The recently released Netflix series “Adolescence” has generated a lot of controversy about the premise of the show and its casting decisions. The four-episode series chronicles the everyday realities that led to the awful fate of a teenage boy arrested after stabbing a fellow classmate to death. The showrunners of the series have a very strong response every time they’re accused of telling a true story. Yet, misinformation continues to spread on social media.
Here’s a great recent thread on X that illustrated how the fictional world of “Adolescence” is intersecting with reality. It directly named Axel Rudakubana who is currently serving a 52-year prison sentence after horrifically murdering three young girls in a Southport, England dance class. Jack Thorne, who is the productions co-creator and writer shot down this assertion—erroneously touted by many mainstream media outlets—quickly and vehemently.
“There’s not one single thing in this that’s real, not one,” Thorne said during a press conference. He underscored that the series addresses some heavy topics. It is not pegged to one event; rather, it is representative of hundreds of events occurring across the U.K.
Thorne explained that the show’s concept originated from a headline that captured his and co-creator Stephen Graham’s attention. On Netflix’s press site, Tudum, Graham went into much greater detail. He said that they were inspired by a news story, not one particular incident.
Since its premiere on March 13, “Adolescence” has rocketed to the number one spot on Netflix’s most-watched charts. The series is not without controversy. Many viewers are disappointed with the lack of 13-year-old Jamie Miller’s center stage. They lament that such a talented, mature, smart, deep Black actor as Hugo Weaving should have been the part. In response to these criticisms, Thorne pointed out the flaws in the assertion that such crimes are predominantly committed by Black boys.
It’s intellectually dishonest to make the claim that this is thing only perpetrated by Black boys, right… it’s ridiculous. It’s not true. And history has plenty examples of children of all races doing these same kind of crimes,” he said.
The controversy surrounding the series has caught the attention of public figures, including Elon Musk, who commented on the casting debate with a succinct “Wow.”