Episode #1.2

Simply devastating-the cold, unflinching way "Adolescence" looks at the weight of youth violence, at society's countless failures to understand its own young people, and at the silent horror that hides in the banalities of everyday life. If the first episode was a claustrophobic spiral into the institutional hell of a police station, this one shifts to another equally suffocating space: school. The entire episode unfolds within classrooms, hallways, stairwells, and courtyards, with the camera dragging itself along without cuts, turning the act of watching into something immersive and relentless. If there's a central thesis here, it's that hell doesn't need fire-all it takes is a set of rules, blue-painted walls, and a bunch of teenagers trapped in their own chaos, and boom: you've got hell.

The biggest triumph of the episode is its young cast, and what a cast!! Owen Cooper was already incredible as Jamie in the first episode, but here, the focus shifts to the other students, delivering a succession of natural (and utterly gut-wrenching) performances. Fatima Bojang, as Jade, completely steals the show with a performance dripping with pure rage, a grief that doesn't know how to be sad because it can only be furious. She's not written to be likable or immediately understood-on the contrary, everything about her radiates discomfort and the reckless impulsiveness of bottomless pain. Her emotional collapse builds up to two brutal moments: first, when she violently attacks Ryan without hesitation; and then, when she wanders into the street, on the verge of throwing her life away because, deep down, she already feels like she has nothing left. It's raw, it's unforgiving, and Bojang plays it with a truthfulness that only makes it harder to watch.

And speaking of Ryan, Kaine Davis delivers something just as impressive, but in a completely different way. If Jade is all fire and rage, Ryan is the kind of kid who hides behind sarcasm-the type who always smirks and cracks jokes because that's safe, that's comfortable. But his mask slips the second he realizes that what he thought was just a joke-giving Jamie a knife to "scare" Katie-turned into something unimaginable. When everything falls apart, he bolts. Literally jumps out of a window and runs from the cops. You can tell he's not a monster, but he's not innocent either, and the show is smart enough not to reduce anyone to easy archetypes.

And then there's one of the most disturbing aspects of the episode: the way it seamlessly weaves in the influence of digital culture and online misogyny on young minds. Adam's revelation that Jamie might have been motivated by being called an "incel" by Katie completely reframes the entire case. It wasn't romantic obsession. It wasn't personal revenge. It was a reaction to an attack on his ego, a moment of social humiliation. That tiny detail changes everything-this wasn't just a teenage murder, it was a symptom of something much bigger. A culture of male resentment, fed by forums and social media, teaching boys to see the world through a paranoid lens of hatred toward women. Bascombe's skeptical reaction to the idea that a simple emoji could've been the trigger for a murder mirrors how a lot of people react to this phenomenon. But the script deserves credit for not treating it like some absurd conspiracy-it's real, and "Adolescence" tackles it with chilling clarity.

All of this works so well because the episode's structure reinforces that overwhelming sense of entrapment. The one-take approach proves itself again-not as some flashy technical gimmick, but as a way to make us feel the weight of time and space. Like the police station in the first episode, the school isn't just a setting-it's a mechanism of control. The endless hallways, the exhausted teachers, the students lost in their own emotional bubbles-it all reinforces the idea that adolescence is a phase where you have almost no control over anything, where every action is dictated by a larger system, be it institutional or social. Frank's comment that "all a teenager needs is something that makes them feel good about themselves" carries a bitter weight. Because in the world of "Adolescence", that "something" could be anything: a friend group, a hobby, a teacher who actually gives a damn. Or it could be rage. It could be the toxic ideology of an influencer who tells you the world is against you. That the earth is flat. It could be a knife.

At the end of the episode, the camera lingers on one final image: Eddie standing in front of the makeshift memorial for Katie, staring at the spot where she was murdered, his face aged with years of exhaustion, even though it's only been two days. Stephen Graham's performance continues to be one of the show's emotional anchors, and this final moment is devastating. He doesn't need to say anything-his expression alone carries the full weight of everything that's been lost. And that's the real gut punch of "Adolescence": beyond the tragedy of the crime, there's an even deeper sadness-a world where adults don't know how to save their children from themselves.

This show has absolutely no fear of tackling dark, heavy, uncomfortable truths, and saying, loud and clear, that this is how the world works. And the scariest part? Nothing here is exaggerated. Nothing is implausible. This is exactly what we're living through. Raw. Unfiltered. And without a single cut.

As a student who left high school only two years ago, I have never seen such an accurate depiction of high school life. The way some teachers are treated by some students and the way other teachers act towards their class. Andrew Tate took over Tiktok during my high school years and I can remember certain students adopting his ideology. The way this show is able to understand how life as a student is, is a testament to the writing team. Many parents dont fully understand what their children see on social media and the way they message one another. It leaves an important conversation to be had between parents and their children. The one-shot camera style is once again used in this episode. While it is not effective as the first episode, as the episode is not as intense and surreal, it still does not feel gimmicky. The way the final moments of the episode is shot is breathtaking and very impressive. A strong start to this mini-series.

Not as great as the first episode, but the acting is still extremely good. The plot doesn't seem quite as natural as in episode 1, a bit more like a theatrical one, but it's still really interesting, what's being said here and how the transitions are handled. I particularly liked how the youth spirit is captured. From the obsessive relationship with smartphones, the internet, and sexuality to group dynamics, bullying, and rash behavior. If the series continues like this, it could become one of my favorites. Because it deals so well with social issues, young people, the legal system, and the characters. But also because it's so nice and short.

Damn this episode was not a bad way to follow up from the intense pilot thar manages to hook you right into this story!

This episode shows us how much about the world at svhool, and whst goes on in teenagers head, that we as adults don't understand! In some ways it is frightning and you can feel almost powerless in teying to understand this world, and the power social media truely has!

The case is still gripping and centerring it around those who knew Jamie and Katie close, was a great idea!

The episode is shot spectaculaly and that last shot when they drive away in the car... truely and insanely mind buggling!!

Jade you are a queen and you deserve to be protected. Fatima Bojang gives a stunning and magnificent performance managing to convey off screen all the anger, rage, frustration and sadness of her character.

It's amazing how grounded and realistic this series feels. They managed to capture a real school environment around that tragedy so well that I even felt like I was there and wanted to leave as soon as possible. They didn't romanticize any moment that place and I think it's a good thing that's the way it is.

With this episode it was reconfirmed that the series will not be subtle and will not be afraid to touch on sensitive and harmful issues in our society in a clear and direct way.