[TV] Adolescence - Netflix 4 part drama written by and starring Stephen Graham

[nicko31]

Watched the first episode, gonna a tough watch for sure.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Was that the one where the kid knocks the hot chocolate everywhere?

Sure. That was the defining characteristic of that hour of TV

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I think if you don’t have any day to day dealings with pre-teens and teens, whether that be your own kids or through work, then it is probably very hard to understand just what the cultural landscape is like at the moment. Forming an opinion on this topic based only on your social media usage and your own experiences of school is deeply flawed, particularly the older you are.

If you are not in a environment where you are seeing and feeling the impact of what the situation is like at the moment, then you need to do some thorough research or at least listen to the anecdotal evidence of others (this thread has some particularly enlightening posts).

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Again though, not saying it's right but is this really any worse than 20 / 30 years ago ? There have always been aggressive morons about. I remember lads reacting badly to being rejected at school and bullying the girls back.

I thought the show was excellent, and as an ex-teacher too, it felt even more poignant.

But I agree. I think the issue of masculinity is one boys have faced forever. It’s just that the issues are under the microscope more with social media and women can fend more themselves more effectively now, making many men feel more obsolete.

 

[bluenitsuj]

I don't know how old your kids are, revisit this statement when they're year 6+ as the peer pressure is insane
Also you get yourself into the "its's safer to have one than not" mindset, especially if they walk/bus to school.
We locked our kids phones down until they were year 9 but this requires knowledge which not all parents have.

Social media companies and mobile network providers need to do far more but for me Apple and Android should have a built in 'kids mode' that is far simpler to use than it is currently, they don't because it doesn't suit them to, they generally leave it to 3rd party apps.

Kids don't need a smart phone to call parents etc when walking to school. They just need a phone to call and text.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Yes, it’s worse - there is now a whole information ecosystem, complete with its own ideologist-demagogues, fueling paranoia and resentment towards women. Did you have that around you in school?

But this has always been the case. It’s just that these attitudes weren’t challenged before as they were the norm.

 

[pigmanovich]

But this has always been the case. It’s just that these attitudes weren’t challenged before as they were the norm.

Not really - this is very much a backlash to feminism, which wasn't the norm in the years you're referring to.

There was widespread (and as you say normalized) sexism and misogyny back then, of course. But men didn't feel so alienated and resentful because it was clear they were on top as a sex - at the heart of incel culture is a sense of victimhood.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I think if you don’t have any day to day dealings with pre-teens and teens, whether that be your own kids or through work, then it is probably very hard to understand just what the cultural landscape is like at the moment. Forming an opinion on this topic based only on your social media usage and your own experiences of school is deeply flawed, particularly the older you are.

If you are not in a environment where you are seeing and feeling the impact of what the situation is like at the moment, then you need to do some thorough research or at least listen to the anecdotal evidence of others (this thread has some particularly enlightening posts).

Yeah, I'd say that was spot on. My BIL didn't like/get the show and he doesn't have any kids of that age. And he's probably bordering on anti-woke, too.

The Bobkin Jnrs are 20, 16 and 11, so we've got a pretty good awareness of what life is like for them (good and bad) and a lot of the content from the show rang true. I think the point is that it is so much more than JUST what the likes of Andrew Tate (and his ilk) says or JUST knife crime or JUST social media – it's all of it blended into one big issue with what kids (and other aged people) face today. Which is why I think it is such a thought-provoking watch. I've become a bit addicted to all the add-on, behind the scenes stuff and the attention to detail is astonishing.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

But this has always been the case. It’s just that these attitudes weren’t challenged before as they were the norm.

I think what compounds the issue is that if kids are having problems at school, they can't leave it at school because it is constantly there through social media – directly or indirectly. And they have access to countless voices that will mould their views on life, relationships and the wider world. That's a bit different from watching one of four TV channels (five for all the noobs) and the radio.

 

[dwayne]

Yes, it’s worse - there is now a whole information ecosystem, complete with its own ideologist-demagogues, fueling paranoia and resentment towards women. Did you have that around you in school?

I agree with most things on this thread but I would love you to point to all these really popular online characters that are preaching this stuff .... As I find it near enough impossible to find any really controversial stuff on kick or tiktok It's no good quoting Andrew tate from 2 years ago, what are the big bad influencers now that are posting in 2025 and watched by millions ?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

The difference is that it's amplified times a million.

Boys don't just see one guy at school with a hot girlfriend.

They're bombarded - every day - with videos and imagery of young girls they're never going to date.

Just one part of the issue, of course. But they're made to feel like losers.

(I think there's plenty of data around showing 'intimacy' among kids/young adults has massively dropped off.)

Had a chat with a friend a few years ago about underage pregnancies. Now retired she was GP working at the drop in centre in Hastings near the station. Many of her patients were attending college or U of Sussex. She said when she went to meetings with other GP's and the health authorities they were constantly back slapping each other on the huge reduction in underage pregnancy. As she said it's hard to get pregnant when you're only on the phone. Most youngsters were sex texting and had never touched anyone intimately. This has ramifications and the lack of actually meeting someone in person has led not only to the young generation not being able to be confident in company but also more serious issues.

These's always been problems for boys and girls meeting especially if like me they went to single sex schools.

Bullying, yesteryear, was normally only within school or the surroundings. That was bad enough but now it can continue in the isolation of their bedroom. The need to keep looking at the phone whether for a positive or negative response is addictive. I'm sure even on here posters want a like and are prepared to counter any questioning of their opinion. We, well most, can deal with it. A young teen not so much.

