‘I co-wrote Netflix’s Adolescence – one schoolgirl’s reaction has stuck with me’
It's been six months since the Netflix drama became a global phenomenon.
To say that Adolescence has taken the world by storm is putting it too lightly.
It’s been six months since the four-part series was released on Netflix, following a 13-year-old boy called Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) who’s accused of murdering a girl from his school.
The drama is the streaming giant’s second-most-watched English-speaking show ever. But more importantly, it sparked vital conversations about the ‘manosphere’, misogyny and violence against women and girls and the widespread use of social media among younger generations.
The programme was co-written by screenwriter Jack Thorne and actor Stephen Graham, with the latter also playing Jamie’s dad, Eddie Miller. Stephen had the idea for the story after hearing about real incidents of knife crime committed by young boys against young girls.
Metro had the opportunity to catch up with Jack at this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival to find out how he feels about the global impact that Adolescence has had. Just a few weeks after our conversation, the series received six Primetime Emmy Awards, including a record-breaking win for 15-year-old breakout star Owen.
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‘It feels amazing,’ Jack said of the sensational response the series has garnered from viewers. ‘I’m so proud of the show, and I’m so proud people watch the show, and then I get anxiety about what I’m doing next. That’s the way my brain works.’
