Netflix’s 'Adolescence' series is BIG warning for parents, says actor Stephen Graham; and a mother's viral post on TikTok

Around the globe, people are buzzing about the Netflix series Adolescence, with many calling it a must-see series. Netflix’s four-part drama has earned accolades in some circles since its premiere recently. The intense story follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), a schoolboy accused of murdering a classmate, as he grapples with the fallout. Stephen Graham, the 51-year-old star and co-writer of Adolescence, has sounded the alarm for parents about the perils of the internet. In the series, Graham portrays Eddie, the father of Jamie, whose family is thrust into chaos after the brutal killing of a young girl. Filmed in a single-take format, each episode unfolds in real time, tracking the characters’ efforts to unravel the truth. Drawing from real-life reports of violence against young girls, the show tackles pressing themes like Incel culture, misogyny, and the online “manosphere.”

Featuring Graham in a leading role, Adolescence digs into the complexities of masculinity and gender in today’s world. Speaking to Netflix, as per a report in Getsurrey.co.uk, Graham said, “We wanted to explore what’s happening with young men today—what pressures they’re under from peers, the internet, and social media. These challenges are just as real for kids here as they are anywhere else. We could’ve told a story about gangs or a broken home, but instead, we crafted something that makes you think, ‘This could be my family.’ It’s an ordinary family’s worst nightmare.”
Graham reportedly emphasized that the series weaves together intricate issues, urging parents to stay aware of the unseen forces shaping their kids. “It’s not just us parenting or schools educating,” he said. “There are influences we don’t even see that are deeply affecting youth culture—some positive, some dangerously negative. We’re all accountable here.” In an interaction with The Independent, Graham said that the show poses a tough question: “Who’s to blame?” The answer, he suggested, isn’t simple. “Maybe it’s all of us — family, schools, society, community, the environment.”

And Graham is not the only one with a 'warning message'. A mother's post on the Netflix series too has gone viral. Known as Mary J on TikTok, the mother has voiced her concern that some viewers are "missing the point" of the Netflix series.
She expressed in a recent video that the true message of the show is being overlooked by some. Mary warned: "Adolescence on Netflix. If Jamie did it or not is not the point of the story. Episode three is terrifying on so many levels, especially for parents."