Netflix’s New Show "Adolescence" Rewrites Reality And Targets White Boys In The Process

Netflix's newest UK-based series, Adolescence, tells the story of a socially awkward white teen who becomes radicalized by online “red pill” ideology and murders a girl on a public bus. It’s meant to be gritty, eye-opening, and socially relevant. But there's just one glaring issue: the crimes that inspired Adolescence , including the horrifying Southport bus stabbing, weren’t committed by white, red-pilled boys. They were committed by black teens, often from migrant backgrounds, and had nothing to do with internet forums, “incel” rage, or Jordan Peterson clips. So why did Netflix race-swap the killer? Why did they inject a political message that has zero basis in the real events? The real answer is depressingly simple: because telling the truth doesn't serve their preferred narrative. Let’s Talk About The Real Crime One of the clearest inspirations for Adolescence appears to be the murder of Elianne Andam, a 15-year-old girl stabbed to death in Croydon in 2023 by a black teenage boy in broad daylight. One of the most apparent inspirations for Adolescence seems to be the 2023 murder of Elianne Andam, a 15-year-old girl stabbed to death in broad daylight in Croydon by a teenage boy. Yet in this shocking case that made headlines around the world, the perpetrator wasn’t a disaffected white boy radicalized by Reddit threads or YouTube influencers. Instead, it reflected a growing and deeply troubling trend in the UK: the rise of violent knife crime among young, non-white males. These aren’t isolated incidents. According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), knife crime in England and Wales rose by 75% between 2013 and 2023, with the majority of offenders being male and under the age of 25. In London, for example, black teenage boys are disproportionately represented among both perpetrators in fatal stabbings. A 2021 government report showed that black people made up 16% of homicide suspects, despite being only 3% of the population, and most youth stabbings involved suspects aged 15–19, many of whom had previous contact with social services or the criminal justice system. The majority of these crimes stemmed from broken homes, a lack of male role models, gang grooming, and peer pressure. But in Netflix’s world, that kind of criminal doesn’t exist. In their version, the killer had to be white, and his violence had to be blamed on conservative-coded online spaces. That’s not just deeply dishonest. It’s dangerous. And this isn’t a one-off "reimagining" of reality. It’s part of a larger trend where media companies like Netflix distort real stories to fit pre-approved political narratives . The casting becomes “representational,” not accurate. And the goal is less about understanding the world and more about reinforcing an ideological worldview. A worldview where white men are always the villains, and non-white abusers are conveniently erased. Violence is always the result of YouTube videos, not broken families, failed institutions, or criminal subcultures. What’s The Agenda? Let’s be honest. If a streaming platform had taken a real crime committed by a white teen and reimagined the killer as a black character, the backlash would be instant and ferocious. But rewriting a black or migrant criminal as a white boy? That gets applauded as “brave” and “culturally relevant.” It’s a classic case of narrative control. And it leaves real victims behind, especially in communities plagued by the very crimes Netflix is afraid to name truthfully. On X (formerly Twitter), screenshots and side-by-side comparisons of the real cases and the fictionalized characters went viral. “So Netflix took a black teen who stabbed a girl to death on a bus and turned him into a white boy radicalized by Andrew Tate memes?” one user posted. “This isn’t just cringe, it’s dishonest.” Meanwhile, the liberal establishment is positively swooning on X and elsewhere. Outlets like The Guardian and The Independent have lauded the show as “a chilling portrait of modern radicalization” and “a must-watch for every parent and teacher.” The BBC called it “timely and vital viewing,” praising its “courageous” choice to spotlight the dangers of the red pill movement, online extremism, and toxic masculinity, all through the lens of a vulnerable white teenager. In typical fashion, some commentators didn’t just praise the show, they demanded it be added to the curriculum. A columnist for Metro UK argued that Adolescence should be shown in schools “as part of an updated PSHE program,” calling it “a necessary tool for combating radicalization and misogyny before it starts.” Why This Matters Yes, Adolescence is a fictionalized story, but it borrows heavily from real-life tragedies. When the facts are manipulated to serve an agenda, the line between fiction and propaganda disappears. And white men become the symbolic punching bag for every societal ill, even when they had nothing to do with it. Netflix has an enormous platform. It could use that power to explore violence, masculinity, mental health, and social alienation in honest, complex ways. Instead, it’s serving up stereotype-laden stories that do little more than stoke division. Subscribe today to get unlimited access to all of Evie’s premium content.