The Problems of Adolescence

Case Study #2

What can we learn from the approaches to storytelling in Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham’s hit Netflix drama?

For a while there, a dowdy depressing, frightening, four-part drama about a teenage boy who stabs a female schoolmate to death was the number one show on Netflix globally. If Netflix (like other streamers) have been throwing money at the wall in a panicky strategy to see what mega hits can get them out of their imbalanced business model nosedive (so rumours have it), then they must be scratching their heads at this one.

And I’m sure those commissioning execs have been waiting for my take, but I’m afraid I’m not here to add clarity to the situation. Adolescence has been a phenomenon, no doubt about it. But is it any good?