shot filming used for the series.  He has 12 credits for directing, 14 credits for producing and 32 as an actor including "Band of Brothers" (2001) and "Chernobyl" (2019).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/04/chernobyl.html

Jack Thorne was one of the creators and writers.  He studied politics at Pembroke College, Oxford.  Jack has 46 writing credits, 18 for producing and 3 for acting including "Wonder" (2017), "Help" (2021) and "Joy" (2024).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/11/joy-film-about-ivf.html

Stephen Graham was co-creator, writer and executive producer.  He has dyslexia and has his wife, Hannah Walker read scripts to him before approval.  He has 130 acting credits, 8 for producing and 2 for writing including "Band of Brothers" (2001), "Line of Duty"(2018-2020), "The Irishman" (2019), "Help" (2021) and "Bodies" (2023). See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/02/band-of-brothers.html

Jo Johnson was a producer.  One task for this film was to work with the parents of young actors to make sure everyone was comfortable with what they were asked to do.  He has 18 credits as director and 8 as producer including "Coronation Street" and "East Enders".

Brad Pitt, Hollywood star was an executive producer.  His children are home schooled.  He speaks fluent French.  Brad once bought the rights to the Hong Kong production of "Infernal Affairs" (2002) and ended up a producer for the adapted "The Departed" (2006).  He is banned in China for his role in "7 Years in Tibet" (1997).  Altogether he has 92 acting credits and 83 producing credits.

Hannah Walker had a cameo role as Mrs. Bailey.  She had formed a production company with her husband,  Stephen Graham in 2022 and was a producer.

The music was handled by the team of Aaron May and David Ridley.  Because of the one shot requirement they had to collaborate closely with the director and writers.  They had met at the University of Bristol, played in some of the same bands and then went their separate ways until re-uniting in  2017.  Aaron had 17 composing credits and 2 for soundtrack while David had 18 composing credits and 1 for music department.   

More on the musical collaboration.  Emilia Holliday had played Katie, the murder victim and had no lines, but when Phillip Barantini talked with learned she wanted to sing and so set her up with the two composers who liked her.  They also decided they would like a chorus and from the students at the filming location put together a choir and with Emilia adapted "Fragile" (from Sting).

Cinematography was by Matthew Lewis who has 15 cinematography credits and 15 for the camera and electrical department.  He had done one shot films before.

Ashley Walters played DI Luke Bascombe.  He was a rapper.  Ashley has 83 acting credits, 3 for directing and 4 for producing. 

 Erin Doherty played the psychologist Brioney Ariston.  She has 16 acting credits including two seasons as Princess Anne in "The Crown" (2019-2020).

Owen Cooper played Jamie.  At 15 he became the youngest male actor to win the Prime Time Emmy award for supporting actor. in a limited series.

This series brought to our attention there is a youth culture that is hidden from most outsiders and that violent crimes have an emotional impact on more than just the victims and perpetrators.  The presentation is unique and professional and resulted in 8 Prime Time Emmy Awards.

Available on Netflix.