(CREDIT)The main character of Adolescence, Jamie Miller, is a 13-year-old boy who is arrested for the murder of a classmate, Katie. As the show slowly reveals Jamie’s troubled mental state and background, it becomes evident that his descent into violence is closely linked to his exposure to the manosphere, a loose network of online communities where misogynistic and anti-feminist ideologies thrive.
The manosphere is a term used to describe a wide range of online spaces where self-identified "men’s rights activists" (MRAs), "incels" (involuntary celibates), and "pickup artists" (PUAs) congregate. These communities often promote toxic ideas about masculinity, relationships, and rigid gender roles. Through content creators and influencers, these spaces push the notion that men are entitled to dominance and control over women, reinforcing patriarchal structures in society.
In Adolescence, the show doesn’t shy away from highlighting the allure of these online communities for young, impressionable minds like Jamie’s. Exposed to the misogynistic teachings of figures like Andrew Tate and other “red pill” influencers, like the 80/20 rule, Jamie begins to internalize ideas about male superiority, the dehumanization of women, and a warped sense of entitlement over relationships and social power.
The red pill metaphor, popularized by the movie The Matrix, is at the core of many online communities within the manosphere. To "take the red pill" refers to a supposed awakening—a belief that one is seeing the truth about society, especially regarding gender dynamics. In the world of the red pill community, this “truth” is the belief that women are manipulative, deceitful, and seek to undermine men, often by leveraging their sexuality or societal structures designed to elevate them above men.
In Adolescence, we witness Jamie’s gradual descent into this ideological rabbit hole. As he becomes more entrenched in these beliefs, his interactions with women become increasingly hostile, and his worldview shifts to reflect the harmful stereotypes and resentment perpetuated by the manosphere. The series doesn’t simply depict Jamie’s exposure to red pill content—it explores how these beliefs become a framework through which he justifies his anger, frustration, and eventual violence.
By portraying this transformation, Adolescence highlights a troubling reality: for many young men, the red pill becomes a form of ideological escapism, offering them a distorted sense of power and purpose at a time when they are feeling lost, isolated, and confused.
One of the most disturbing elements of Adolescence is its exploration of toxic masculinity and the crisis of male identity. Jamie, like many young men in the red pill community, is caught between competing expectations of what it means to be a man. On one hand, he’s taught that he must be emotionally stoic, dominant, and self-reliant. On the other, he’s told that his worth is tied to his ability to control women, acquire material wealth, and uphold traditional gender roles.
This conflict forms the core of Jamie’s identity crisis and is a key driver of his descent into violence. The pressure to conform to these rigid and harmful standards of masculinity creates immense emotional turmoil, which Adolescence doesn’t shy away from portraying. Jamie’s inner turmoil becomes externalized as he struggles to make sense of his place in the world—ultimately culminating in a tragic act that reflects the darker side of these ideologies.
The show expertly critiques how toxic masculinity, bolstered by red pill rhetoric, teaches young men to suppress vulnerability, emotional expression, and empathy—all in favor of a hyper-competitive, oppressive view of masculinity that encourages dominance over women.
At its core, Adolescence is a devastating examination of how misogyny is perpetuated and internalized in young minds. The influence of the manosphere and red pill ideology fosters an environment where young men like Jamie view women not as equals, but as adversaries or tools for their own validation. This mindset inevitably leads to dehumanization, which, in Jamie’s case, sets the stage for an act of violence.
Through Jamie’s interactions with his family, friends, and even his therapist, the show underscores the normalization of misogynistic attitudes. It portrays how everyday sexism and harmful gender stereotypes subtly shape the way Jamie views women, ultimately creating a dangerous, toxic relationship with the opposite sex. The show doesn’t just examine Jamie’s individual actions but critiques the broader societal structures that allow misogyny to thrive, both in the real world and online.
Adolescence isn’t just a reflection on the dangers of the manosphere and red pill culture—it’s a call to action. The series urges viewers to recognize the far-reaching consequences of toxic masculinity and the role of digital platforms in shaping the minds of young men. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of providing healthier, more constructive role models for boys and offering them emotional support in navigating the complexities of gender and identity.
In a world where misogyny is often dismissed or minimized, Adolescence asks us to confront the dangerous ideologies that lurk online and to question the systems of patriarchy that continue to shape the experiences of young people. By examining the tragic consequences of Jamie’s exposure to these harmful ideas, the show forces us to ask: What are we doing to combat the cycle of hate, resentment, and violence that the manosphere perpetuates?
