Netflix's Adolescence: Stephen Graham says the show 'holds a mirror up to society': 'Kind of rise in these misogynistic...'

Netflix’s latest crime-drama series Adolescence is not garnering rave reviews but also initiating the discussion on the topics incel theme, social media and bullying among the audience.

Stephen Graham, the co-creator of the show, who also played a prominent role, said Adolescence ‘holds a mirror up to society’.

“I read an article about a young girl who was stabbed to death by a young boy, and then a few months later, on the news there was a young girl who, again, had been brutally stabbed to death by a young boy in a completely different part of the country. If I’m really honest with you, that hurt my heart and I just thought, why? Why does this kind of thing happen? What is this society? Why have we reached this point where this kind of thing is happening? What was the reason?” said Graham while talking to Sky News.

“You look at it and you see that we’re kind of all accountable to an extent. There’s failings within the school system, there’s situations where the education system can look at this, look at what’s happened with that kind of rise in these misogynistic tendencies. The society as a whole can look at this, parents obviously can look at this, and the government in many ways,” he added.

Ashley Walters, who plays a key role in Adolescence, said, “I’d seen bits of the Andrew Tate stuff kind of popping up online or whatever, but I never really delved into it. And for me, this was the first real experience.

He added: “I do sometimes feel sorry for [kids]. When I was growing up, I was in a bubble. I didn’t have a clue what was going on in the States and other parts of the world. It was just kind of in my little area that I grew up in with my family… I wasn’t seeing Bentleys and designer clothes and all of this stuff. It’s like I was happy with what I had. And now you’re exposed to everything. It’s no wonder that kids mentally grow up quicker.”

The Top Boy actor said that it is not easy for boys to express their feelings and emotions.

“It’s really important that we have these conversations and we make it normal to have discussions just like women and young girls do about feelings and whatever they’re going through. That was one of the big reasons why I wanted to be a part of this conversation that we’re creating, because I’m a strong advocate for, as a man, being vulnerable, crying in front of my friends, and just saying how I feel. It’s even difficult for me at times, so I can’t imagine how young men are at the moment… everything that’s going on around social media in their lives, how difficult it is for them to start this conversation,” he shared.

Jack Thorne, writer and co-creator of the show, said that government should guide parents and kids of how to use social media.

“I think this government needs to do something. And there’s a private members’ bill going through the Commons on Friday that has been watered down quite extensively by this government because they’re frightened of big tech. And we need to be having conversations like Australia’s having conversations, whether they’re actually putting in legislation about restricting social media access. We need to be having those conversations in this country and we’re not. And if we don’t have these conversations, it is going to get worse,” said Thorne.

“Doing this show I spent a lot of time in a lot of dark places. I saw where the web went and where the web goes. And it’s not about Andrew Tate. Andrew Tate is the shorthand for adults. There’s much worse stuff out there. And it teaches kids a logic… that makes sense of the world for them in a really distorted and ugly way. And unless we look at that and talk about that, things are only going to get worse,” he added.