I’ve decided to dedicate one day of the week to reviewing movies or shows. My mainstream media consumption has dropped drastically since the early 2000s, but I still occasionally watch the stuff everyone seems to be talking about.
As an author in progress, I’m naturally interested in how other storytellers design their characters, develop their plots, and craft their dialogue. So I try to make it a habit to watch at least one or two films a week—even when the major sports leagues are in full swing, work is demanding, and social media is having its latest heyday.
A few days ago, Adolescence was back in the headlines after winning several awards. I can certainly understand the recognition for the young actor who played the boy—he was excellent, especially in the episode where he’s interviewed by the female detective.
But the overall praise the show receives feels somewhat manufactured.
Adolescence tackles one of the main socio-political narratives that the establishment seems eager to promote: “Men are bad—therefore, we need more state control to correct them.”
The show is set in England, where women are statistically far more likely to be threatened by the consequences of mass migration. To avoid that uncomfortable topic, the creators chose to make the killer a white boy—effectively inverting real-world crime statistics.
Instead of sparking a conversation about migration, the series redirects the discussion toward misogyny. As a result, Adolescence becomes a subtle yet insidious piece of propaganda that’s now reportedly used in classrooms to “educate” boys—what a joke.
The show itself doesn’t dig very deep. It never ventures beyond what’s politically acceptable and feels like a typical product of a system that takes no creative risks and refuses to explore the root causes of the issues it raises out of fear of getting cancelled.
Awards are handed out. Critics adore it. In today’s climate, that’s often a clear sign of something not worth your time.
Still, the series holds a respectable 8.1 rating on IMDb, suggesting that audiences enjoyed it.
I couldn’t—despite great acting Adolescence is simply too ideologically driven for my taste.