Adolescence: The TV Drama Impacting Society Like Cathy Come Home Before It

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“Adolescence” wasn’t just the most popular TV show of 2025—it also made a real difference. It likely sparked important conversations and even new laws concerning cyberbullying and harmful online communities. The show uniquely tackled tough issues like how parents should be involved and the dangers of toxic masculinity.

The miniseries Adolescence resonates so powerfully because it handles the topic of masculinity with real sensitivity and depth. It avoids simple stereotypes or preachy lessons, instead presenting Jamie Miller and his father as incredibly realistic, sympathetic, and surprisingly relatable characters.

Each of the four episodes of Adolescence is brilliantly crafted, offering a uniquely insightful look at society and the complexities of being human – something rarely seen with such depth in a scripted TV series. The show has clearly resonated with audiences, becoming a massive hit on Netflix and a subject of study worldwide.

Experts, teachers, and political leaders have all talked about the show’s importance, and millions of viewers of all ages have connected with it. Adolescence has been the subject of discussions in governments and shown in schools globally. However, it’s not the first British TV show to have such a big effect on society. Fifty-nine years ago, another drama actually had an even greater impact.

Adolescence Is Such A Powerful TV Drama That It Could Change Society

What struck me most about Adolescence isn’t some grand, shocking reveal, but how utterly normal everything feels. The film centers on Jamie Miller, a 14-year-old boy who, honestly, could be any kid you know. The scene where police raid his room, suspecting him of murder, is particularly unsettling – he’s so frightened he actually wets the bed. It’s a raw, uncomfortable moment, and it’s precisely this realism that makes the film’s exploration of incel culture so powerful. It doesn’t feel sensationalized; it feels tragically, frighteningly real.

The series makes us strangely connect with a teenage killer, whose disturbing views on women and girls are a result of harmful online influences that exploit his insecurities and vulnerability as a young man. When it’s at its strongest, the show is deeply sad and incredibly moving.

The show has resonated with audiences so strongly that both the British and French governments are now including it in school lessons (according to the Associated Press and The Guardian). Over time, Adolescence could even lead to broader shifts in society.

The 1966 British TV Drama Cathy Come Home Also Had A Huge Social Impact

This isn’t the first time a British TV show has sparked social change. Back in 1966, Ken Loach’s Cathy Come Home had a similar impact, bringing the issue of homelessness – which was often ignored at the time – into the public spotlight.

A BBC television movie about a homeless mother losing custody of her children was watched by millions of viewers in Britain. The film prompted an unprecedented wave of public support, with record numbers of people contacting the BBC to offer assistance to the families featured.

Filmed with Ken Loach’s trademark shaky, close-up camera work, Cathy Come Home deeply disturbed viewers because it felt more like a real-life documentary than a traditional drama. This realistic style made the film’s difficult story even more impactful. Even years after the film’s release, people recognized Carol White, the actress who played Cathy, and offered her money, believing she was truly in need of help.

The two leading housing charities in the UK largely owe their beginnings to the film Cathy Come Home. Crisis was directly founded due to the overwhelming public reaction to the film’s first showing. Shelter also greatly benefited from launching shortly after the movie came out, as reported by The Guardian.

Cathy Come Home Helped Change The Law On Homelessness

It’s not surprising that Cathy Come Home remains one of the most impactful TV movies ever made. But its influence went beyond public awareness – it also led to real political change. The film played a key role in the creation of Scotland’s Social Work Act of 1968, which aimed to provide funding and support for local social care programs to help prevent homelessness, as reported by Community Care.

Just over ten years after the impactful documentary Cathy Come Home was released, the UK passed the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act in 1977. This law was significant because it officially defined homelessness for the first time and legally required local councils to provide support for people without homes, as noted by the University of Birmingham.

Despite its limitations – the law still restricted help for people experiencing homelessness and didn’t make sleeping rough a non-criminal offense – its passage was a significant achievement. This was largely thanks to the impact of the Cathy Come Home campaign, which demonstrated the power of public awareness and advocacy. The law was also weakened through changes made by Parliament.

Adolescence May Have A Similar Lasting Impact in Britain & Elsewhere

Netflix might create a second season of Adolescence, potentially exploring another important issue faced by today’s teens. Based on how well the first season has been received, a second season could actually help bring about positive changes in society.

Like with that incredibly impactful drama, Cathy Come Home, I don’t think we’ll fully understand the effect of Jamie Miller’s story for years to come. Will it really change how people think about young men and masculinity? Could it even lead to laws that protect vulnerable kids from the dangers of incel culture? It’s amazing, though, that the show is already being talked about by politicians – it shows how important and relevant it is.

I’ve been hearing some fascinating things about this show beyond just its entertainment value. It’s actually being used in classrooms and even as a case study in psychology! Apparently, it’s proving incredibly insightful for understanding why some young teenage boys become violent and hateful towards women, and more importantly, it helps unpack the societal issues that contribute to that behavior. It’s not just a show, it’s a surprisingly effective teaching tool.

While Adolescence is mainly intended for adults, it can be a powerful tool for reaching high school students and helping them understand the dangers of incel culture, especially when other approaches haven’t worked. The show’s artistic quality allows it to convey the issue’s emotional weight in a way that a typical conversation between teachers and students simply can’t.

It’s still too soon to fully grasp the impact of Adolescence, or to say for sure how significant it will be. However, in the future, we’ll be able to understand its true importance and compare its influence to that of Cathy Come Home.

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2025-11-21 02:17