Wow! This week I have watched the T.V. mini-series "Adolescence" - courtesy of Netflix. My apologies to you if you cannot access Netflix.
Set in a town in northern England, the drama focuses chiefly upon the Miller family and their thirteen year old son Jamie. There are four episodes and the immediacy of each episode is greatly assisted by keeping the camera rolling. No breaks - just long , continuous shots.
The core storyline touches upon some difficult modern issues such as: What is masculinity? The largely unbridled influence of social media upon young people's lives is also questioned. Teenagers sit in bedrooms staring at their screens with their headphones on but who knows what is really happening in those lost hours and who cares anyway?
I don't wish to give too much of "Adolescence" away as there will be blog visitors out there who intend to watch the series in the next few weeks. In TV entertainment, I am not someone who is drawn to crime drama. In fact, usually, I spurn it - but this was different. In my humble opinion, it deserves all of the plaudits it has already received.
Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller is as brilliantly earthy as always and Erin Doherty played the role of a visiting psychologist to perfection but for me the real star of the show is Owen Cooper in his very first TV appearance - taking on the challenging role of thirteen year old Jamie Miller who is accused of a dreadful crime.
The official trailer is provided below though I am not sure that it will be accessible in foreign lands like Australia and the USA. Anyway, I think the official trailer possibly gives away too much....
I don't have Netflix but I am not sure I would watch this one anyway. These days anything dark and/or grim just upsets me too much.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from with that remark JayCee.
DeleteI've been reading a lot about this, and intend to watch it very soon. It's in my Netflix queue.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will be able to decipher the dialogue Jennifer.
Deletethis has been plugged SO MUCH on every possible platform.... i am almost "put off" by the pre-show exposure........
ReplyDeleteTry to put all of that aside Foxy Loxy. Sit back and absorb it. This isn't "Downton Abbey".
DeleteThat particular show, I haven't seen it, is where I learned about the manosphere and all it's toxicity.
ReplyDeleteI only learnt the term "manosphere" last week. It's so horrible that young lads are latching onto it as if it it was valid and worthy of engrossment.
DeleteI agree with JayCee about things I would want to watch. Much too nasty and violent.
ReplyDeleteAt its heart, there is a lot of humanity in this mini-series. Questions and confusion abound. It is not gratuitous.
DeleteEveryone I know who's watched this show says it's incredible. We'll start it within the next few days.
ReplyDeleteThough they are linked, the four separate episodes are quite different from each other in the ways that they approach the central story.
DeleteI’ve missed this , it looks a bit much even for me
ReplyDeleteThis is Netflix at its best in my opinion.
DeleteIt looks quite interesting. And I do love British shows; there aren't as pandering or easy to read as American shows.
ReplyDeleteThis takes TV drama into new territory - lifting the bar.
DeleteThe way 13 year old Jamie tried to intimidate and bully the female psychiatrist was chilling to watch in the third episode. I knew nothing about the manosphere or the influence of the Tate brothers until I watched Adolescence.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the tension in the room. Jamie shifts between being a sweet, endearing boy into an aggressive monster and back again. It's brilliant acting and in just one take too.
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