Adolescence Review
This review will contain spoilers for the Netflix Limited Series, Adolescence.
“Should we have done more though?” - Eddie Miller
The question that lingers in the minds of the distraught parents of the 13-year-old murderer, Jamie Miller, after a particularly stressful morning that has put the Miller family through an emotional blender. The crux of the new Netflix Limited Series, Adolescence, lies in these final moments as we witness Eddie and Manda Miller in their bedroom, grappling with how and where they might have failed their son.
Adolescence isn’t a mystery show about whether or not Jamie perpetrated the heinous act. In the first episode, we follow Jamie's arrest in the early morning, the day after the murder. By the end of this four-episode Limited Series', we receive a definitive answer: Jamie is the murderer.
The show doesn’t glorify Jamie or the murder itself. Unlike other Netflix shows like You or Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, where the serial killer is portrayed as some misunderstood, tragic figure. We’re meant to see Jamie as a child, naïve, innocent and not the stereotypical dysfunctional bad boy often romanticized in other media. From his introduction, Jamie is emasculated and treated as a child, a theme consistently reinforced through the dialogue, emphasizing that despite his atrocious crime, he is a child. A child who has committed a devastating act.
Each of the subsequent episodes follows a character in the show at certain moments in time and explores the potential reasons that would have led to Jamie perpetrating the act and effect of the murder on those around him and the society at large. With episode three in particular, we get a dialogue with Jamie to learn more about his mindset and beliefs. A fantastic showcase of first time actor Owen Cooper’s talents as we see him go from friendly banter to desperation as he’s left without anyone on his side. We’re meant to confront and challenge each one of our preconceived notions about why a child like this would do such a thing.
Is the cause male toxicity? School/social media bullying? A dysfunctional family? As unsatisfying as it might sound, the show doesn’t provide us with a correct answer but moments of contrast and reflection. With every potential answer we might gleam from the show, we’re also presented an alternative that did not end up like Jamie. Were the boys bullied? Yes, but we see another boy being bullied but his choice was not to lash out in anger. Was Jamie innocent as he took no part in Katie’s bullying? No, he might have justified that he rose above others but he did little to protect Katie’s well-being and instead thought of her as weak. Was his father, Eddie, abusive to him or to the other women in his life? No, Eddie is seen as loving and attentive in many aspects of his family’s life and has even tried to connect Jamie to other aspects that could have helped him but did not work. While Eddie and his family have their own shortcomings, was their environment the sole catalyst, especially considering their other daughter appears well-adjusted and caring towards both Jamie and the rest of the family.
We’re meant to reflect on our society today and the roles we play in it. How things in our world that we are unfamiliar with can affect us so much. How complex humans are and we’re the sum product of everything around us. How one bad choice could unravel what seems to be perfect on the surface.
Instead of viewing Adolescence as a murder mystery to be solved, see it as a mystery exploring the dichotomy of human capability for good or evil.
