Jack Thorne, one of the creators of Netflix’s popular show Adolescence, has addressed claims that the series promotes anti-white ideas. In a recent interview on The News Agents podcast, he called the accusations "absurd."
The controversy started when right-wing commentator Ian Miles Cheong posted on X, alleging that the show featured a "race-swapped" killer, suggesting it painted a distorted picture of real-life crime. Cheong claimed the series was based on actual events involving a British knife attacker and criticized the decision to change the killer’s race in the show.
Adding fuel to the fire, Elon Musk reacted to Cheong’s post with a simple, astonished “Wow.” This caught more public attention and prompted further discussion.
In the podcast, Thorne was challenged about why the show featured a white boy as a criminal, especially when knife crimes are often associated with young Black offenders in Britain. He clarified that he and his collaborator Stephen Graham did not base the character on real-life stories at all. “There is no part of this that’s based on a true story, not one single part,” he asserted.
Thorne went on to highlight that the show’s focus isn’t on race but on masculinity. According to him, the aim is to explore issues many boys face today. "We’re saying this is about boys," he noted, dismissing the notion that the show perpetuates racial stereotypes.
Adolescence made headlines recently for becoming the first streaming series to top U.K. TV ratings, drawing in 6.45 million viewers in its debut week. This broke previous records for audiences for any streaming show in a single week in the U.K., surpassing Netflix’s Fool Me Once, which had 6.3 million viewers.
This mixed reception from the public illustrates larger discussions about representation and narrative in media. While some viewers celebrate the show’s storytelling, others are critical of how it handles real-life issues and identities, pointing to a broader trend in how entertainment reflects social concerns.
It’s clear that as media evolves, so do the conversations surrounding it. This highlight of Adolescence underlines a significant moment in TV history, showcasing the delicate balance creators must maintain when addressing sensitive topics.
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