An Honest Review of the Netflix Drama ‘Adolescence’ by a Qualified Teacher

A Labour MP brought up the Netflix series “Adolescence” and asked Keir Starmer if he will support the creators calls to show it in schools to counter “toxic misogyny early”

Starmer replied: “Yes, and at home we are watching Adolescence with our children… it’s very good”

Adolescence on Netflix: A Critical Look at Its Suitability as a Teaching Resource

Netflix’s Adolescence, a four-part series released in March 2025, dives into the harrowing story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, accused of murdering a classmate. While its gritty realism and one-shot filming style have garnered praise, its use as a teaching resource—particularly for 13-year-olds—raises serious questions. As a TV-MA-rated series laden with violence, strong language, and psychological distress, it presents ethical, logistical, and educational challenges that may outweigh its potential benefits. Below, I explore why Adolescence falls short as a classroom tool, weaving in UK statistics on knife crime and social media to highlight its misrepresentation of these pressing issues.

But is it? And is it a good teaching resource?

So, as I wanted to form my own opinion, I watched all 4 episodes of Adolescence, statistically it is unrealistic. So that can set a tone for bias and misrepresentation of the issues around knife crime, families and the “manosphere” – It’s use as a teaching resource for 13-year-olds—or any classroom setting—comes with significant challenges – ethical and legal concerns arise with showing TV-MA content in a classroom. Schools often require parental consent for material exceeding a PG-13 rating, and even then, some parents may object to exposing their children to a story centred on a peer committing murder.

Statistical Disconnect: An Unrealistic Portrayal?

Adolescence paints a bleak picture of teenage life, but its narrative doesn’t align with statistical realities in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the year ending March 2023, there were 18,500 cautions or convictions for knife-related offenses in England and Wales. Of these, 17.3% involved offenders aged 10–17—roughly 3,200 cases. While this figure underscores a real issue, it’s a small fraction of the UK’s 7.5 million secondary school-aged children, suggesting knife crime isn’t as pervasive among teens as the series might imply. The Youth Endowment Fund’s 2023 survey of 7,500 teenagers found only 4% admitted to carrying a weapon, further challenging the show’s tone of rampant violence. This disconnect sets a stage for bias, amplifying fear rather than fostering nuanced discussion.

Ethical and Legal Barriers in the Classroom, Swearing – Overusing the “F U C K” word!

Using Adolescence in a classroom sparks immediate ethical and legal concerns. Its TV-MA rating—due to scenes like in the first episode, where it is full of police swearing at children using the “F U C K” word repeatedly and hurling expletives at children. Parental consent in most UK schools for anything beyond PG-13, the series is intended for mature audiences due to strong language, violence, and psychological distress. Even with consent, some parents may balk at exposing their 13-year-olds to a peer committing murder, especially given the ONS reporting a 9% drop in hospital admissions for knife assaults in 2022/23 compared to the prior year. The series’ intensity could distress students, particularly those affected by violence, while schools risk pushback over its appropriateness. As a teacher of 16–19-year-olds, I’d hesitate to navigate this minefield for younger students.

Misrepresentation of Teens, Teachers, and Police

The series’ portrayal of its characters amplifies its unsuitability. Episode 1 depicts teenagers as feral, uncontrollable “animals” and teachers as bumbling, unempathetic caricatures—culminating in a bias so skewed I found myself sympathizing with Jamie, the boy accused of murder due to the bad acting and portrayal of other characters, despite his alleged crime. This isn’t reflective of reality. A 2024 BBC survey of 2,000 teens aged 13–18 found 46% worried about knife crime locally, but only 31% at school, suggesting it’s not the chaotic norm Adolescence suggests. Teachers and police, meanwhile, are rendered as incompetent fools. I’m not sure this is a message we want to be teaching our children?

Social Media, Toxic masculinity and the “Manosphere”: Surface-Level Treatment

Adolescence nods to social media and the “manosphere” (e.g., Andrew Tate’s influence), but its exploration is shallow – again renders teachers, and police as unaware, incompetent fools. Episode 2 ties social media to school chaos and bullying—Katie mocks Jamie online, triggering his rage—but doesn’t unpack why these platforms drive behaviour. It doesn’t tackle why they are blaming it for the boy’s actions, other than some lose connection to him not liking sports and disappointing his dad in Episode 3 (which is far better acting) – with the boy and his legally appointed therapist. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (2022) found 11% of UK teens exhibited “problematic” social media use, up from 7% in 2018, with girls (13%) outpacing boys (9%). Yet, the series skips over how 60% of teens report seeing real-life violence on platforms like TikTok (Youth Endowment Fund, 2023), or why 42% link social media to youth violence. Instead, it leans on loose threads—like Jamie’s sports aversion in Episode 3—leaving teachers to fill gaping holes with extensive scaffolding, which could strain time and resources.

Emotional Overload Without Depth

Episode 2’s focus on chaotic school dynamics and social media pressures, while relevant, includes raw language and attitudes which might normalise problematic behaviours if not carefully contextualised. The series’ psychological weight, especially in Episode 3’s detention facility interview, risks overwhelming 13-year-olds. Jamie’s anger and isolation hint at undiagnosed issues, but there’s no depth—nothing on interventions that could’ve helped. The WHO’s 2024 report notes 1 in 7 teens globally faces mental health challenges, with half starting by age 14. In the UK, 6% of children have conduct disorders (Department of Health, 2017), yet Adolescence offers no insight into prevention, leaving students confused or distressed without significant teacher input—input many lack time to provide.

Ambiguity Over Clarity: A Teaching Dead-End

By Episode 4, with Jamie’s guilty plea and his family’s unresolved grief, Adolescence opts for ambiguity over resolution, offering no clear moral or solution. This mirrors life’s messiness but frustrates its educational utility. Teens need actionable takeaways, not open-ended gloom. A 2023 BBC survey showed 75% of UK teens feel positive about their future—up 9% from 2022—yet Adolescence offers no hope or solutions, demanding teachers bridge the gap. Structured alternatives, like documentaries or novels, could tackle empathy and media literacy more effectively without the emotional baggage.

Practical Hurdles: Access and Time

Logistically, Adolescence is a non-starter. Its 4-hour runtime assumes all students have Netflix access—unrealistic when 1 in 5 UK households lack reliable internet (ONS, 2023). In-class viewing eats into precious instructional time and requires administrative approval for mature content, bogging down planning with red tape. Short films or guided discussions on knife crime (e.g., Idris Elba’s or The Ben Kinsella Trust campaigns) could achieve similar goals with less hassle.

Conclusion: A Resource Out of Step

Adolescence’s intense content, mature rating, and shallow dive into social media, knife crime, and the “manosphere” make it a poor fit for 13-year-olds. Its risks—ethical grey areas, emotional strain, and misrepresentation—far outweigh its value in a general classroom. As a teacher, I’d skip it even for 16–19-year-olds; it’s years behind the social media curve and too long-winded to hold teen attention. For meaningful discussions on these issues, stick to resources that inform without overwhelming—or misrepresenting—the reality UK teens face.

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