Netflix’s Adolescence is a four-part drama that explores the aftermath of a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller, being arrested for the murder of his classmate, Katie Leonard. Through its unique single-take episodes, the series immerses viewers in the real-time emotional landscapes of its characters, highlighting themes such as online radicalisation, toxic masculinity.

Lying beneath the clear message of the series and the debates sparked on social media, is a systemic issue- adultification of young black girls.  

Let’s unpack this.

In Episode 2, Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe (played by Ashley Walters) is doing interviews at Jamie’s school to gather information about the events leading up to Katie’s murder. 

When speaking with Jamie’s friend, Ryan (Kaine Davis), who is white, Bascombe adopts a soft demeanor. He sits beside Ryan, maintains a gentle tone, and reassures him, saying, “You’re not in trouble, mate. Just help us understand what happened.” He talks to him gently, even chuckles a bit, like he’s trying to calm a frightened kid. 

Despite speaking to a boy who he suspects is an accessory to murder, Bascombe acknowledges Ryan’s youth and emotional state, and even tries to relate to him, such as telling him what he was like as a kid, to make Ryan feel comfortable enough to open up. It’s clear that, in the officer’s eyes, this boy is still a child no matter the situation.

However, when Jade (Fatima Bojang), a young black girl who just lost her best friend, was interviewed by Bascombe, that same empathy was gone. Basocombe doesn’t sit next to her or attempt to calm her, but interrogates her. He questions her with a level of skepticism, pressing for details about Katie’s relationships and behaviors.

Despite Jade’s evident distress, Bascombe offers little comfort, instead focusing on extracting information. Despite being a young girl who had nothing to do with the crime, she’s met with suspicion, treated like a witness who might be hiding something instead of a kid who just lost her friend. This interaction lacks the same comfort extended to Ryan, implicitly suggesting a perception of Jade as more culpable or resilient than her white counterpart.

This is what adultification bias looks like, and Adolescence nails it. This is a phenomenon where Black girls are perceived as more mature, less innocent, and more responsible for their actions than their white peers, leading to harsher treatment and less empathy. A 2017 Georgetown Law study confirmed this, showing that adults view Black girls as needing less nurturing, less protection, and less comfort. Black girls are seen as less innocent and more adult-like than their white peers starting as early as age 5.

In Adolescence, Jade’s treatment exemplifies this bias. Despite being a grieving child, she is met with suspicion rather than support, her emotions scrutinised rather than soothed. When Jade got upset and left the room, Bascombe even asked “Why is she so angry?” as if it was difficult to understand why a little girl would be upset that she lost her friend.  This portrayal aligns with the real-world experiences of many Black girls who find their pain minimised and their voices marginalised. 

While the series doesn’t specifically address this, It doesn’t need to. The contrast is enough. By juxtaposing the experiences of Ryan and Jade, Adolescence challenges viewers to confront their own perceptions and the systemic biases that pervade institutions. The series exposes the nuanced ways in which race and gender intersect to shape individuals’ experiences with authority figures.

This is a reminder of the work needed to ensure that all children are treated with the empathy and respect they deserve, regardless of race. We shouldn’t need Netflix to point it out. But now that it has, we better be paying attention.

While the series wasn’t specifically about this, it did a good job highlighting the issue. Adolescence dares to say something few dramas do: that race and gender shape everything about how you’re treated- especially when you’re a black girl navigating a system that was never built for you.