Most would agree the 80/20 thing is rubbish, in reality the ugly git often ends up with the beautiful girlfriend. Girls probably do feel more empowered these days but that only makes them more equal to the boys, as it should be.

As an aside I was interested that they picked a very young looking boy to play the part. There's many a boy at 13 who are far more "developed". This has always been an issue for boys. Late developers do suffer relentlessly at school. My stepson didn't start puberty until 16. We took him a few times to the doctors. He was short and showed no hint of getting bumfluff on his lip. Then by 20 he was 6ft2" and had a full thick black beard!

 

[pigmanovich]

I agree with most things on this thread but I would love you to point to all these really popular online characters that are preaching this stuff .... As I find it near enough impossible to find any really controversial stuff on kick or tiktok It's no good quoting Andrew tate from 2 years ago, what are the big bad influencers now that are posting in 2025 and watched by millions ?

It's all out there if you're genuinely interested in learning more - it doesn't take more than a Google search to come across names other than Tate's - but the reality is, as a 27 year old, I'm guessing I'm a lot closer in age to the generation in question and a lot more familiar with where they receive their information than you are. This is a real, pervasive problem.

 

[Justice]

Kids don't need a smart phone to call parents etc when walking to school. They just need a phone to call and text.

And ripped into by other kids for having a £9.99 burner phone.

 

[dwayne]

It's all out there if you're genuinely interested in learning more - it doesn't take more than a Google search to come across names other than Tate's - but the reality is, as a 27 year old, I'm guessing I'm a lot closer in age to the generation in question and a lot more familiar with where they receive their information than you are. This is a real, pervasive problem.

There you go.

Aside from peterson.. Actually go online and watch some of these kids ....
Rather than taking what the guardian says at face value !! It doesn't get much more harmless than adin Ross for example. Most of these just remind me of shite talking teenagers just like many of us were back in the day and not the kid of sinister sensationalism the press will have you believe.

 

[pigmanovich]

There you go.

Aside from peterson.. Actually go online and watch some of these kids ....
Rather than taking what the guardian says at face value !! It doesn't get much more harmless than adin Ross for example. Most of these just remind me of shite talking teenagers just like many of us were back in the day and not the kid of sinister sensationalism the press will have you believe.

Again, I am actually on TikTok and Instagram and was online as a teenager when this subculture was taking shape - I am just not prepared to do your homework when I'm not even sure you're engaging in good faith, having set the bar for concern at "droves" of dead girls.

 

[Justice]

Had a chat with a friend a few years ago about underage pregnancies. Now retired she was GP working at the drop in centre in Hastings near the station. Many of her patients were attending college or U of Sussex. She said when she went to meetings with other GP's and the health authorities they were constantly back slapping each other on the huge reduction in underage pregnancy. As she said it's hard to get pregnant when you're only on the phone. Most youngsters were sex texting and had never touched anyone intimately. This has ramifications and the lack of actually meeting someone in person has led not only to the young generation not being able to be confident in company but also more serious issues.

These's always been problems for boys and girls meeting especially if like me they went to single sex schools.

Bullying, yesteryear, was normally only within school or the surroundings. That was bad enough but now it can continue in the isolation of their bedroom. The need to keep looking at the phone whether for a positive or negative response is addictive. I'm sure even on here posters want a like and are prepared to counter any questioning of their opinion. We, well most, can deal with it. A young teen not so much.

Most would agree the 80/20 thing is rubbish, in reality the ugly git often ends up with the beautiful girlfriend. Girls probably do feel more empowered these days but that only makes them more equal to the boys, as it should be.

As an aside I was interested that they picked a very young looking boy to play the part. There's many a boy at 13 who are far more "developed". This has always been an issue for boys. Late developers do suffer relentlessly at school. My stepson didn't start puberty until 16. We took him a few times to the doctors. He was short and showed no hint of getting bumfluff on his lip. Then by 20 he was 6ft2" and had a full thick black beard!

We used to mingle with girls in Youth clubs which now don’t exist sadly. The government have a lot to answer for as usual.

 

[dwayne]

Again, I am actually on TikTok and Instagram and was online as a teenager when this subculture was taking shape - I am just not prepared to do your homework when I'm not even sure you're engaging in good faith, having set the bar for concern at "droves" of dead girls.

Don't worry I've done the homework all the characters maybe bar Peterson are pretty harmless from your guardian article. I did notice 2 examples of their horrendous misogyny were them saying women can't drive. Shocking stuff.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

There you go.

Aside from peterson.. Actually go online and watch some of these kids ....
Rather than taking what the guardian says at face value !! It doesn't get much more harmless than adin Ross for example. Most of these just remind me of shite talking teenagers just like many of us were back in the day and not the kid of sinister sensationalism the press will have you believe.

What a totally weird response when you've asked 'I would love you to point to all these really popular online characters that are preaching this stuff'.

Did you manage to investigate the whole issue, watch all of their content and come to a solid conclusion in the 14 minutes between the post from @pigmanovich and your response? If so, that's some pretty impressive work!

 

[dwayne]

What a totally weird response when you've asked 'I would love you to point to all these really popular online characters that are preaching this stuff'.

Did you manage to investigate the whole issue, watch all of their content and come to a solid conclusion in the 14 minutes between the post from @pigmanovich and your response? If so, that's some pretty impressive work!

The article kind of proved my point as I was familiar with all these characters already

 

[Motogull]

Maybe the series needed some car chases and fights to keep everybody happy.

And some underworld 'characters'.

Possibly some tits as well.