Adolescence

Adolescence is not a mystery in the traditional sense. The Netflix limited series begins in the aftermath of a teenage girl’s gruesome murder, but it does not dwell on the question of who killed her or how the crime was carried out. Instead, the four-part British drama opens with the arrest of a classmate suspected in the girl’s killing, revealing by the end of its first episode that 13-year-old Jamie Miller did indeed fatally stab her. Adolescence then deftly documents Jamie’s transformation from an innocent young boy into a killer—and sheds light on the perverse, widespread radicalization of teenage boys on the internet’s so-called “manosphere.” Across its four episodes, each of which is shot in a single fluid take, the show offers more than a vivid portrait of a young murderer. Adolescence chronicles the ripple effects of Jamie’s grievous crime, following his parents, classmates, and teachers as they grapple with (or brush aside) the weight of his violence. For its nuanced character studies, and its striking portrayal of the real-life peril caused by toxic digital spaces that weaponize young boys’ insecurities, Adolescence wins a Peabody Award.