In Netflix’s hit crime series, Adolescence, a teenager is accused of murder, and as his story slowly unravels, the show reveals how internet culture, bullying, and a group called incels are involved in his actions. Initially released on March 13, 2025, Adolescence is a four-part mini series which centers on the case of Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering his classmate. Adolescence does not just explore whether Jamie actually committed the crime, but digs deep into his state of mind and how his circumstances have affected him and his choices.

For those who have seen Adolescence, it is clear that Jamie did, in fact, murder Katie. This comes out early on in the series. However, this revelation only leads to a bigger question, which is, why did he do it? Episode three of Adolescence does a good job of unpacking this mystery, as Jamie discusses his beliefs with a court psychologist, Briony. In particular, Briony asks Jamie about masculinity, his father, his romantic and sexual desires, and his experiences with the incel subculture. This conversation leads to shocking realizations about Jamie.

What Incel Means & When The Term Started Being Used

The Incel Ideology Explained

The term incel is a shortening of the phrase “involuntary celibate.” It was first used in the 1990s by a woman only known as Alana, who began a website called “Alana’s Involuntary Celibacy Project.” Initially, Alana used this platform to form a community of people who struggled to find romantic relationships due to shyness or other factors (CNN). However, the word “incel” eventually morphed into a label for heterosexual men who are not only involuntarily celibate, but also blame their lack of romantic and sexual connection on women and society at large.

Now developed far beyond Alana’s website, incels have their own set of beliefs and motivations that lean into misogyny and hate. Incels typically believe that women are only interested in men due to physical appearance, which rigs their romantic prospects from the start. According to an article by BBC, incels refer to attractive women as “Stacys” and believe that they will only ever be attracted to “Chads,” who are handsome, successful men with lots of sex appeal. Ultimately, these beliefs often lead to loneliness, hatred against all women, and sometimes even violence, with several mass shooters having ties to the incel community.

In 2021, for example, a man named Jack Davison opened fire in the city of Plymouth, killing two women, two men, and a child, before taking his own life. While investigating Davison’s actions, it was quickly discovered that he was active in incel communities on social media. It is believed that the hateful and isolationist views of the incel culture led Davison to extreme depression and despair, and eventually, his crime (Crest Research). This real-life case has some eerie similarities to that of Jamie in Adolescence.

Adolescence’s Story Is Really About Incels & Online Misogny

Adolescence Serves As A Warning To Parents & Internet Users

Adolescence is about Jamie’s crime and the impact it has on those around him, but beyond that, the series is also an exploration of incel culture and misogyny on the internet. In Adolescence episode 2, DI Bascombe is desperately trying to figure out why Jamie would have targeted Katie. Eventually, his son reveals that Katie was bullying Jamie, and in particular, accused him of being an incel. Later on, in Adolescence episode 3, Jamie himself reveals that he believes in some elements of the incel ideology, and Katie’s rejection of him is what led him to kill her.

As Adolescence creator, Jack Thorne, explains, Jamie “is this vulnerable kid, and then he hears this stuff which makes sense to him about why he’s isolated, why he’s alone, why he doesn’t belong, and he ingests it. He doesn’t have the filters to understand what’s appropriate” (via BBC). Unfortunately, Jamie’s story is not new or unique. Countless men, often young, are being introduced to the toxic belief system that takes advantage of their loneliness, and skews their worldview towards hate and violence. Ultimately, Thorne believes that Adolescence is a call to action to change this culture through open discussion.

What Is The Manosphere That’s Mentioned In Adolescence?

Adolescence Shows That Jamie Isn’t The Only Victim

Throughout Adolescence, there are various mentions of incels and ideas connected to them. One of these is the “manosphere.” The manosphere can be described as a web of men’s groups, both online and in real life, which are anti-woman. These groups typically spread patriarchal ideas about the superiority of men and the inferiority of women. Essentially, incels are just a small part of the greater manosphere, which can be found in various forms throughout social media (Canadian Museum for Human Rights).

Adolescence’s Rotten Tomatoes Score

Critics – 99%

Audience – 72%

In terms of Adolescence, audiences can see how the manosphere comes into play for all the characters. Ryan provides Jamie with the knife that killed Katie, believing Jamie would only scare her. This terrifying excuse proves Ryan’s own distorted worldview. Meanwhile, Adam is portrayed as a young man who is isolated and teased, yet does not succumb to the ideas of the manosphere. Finally, Jamie’s dad, Eddie, represents a man who has strong morals, but also finds himself falling victim to false ideas of masculinity and violence.

How Red Pill & Blue Pill Was Co-Opted By Incels & Men’s Rights Activists

Adolescence Proves How Important This Terminology Is

Another concept introduced in Adolescence is the red pill and the blue pill. Originally introduced in the sci-fi movie The Matrix, the red pill allows Neo to see the world for what it really is, while the blue pill keeps him in blissful ignorance. These definitions remain the same for incels and the manosphere, but with a different context. Incels believe that they are “redpilled,” and now understand the truth of the world while everyone else is “bluepilled.” These terms are not just used by the manosphere, but by many extremist internet groups (ADL).

To some, this terminology may seem foreign or overly complex. This is certainly the case for DI Bascombe when he is trying to understand Jamie’s social media presence. Yet, this is exactly why shows like Adolescence are diving into these topics and ideas. More people, like DI Bascombe, need to learn and understand the ideals of incels and other internet groups in order to prevent further violence. If their views come to light, then it is easier to put a stop to them.

What’s The 80/20 Rule In Adolescence?

Jamie’s Story Is A Warning

Finally, Adolescence also mentions the 80/20 rule, which Jamie believes to be true. This false statistic touted by incels claims that 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men. This implies that most men will not be sexually satisfied. From there, they explain that this statistic is a result of feminism giving women too much power. From the perspective of a young, impressionable teenager, this statistic may seem terrifying, enough so that they will not question its validity.

Audiences will likely find themselves invested in Jamie’s story, but they should also be left with questions.

At the end of the day, Adolescence is a gripping and disturbing series that has a lot to say about real-world issues. Audiences will likely find themselves invested in Jamie’s story, but they should also be left with questions. Adolescence’s exploration of incel culture and online misogyny is a warning for parents and anyone on the internet. The beliefs explored in Adolescence are not only harmful to those who believe them, but can also result in real violence.