Adolescence (Netflix)
Through four, hour long episodes, each their own extended single take, Adolescence touches on the state of Britain’s youth, modern masculinity, the impact of social media on young men’s self-worth, and on parenthood. It is a rather sobering watch, but is utterly compelling throughout. Every member of the cast is on top form, with Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters and Stephen Graham all delivering excellent performances. Graham’s work, as a father in pained incredulity at the events happening to his family, proves to be the show’s emotional core. Episode one is a barnstorming opening, guiding us through Jamie’s entire arrest process into a shocking revelation, all in one unbroken take. It is a feat to behold.
The middle two episodes detail the role social media has played in the formation of Jamie’s attitude towards women and the state of many young men right now. Clearly written by someone who does not fully understand the intricacies of online interactions, the discussions of how damaging these online spaces are for developing minds are told through adult characters also seeking to understand. The subject is approached with a sensitivity and open mindedness that means the show never comes across as talking down to its audience. Instead, it makes astute points that clearly deliver an indictment of what social media has done and is doing to young people.
The one shot conceit does much for the immersion of each episode. Episode three in particular becomes a deeply engrossing extended conversation, revealing endless layers as it progresses. However, this trick forces more believable groupings of characters together in the same space, limiting some of its ideas to narrower perspectives than I might like and preventing a broader interplay of the generational misunderstandings being discussed. The show is fantastic, but that limitation of setting in the middle episodes means it does not drill quite as deep as it could do.
Although consistently excellent, it is episode four that emerges as a singular masterwork. We see Jamie’s father, mother and sister try to live normal lives despite constant reminders of their son’s absence and his actions. It is the most technically ambitious of all the episodes in the range of locations and moods it captures in one take, but also the most emotionally harrowing, with a devastating emotional fallout. Graham comes into his own in a shattering story of the loss of innocence and a father’s perceived failure of his son. All three family members struggle in their own way, and all three performances are astonishing. A conversation shared between Graham and Christine Tremarco (as his wife) about how this all happened is utterly heartbreaking. The ending sees Graham reach levels of raw pain that very few actors have ever achieved. It is brutal and shattering, but the entire show is worth watching for that finale alone.
Even if I do not think it is flawless, this is an astonishing show in many ways. Incredible technical craft, emotionally harrowing and thoughtful in its look at modern youth and their parents, every episode is hard to look away from. At less than 4 hours in total runtime, it is impossible to skip. Gripping, heartbreaking television.
