The final moments of ‘Adolescence‘ deliver a gut-wrenching commentary on the failings of modern society. The last scene sees a devastated Eddie Miller, played by series co-creator Stephen Graham, tenderly kissing his son Jamie’s teddy bear, whispering an apology as though speaking to his imprisoned boy. It’s a moment of raw grief that encapsulates the entire series of how a family is torn apart by the systemic issues that led a 13-year-old boy to commit a horrific crime.
Jamie, played by the talented Owen Cooper, who was accused of murdering his classmate Katie, played by Emilia Holliday, delivers a bombshell revelation minutes before: He will plead guilty, accepting his fate. The revelation crushes his father, who still grapples with the reality of what his son has done. But this isn’t just a family tragedy, it’s a larger reflection of a society that breeds isolation, toxic masculinity, and radicalization in young minds.
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Director Philip Barantini reveals that the heartbreaking teddy bear moment was not initially in the script. Originally, Eddie was only meant to lie in Jamie’s bed, covering himself as if embodying his son. But the addition of the teddy bear brought a deeper emotional weight. “This is the only thing that Eddie’s got that he can touch that’s malleable, that Jamie’s cuddled, and Jamie’s been with,” Barantini tells Tudum. “And then Stephen made it his own.“
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This moment underscores the entire purpose of ‘Adolescence‘ to explore what leads boys like Jamie to commit unthinkable acts. The show’s 4th episode, described by Barantini as its emotional core, follows the Millers as they attempt to celebrate Eddie’s 50th birthday, a day that spirals into chaos due to external forces. Their vandalized car, a confrontation with an incel, and finally, Jamie’s guilty plea, serve as reminders of how deeply broken their world has become.
“To be with the family again is the emotional draw of the series,” Barantini explains. “Each individual member of the Millers is trying to hold the other one up. And in turn, they’re actually breaking each other down. It’s really heart-wrenching to watch this family falling apart.”
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From the outset, ‘Adolescence‘ never leaves room for doubt about Jamie killing Katie. However, the show deliberately manipulates audience perception, making it hard to believe that such a young, vulnerable-looking boy could commit such a crime. “We wanted the audience to be on Jamie’s side and think, ‘Oh my God, this arrest is terrible. There’s no way he’s done this,'” Graham tells to Tudum.
But the truth is revealed in a brutal scene: CCTV footage shows Jamie stabbing Katie 7 times in a parking lot. It is a horrifying confirmation of what the show has been leading up to: not a “whodunit” but a “whydoneit“.
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Writer Jack Thorne explains that the series was never about the mystery of Katie’s murder but rather about the societal conditions that enabled it. “Telling a drama that’s a why-done-it, rather than a whodunit, hopefully engages people in different questions,” Thorne says. “Questions like, ‘What’s going on within our teenage boys?’ Phil, Stephen, and I are looking at masculinity thinking about ourselves as men, the kinds of fathers, partners, and friends we are, and questioning with some intensity who we are as people.”
‘Adolescence‘ draws inspiration from real-life cases, including ‘Cries Unheard: Why Children Kill‘, a book exploring the life of Mary Bell, an 11-year-old British girl convicted of two child murders in 1968. Like Bell, Jamie’s descent into violence wasn’t a singular event but a culmination of experiences, traumas, and societal failures.
‘Adolescence’ Is A Wake-Up Call On The Rise Of The ‘Incel’ Culture
Jamie’s motive for killing Katie stems from a disturbing mix of factors: low self-esteem, bullying, and exposure to incel ideology. He had asked Katie out after a topless photo of her was leaked among classmates as an act of revenge porn. When she rejected him and later mocked him with emojis, his fragile sense of self-worth crumbled. But it was her public accusation of him being an incel that pushed him over the edge. He responded with deadly violence.
The show’s creators emphasize that ‘Adolescence‘ was inspired by the rise of knife crime in the U.K. and the toxic masculinity perpetuated in online spaces. Graham, who was unfamiliar with the incel subculture, was shocked when Thorne introduced him to it. “I didn’t know what it was until Jack told me all about it, and I was just blown away,” he admitted.
Thorne wanted to push the conversation beyond blaming parents. Rather, ‘Adolescence’ explores how cultural apathy, emotional deprivation, and digital radicalization lead to young males becoming violent offenders. “Heterosexual men who blame women and society for their lack of romantic success” is how the Anti-Defamation League describes incels. Jamie’s experience, unfortunately, demonstrates how this poisonous perspective, which grows in online echo chambers, may turn into actual violence.
A Family And A Society Left In Ruins
The final episode does not show Jamie’s trial or sentencing. However, his guilty plea implies that he will spend most, if not all, of his life behind bars. “You’re understanding the final part of Jamie,” Thorne says. “You’re getting a new perspective on Eddie the complicated vision of Eddie. You need to understand how he allowed his son to become absent, what Eddie taught his son, and what he didn’t teach his son. You need to understand that for the whole family.”
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Meanwhile, the Miller family faces an uncertain future. Eddie and Manda struggle with guilt and self-recrimination, questioning what they missed. Lisa, Jamie’s sister, believes leaving town would only make matters worse. And Eddie, still haunted by the CCTV footage of his son’s crime, is consumed by regret. The closing scene, Eddie burying his face in Jamie’s pillow and apologizing to his son’s teddy bear, serves as a haunting metaphor for the entire series. It’s not just about a father’s sorrow; it’s about a society that failed to recognize the warning signs before it was too late.
“We wanted the journey to finish where it began,” Graham explains. And in that final moment, the audience is left wondering: How many more Jamies are out there, slipping through the cracks?
‘Adolescence‘ is currently streaming on Netflix.
