Netflix's Adolescence:
A Masterclass In Storytelling.
Have you watched Netflix's Adolescence?
When it comes to writing, there are some books and shows that you can learn so much from. Netflix’s Adolescence is one of them. On the surface, it’s about teenagers navigating life and the brutal crime that follows, but beneath that, it’s layered with raw emotion, subtle tension, and a deep insights into human behaviour.
51 year old Stephen Graham is the co-writer of the acclaimed series, which became the most watched Netflix show during its premiere week. It also made history by becoming the first streaming series to top weekly television ratings too. Graham plays the part of Eddie, father to 13 year old schoolboy, Jamie Miller, who is accused of the brutal murder of 15 year old schoolgirl Katie Leonard.
When writing, it’s important not to portray antagonists as moustache twirling baddies. Being in the police taught me that nothing in life is black and white. In my opinion, the human portrayal of Jamie and his family was what made the series such a success.
Nurture v Nature
“We wanted him to come from an ordinary family,” Graham said. “ We wanted to be mindful from the very beginning that there was no way you could point the finger. Dad wasn’t particularly violent in the house and didn’t raise his hand to mum or the boy or his daughter. Mum wasn’t an alcoholic. Jamie wasn’t abused sexually or mentally or physically.”
When I wrote my serial killer series starring DI Amy Winter, I played with nurture v nature. My detective came from a good background. Her own father was a superintendent in the police. But her biological parents were serial killers. This gave me lots to play with. My readers enjoyed it too. Truth and Lies went on to become a NYT bestselling book.
Keeping Our Children Safe
What struck me most about Adolescence was how authentic the custody scenes were. I have dealt with many stunned parents in custody, and teenagers arrested for the first time. Of course, there were the scallies too. I remember one ten year old lad who had a turbulent home life. He was so small, he needed to stand on a block as the custody sergeant couldn’t see him over the top of the platformed custody desk. He’d been arrested because his father shoved him in through a window to gain access to burgle a house. What chance did he stand in life? I saw both sides of the coin.
As parents most of us lock our doors at night to keep our family safe. But what if the real dangers lurk inside? Do any of us really know what our kids get up to online? Everyone is talking about the Netflix hit because it’s so damn relatable. When it comes to lessons in writing, there are no caricatures in Adolescence—just people trying their best (and sometimes failing) in an unforgiving world.
The pacing is perfect. Each episode doles out just enough backstory, just enough suspense, to keep you emotionally invested without ever feeling manipulated. It trusts the audience to pick up on subtext and lets silence speak when words aren’t needed—a skill every writer should study.
Painful Silence
From a storytelling perspective, it’s a goldmine. The series balances emotional stakes with external conflict, blending personal trauma and social commentary in a way that never feels forced. It shows rather than tells. It makes you care. I recognised a lot in the way the characters respond to trauma. The guardedness. The lashing out. The pain you can feel in silence. It’s heartbreakingly accurate.
Whether you’re a writer or just someone who appreciates good storytelling, Adolescence is what great writing is all about.
What did you think of Adolescence?
Did it hit you as hard as it hit me? I’d love to know your thoughts on the show—or on storytelling in general. Drop a comment below and let’s chat. Writers love a good discussion, after all.
6 thoughts on “Why Netflix’s Adolescence Is a Masterclass in Storytelling”
It broke my heart. But built my back up to. The incel era isn’t ending anytime soon. Leading these kids even further astray. I love Stephen Graham anyways. He definitely hit a spot here with a lot of people. What annoys me is people saying oh but the ending? What? The family was allowed to be happy? To stay together? No rampage? Yeah coz it’s true to life! Not everything or everyone crumbles & hates everything. Yes some will separate & it’ll be horrendous. This was family strength.
Thanks for reading, Theresa. Yes, it stirred up a lot of emotions, which was really good for the series. It got people talking, which can only be a good thing.
It was brilliant writing in terms of the emotional aspect. And the acting from the young boy was amazing, but I don’t agree with the psychology. He had to have no self confidence in the first place to be driven to kill Katie because she rejected him. That fear of abandonement had to come from somewhere. Same with the anger. Behaviour like that cannot be solely pinned on online hate groups. He had no empathy. That’s a psycopath. Confident boys and men will not be influenced by incel groups. So in that respect it was not realistic. It concentrated on his father too much. His mother and sister are equally important figures in his life. Nope…the psychology of it was in my opinion all wrong. I don’t believe in the nature part. It’s all nurture.
That’s the great thing about this show, it’s sparked so many differing opinions. It’s all subjective in the end.
I will have to agree with Anne Marie. There was so much anger at times, and it never really explained the extent of the bullying. This set of circumstances, whether it’s a fictional story or true, is hard to watch. So many lives changed and were affected. It was well written, and I have to say, as a screenwriter, I loved that it was continuously shot. That type of shooting seems to help the audience feel as if they truly are there with the characters. I believe this is what really helped in the popularity of it, whether most people realized it or not. 1917 was shot like that, and you feel like you are there and experiencing everything. This was a hard story but well executed. There’s lots to learn from the writing, especially the dialogue. That was on par. Just another opinion. 🙂
Yes, I think another episode getting to the heart of the bullying was needed, even though it would have been uncomfortable to watch. I agree about the continuous shot, it really did make you feel like you were part of it. The custody scenes brought back so many memories of my time in the police. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts, especially from the viewpoint of a screenwriter. I appreciate it.