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what is adolescence on netflix about

“Adolescence” on Netflix is a British crime drama miniseries about a 13‑year‑old boy accused of murdering his classmate, and how the crime shatters a family and a community while exposing the dark side of online culture and misogyny.

Quick Scoop

What “Adolescence” on Netflix is about

  • The story begins when armed police raid a family home near Doncaster and arrest 13‑year‑old Jamie Miller for the murder of his schoolmate, Katie Leonard.
  • Jamie initially denies killing Katie, but security footage eventually shows him stabbing her, shifting the focus from “did he do it?” to “why did he do it?”.
  • As detectives investigate, they dig into Jamie and Katie’s social media, uncovering cyberbullying, cruel posts, and the toxic online “manosphere” content that has influenced Jamie’s attitudes toward girls and women.
  • Jamie is held in a secure youth facility, where a forensic psychologist works to understand his mindset, his loneliness, and how online radicalization and bullying contributed to the crime.
  • The show also follows Jamie’s parents and siblings as they face public outrage, vandalism, and deep guilt while trying to hold themselves together under intense media and community pressure.
  • Parallel to the investigation, the lead detective struggles to connect with his own teenage son, and the case becomes a way for them to talk about masculinity, online behavior, and empathy.

Themes and tone

  • The series tackles heavy topics: youth violence, misogyny, incel/manosphere culture, cyberbullying, and mental health in early adolescence.
  • It’s told as a tense, emotional crime drama rather than a sensational thriller, focusing on motives, family fallout, and social context instead of just the “whodunnit.”
  • Many commentators and parenting experts see it as a conversation starter about how boys are shaped by online hate, and how parents can better understand and support them.

Is it new / trending?

  • “Adolescence” is one of Netflix’s buzzy crime dramas of the mid‑2020s, widely discussed by critics, parenting blogs, and forum users for its portrayal of teen boys and internet radicalization.
  • Online discussions often highlight how eerily realistic the social media dynamics feel and how the show quietly weaves in references to the manosphere and incel culture without over‑explaining them.

TL;DR: “Adolescence” on Netflix is a four‑part British crime drama about a 13‑year‑old boy accused of killing his classmate, exploring cyberbullying, misogyny, and how online extremist content can warp a teenager’s view of girls, while his family and the detective struggle with the emotional wreckage of what happened.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.