I thought my Netflix subscription had expired and I didn’t miss it. So much of the material is routine, by the numbers. It passes the time, but most of it is forgettable. I recall that one radio reviewer, speaking about the series Griselda, which is generally considered one of their better series, saying how, even though he thought it was good, it still had the “Netflix sheen”. And I know exactly what he meant, even though I can’t adequately describe it – like a colour photo that’s been subjected to too much digital editing and then printed on high gloss paper. Somehow, it’s artificial and puts the viewer at a distance from the subject. Even most of the foreign language material suffers from this (with the possible exception of Call my agent, which was delightfully silly).
That’s why Adolescence is so different. A lot of the commentary about it compares it to the gritty crime dramas and kitchen sink dramas produced by BBC, ITV and Channel 4 – series like Line of Duty and This is England. It’s raw, it’s gritty and it doesn’t pull its punches. The characters are well drawn, and the acting is outstanding. And they look like people you would see every day in the street. Although a few critics thought that the approach of filming each episode in a single take, most praised it. For me, it was another difference from standard Netflix fare; each episode drew you in and held you transfixed, even when it was uncomfortable.
Of course, the most important and ground-breaking aspect of the series is the subject – a boy in his lower teens who kills a young girl, and the fallout that ensues. The question that runs through all four episodes is: Why? Like any good art that tackles a difficult subject, it doesn’t give a direct answer; rather it provides you with suggestions to come up with your own, while challenging your assumptions.
I did see one article that pointed out that, while the aggregate critics’ score on Rotten tomatoes is 99%, the audience score is lower, at 77%. To me, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the critics are out of touch; I suspect that many people just found it too difficult to watch (I gravitate towards dark material but in this case I didn’t sleep well afterwards).
There was also an article in the Independent that questioned the rolling out of the series in schools. The article was behind a paywall so I didn’t read it (I am not sufficiently enthusiastic about that newspaper). However, reflecting myself on what might be the reasons, I can see many pitfalls. Without the right people to help teenagers digest it, and express their feelings, it could actually make the current anxiety over violent teenage crime worse. Girls could find it frightening, while boys who have been heavily influenced by commentators like Andrew Tate won’t necessarily have their attitudes changed by one TV show. I think of the scene in the last episode where the father is buying paint in a hardware store and the assistant who helps him has picked up – and believed – lies that were posted online about the killing. I suspect that many boys will react the same way. And that’s before we even get to consider some of the disgusting, racist lies that are already circulating about the series.
Nevertheless, I rate it as one of the best TV series I’ve ever seen.