While each episode is crucial and provides the ways society as a whole has failed our boys, I feel Episode 3 is pivotal in understanding Jamie at his core. Throughout the episode, we get a foundation for Jaime's troubled mind and reflect broader themes of masculinity, societal neglect, and the complexities of male adolescent development.
Shot in a single continuous take, we see the unfiltered exchange between the two characters as Dr. Ariston completes her fifth and final assessment of Jamie. Jaime vacillates emotionally between moments of anger through his outbursts and vulnerability that exposes fragility underneath a hardened exterior. The image above perfectly encapsulates Jamie's fluctuations in his behavior and psychological state through the use of manipulative tactics and a detached emotional state. Mind you, he is only 13 and trying to exert dominance and power over Dr. Ariston when she tells him to do a simple task, sit down. He curses at her and knocks stuff off the table, showing how he doesn't like being told what to do by a woman or controlled. At one point, he refers to himself as one of the "good" guys because he asked Katie out after her nude were leaked to the school. Even at her lowest point, Katie rejects him and indicates that she isn't that desperate to go out with him. He calls Katie a bitch and even tries to get Dr. Ariston to validate his feelings and actions as justifiable because he didn't do anything wrong. Essentially, he blames Katie and does not take accountability for his actions. A particularly chilling moment arises when Jamie makes an inappropriate comment about Dr. Ariston's appearance, further emphasizing his objectification of women and the deep-seated misogyny he has internalized.
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Dr. Ariston delves into Jaime's familial dynamics, probing about his relationship with his dad and his dad's relationship with his dad, trying to get a sense of the toxic cycles passed down from generation to generation. Jaime elaborates on when he played football and his dad's response when he would mess up. Even though his dad didn't yell or get mad, he did look away, which Jamie translated as his dad being ashamed of him. If you recall from the first episode where Jamie and his dad are sitting in the interrogation room and are shown Jamie attacking Katie, his dad turns away from him as Jamie sits there and cries.
In Episode 4, you see Jamie's mom taking on the emotional burden of Jamie's dad, which is a responsibility that women in general are tasked with. Jamie's dad is constantly raging and gets physically violent throughout the episode, then swoops in his wife to calm him down. She doesn't even have the time, energy, or emotional bandwidth to deal with her emotions because he is catering to her man-child husband. You see Jamie's parents arguing and how his father talks down and disrespects his wife. It's very condescending and frustrating to watch because she isn't allowed to get a word in. At the end of the episode, you see Jamie's dad start to connect the dots and self-reflect on how he was part of the problem that led his son down this dark path of violence.
If you haven't watched Adolescence yet, I highly recommend you watch it and have some discourse around these topics with your family and friends. Make sure that your husbands, fathers, brothers, male cousins, or any male in your life also watch. We need to stop putting the burden of shouldering this monumental task on just the women and girls. We are just as guilty of failing our boys and men in our lives.
If men want to have authentic and healthy relationships with women, they need to that initiative by stepping up and doing the work to move past their ingrained negative views of women. Failure to learn and grow will result in being a casualty of the GLOBAL male loneliness epidemic. If you haven't read the blog post about the 4B Movement in South Korea, this is an excellent starting point on how women are taking control and not entertaining toxic and violent men.
We all as a society need to do better and be better.
Here are some questions that can help start the dialogue:1. What did you make of Jamie’s emotional state during the therapy session? (Was he being manipulative, sincere, or a mix of both?)
2. Do you think Briony Ariston was able to break through Jamie’s defenses? Why or why not?
3. Why do you think Jamie repeatedly asked, “Do you like me?”
4. What does this reveal about his need for approval or validation?
5. How does Jamie’s body language shift throughout the conversation with Briony? What does that say about his inner turmoil?
6. What role do you think online communities or digital culture played in shaping Jamie’s worldview? 7. Did the episode make you think differently about the responsibility society has in shaping adolescent behavior?
8. Do you think Jamie is a product of his environment or should he be held fully accountable for his actions?
9. How does the show challenge traditional notions of masculinity?
10. Should Briony have answered Jamie’s question about whether she liked him? Why or why not?
11. Do you think Briony remained objective or did her emotions influence her approach?
12. What do you think of the way therapy and mental health were portrayed in the episode? Was it realistic?
13. Do you think Jamie feels remorse for his actions, or is he more upset about the consequences?
14. What message do you think the creators were trying to convey about guilt, redemption, or punishment?
15. Would you say Jamie is redeemable? Why or why not?
What were your thoughts on the series? And, about us getting a second season?
Until next time...
