‘Adolescence' is great TV — but not because it's realistic
The praise centers on the show's purported insight into the dangerous intersection of adolescence, online radicalization, and toxic masculinity.
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Despite its emotional impact, though, 'Adolescence' is fiction widely misinterpreted as fact. The very aspects praised as realistic are, indeed, statistically improbable and misleading.
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Shortly after watching the show, I
One of the most persistent myths about incels is that they are predominantly white, far-right extremists. In fact,
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Psychologists find that incels tend to score high on what's called '
Yet the scenario depicted — a teenage boy influenced by incel ideology murdering a female classmate — is among the rarest forms of youth violence. The show's creators say they were inspired by the real rise in knife violence across the UK, which is indeed a
From left, Mark Stanley, Owen Cooper, and Stephen Graham in a scene from "Adolescence."
Uncredited/Associated Press
Another reason the series should not be mistaken as representative is that the killer in 'Adolescence' comes from a two-parent home. In reality,
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I observed this pattern firsthand in my own
In 'Adolescence,' the victim is a young girl. In reality, three out of four stabbing victims in Britain are
The creators of 'Adolescence' may have intentionally crafted an atypical narrative to highlight how rage and violence can appear unexpectedly. Ironically, some of the series's admirers miss this nuance, mistaking a fictional tragedy for a representative one.
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In doing so, they overlook uncomfortable truths about the causes of most violent crime, which are rooted less in online radicalization than in fractured families and offline peer dynamics.
'Adolescence' is a superb work of art. It should not be mistaken for reality.
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