Netflix's latest limited series, Adolescence, is earning rave reviews for its technical achievement – each of the four episodes is shot in one take – and for tackling issues about toxic masculinity. The British show, which has received a 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, centres on a 13-year-old boy who has been accused of murdering a female classmate.
The Guardian said the "deeply harrowing" show was "the closest thing to TV perfection", while Forbes called it a "technical masterpiece".
Adolescence is co-created by acclaimed actor Stephen Graham, who plays the father of the accused Jamie, played by first-time actor Owen Cooper. It also features Christine Tremarco as Jamie's mother, Amelie Pease as his sister, and Ashley Walters and Faye Marsay as inspectors investigating the case. British actress Erin Doherty has also received wide acclaim for her role as a child psychologist tasked with writing an independent assessment of Jamie's character.
Besides the gripping performances, however, it's the show's take on incel subculture and the manosphere that's dominating online discussions.
What is incel subculture?
An online subculture, incels are a community of men, mostly heterosexual, who define themselves as unattractive and therefore unable to find a romantic or sexual partner, and who blame women and girls as a result.
The Anti-Defamation League in the US describes incels as "heterosexual men who blame women and society for their lack of romantic success".
A portmanteau of “involuntary celibate", the term rose to prominence following a misogynistic hate crime in the US in 2014 when a 22-year-old killed six people and injured 14 others. Before committing his crimes, the mass murderer – who later died by suicide – uploaded a video on YouTube announcing his intention to "punish" women for their lack of interest in him. The incident inspired another mass murder in 2018 in Toronto, in which 11 people were killed and 15 injured. The perpetrator, who was later arrested, described himself as an incel to the police.
In 2017, Reddit said it banned a 41,000-strong incel group for violating its rules regarding violent content.
"A reminder that no female has ever looked at you and thought you were attractive," read one thread on the banned forum.
"Women are horrible human beings in every aspect of life," wrote another.
What is the manosphere and why is Andrew Tate referred to in the show?
Through its storytelling, Adolescence also offers a searing look at the manosphere, the collection of online forums, websites and influencers that promote misogyny and masculinity, to which incels belong.
Andrew Tate, 38, a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed more than 10 million followers on X, is a celebrated personality in the manosphere.
Tate was banned from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in 2022 for his misogynist views. He was also earlier banned from Twitter for a number of comments about women, including suggesting they “bear some responsibility” for being assaulted – but his account has since been reinstated under new owner Elon Musk.
Last month, Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, arrived in the US after authorities lifted their travel restrictions.
The Tates, who are dual US-British citizens, were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges that they participated in a criminal ring that lured women to Romania, where they were sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. They have denied the allegations.
Inspiration behind Adolescence
Graham, 51, known for his roles in shows such as Boardwalk Empire and Peaky Blinders as well as the Venom films, said Adolescence was inspired by a series of real-life stories.
"There was an incident where a young boy stabbed a girl. It shocked me. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening in society where a boy stabs a girl to death? What’s the inciting incident here?’," he said. "And then it happened again, and it happened again, and it happened again. I really just wanted to shine a light on it, and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How have we come to this?’
“One of our aims was to ask, ‘What is happening to our young men these days, and what are the pressures they face from their peers, from the internet and from social media?’" Graham added. “And the pressures that come from all of those things are as difficult for kids [in the UK] as they are the world over.”
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
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Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
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Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Aguero 1', 44', 61'
Arsenal 1
Koscielny 11'
Man of the match: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
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Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
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Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
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- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
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Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
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Result
Qualifier: Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by eight wickets
Fixtures
Tuesday, Lahore: Eliminator 1 - Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators
Wednesday, Lahore: Eliminator 2 – Karachi Kings v Winner of Eliminator 1
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PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
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MATCH INFO
Kolkata Knight Riders 245/6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 214/8 (20 ovs)
Kolkata won by 31 runs
