Netflix hit Adolescence puts spotlight on incel culture and toxic masculinity

Limited series has received wide acclaim for its subject matter and technical feats

Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in Adolescence. Photo: Netflix

Netflix's latest limited series, Adolescence, is earning rave reviews for its technical achievement – each of the four episodes is shot in one take – and for tackling issues about toxic masculinity. The British show, which has received a 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, centres on a 13-year-old boy who has been accused of murdering a female classmate.

The Guardian said the "deeply harrowing" show was "the closest thing to TV perfection", while Forbes called it a "technical masterpiece".

Adolescence is co-created by acclaimed actor Stephen Graham, who plays the father of the accused Jamie, played by first-time actor Owen Cooper. It also features Christine Tremarco as Jamie's mother, Amelie Pease as his sister, and Ashley Walters and Faye Marsay as inspectors investigating the case. British actress Erin Doherty has also received wide acclaim for her role as a child psychologist tasked with writing an independent assessment of Jamie's character.

Besides the gripping performances, however, it's the show's take on incel subculture and the manosphere that's dominating online discussions.

What is incel subculture?

An online subculture, incels are a community of men, mostly heterosexual, who define themselves as unattractive and therefore unable to find a romantic or sexual partner, and who blame women and girls as a result.

The Anti-Defamation League in the US describes incels as "heterosexual men who blame women and society for their lack of romantic success".

A portmanteau of “involuntary celibate", the term rose to prominence following a misogynistic hate crime in the US in 2014 when a 22-year-old killed six people and injured 14 others. Before committing his crimes, the mass murderer – who later died by suicide – uploaded a video on YouTube announcing his intention to "punish" women for their lack of interest in him. The incident inspired another mass murder in 2018 in Toronto, in which 11 people were killed and 15 injured. The perpetrator, who was later arrested, described himself as an incel to the police.

In 2017, Reddit said it banned a 41,000-strong incel group for violating its rules regarding violent content.

"A reminder that no female has ever looked at you and thought you were attractive," read one thread on the banned forum.

"Women are horrible human beings in every aspect of life," wrote another.

What is the manosphere and why is Andrew Tate referred to in the show?

Through its storytelling, Adolescence also offers a searing look at the manosphere, the collection of online forums, websites and influencers that promote misogyny and masculinity, to which incels belong.

Andrew Tate, 38, a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed more than 10 million followers on X, is a celebrated personality in the manosphere.

Tate was banned from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in 2022 for his misogynist views. He was also earlier banned from Twitter for a number of comments about women, including suggesting they “bear some responsibility” for being assaulted – but his account has since been reinstated under new owner Elon Musk.

Last month, Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, arrived in the US after authorities lifted their travel restrictions.

The Tates, who are dual US-British citizens, were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges that they participated in a criminal ring that lured women to Romania, where they were sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. They have denied the allegations.

Inspiration behind Adolescence

Graham, 51, known for his roles in shows such as Boardwalk Empire and Peaky Blinders as well as the Venom films, said Adolescence was inspired by a series of real-life stories.

"There was an incident where a young boy stabbed a girl. It shocked me. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening in society where a boy stabs a girl to death? What’s the inciting incident here?’," he said. "And then it happened again, and it happened again, and it happened again. I really just wanted to shine a light on it, and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How have we come to this?’

“One of our aims was to ask, ‘What is happening to our young men these days, and what are the pressures they face from their peers, from the internet and from social media?’" Graham added. “And the pressures that come from all of those things are as difficult for kids [in the UK] as they are the world over.”