Is Adolescence Based on a true Story? Uncovering the real-life Inspirations Behind the Series

Netflix’s Adolescence tells a gripping and unsettling story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his female classmate. Its ending shocked many, and led them to ask- Is Adolescence on Netflix a true story? The answer to that is- while the series isn't based on a single real-life case, it was inspired by a growing epidemic of knife crime among young people in the U.K.

The real-life Events Behind Adolescence

Co-creator Stephen Graham was deeply affected by multiple real-life incidents in which young boys allegedly stabbed young girls. Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, he recalled:

“There was an incident where a young boy [allegedly] 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?’ 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?’”

This disturbing trend is reflected in official crime statistics. According to the Office for National Statistics (via BBC), 83% of teen homicides in 2023-24 involved a knife. In the year ending March 2024, there were around 50,500 knife-related offenses recorded in England and Wales (excluding Greater Manchester), a 4.4% increase from 2022-23. Juveniles aged 10 to 17 were responsible for approximately 17.3% of these crimes.

Director Philip Barantini echoed Graham’s concerns, telling The Wrap:

“In the U.K., there’s a real problem with knife crime, certainly in the younger generation. There have been a series of young boys who were killing young girls with knives, and it was really upsetting. That was the seed that we wanted to explore, and send a bit of a message and maybe spark a bit of a conversation.”

The Influence of the Internet and male rage

Alongside real-world crime trends, Adolescence also examines how online spaces can influence young men. Graham admitted he was initially unfamiliar with the concept of the “manosphere”—a controversial network of websites, blogs, and forums that often promote misogynistic views. Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said:

“I didn’t know what it was until Jack [Thorne] told me all about it, and I was just blown away.”

Co-creator Jack Thorne added that the series was also a reflection on male rage, explaining to Tudum, “That is a journey I’ve never gone on as a writer before, and it scared me and excited me because it felt like we had something to say.” 

The show’s release comes at a time when concerns over radicalization are rising. In January 2025, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that “loners, misfits, and young men in their bedrooms” consuming violent online content are becoming a new terror threat. (via Deccan Herald)

Not a true Story, But a Reflection of Reality

While Adolescence does not depict a single real case, its themes are undeniably relevant. The series was conceived long before the sentencing of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old boy who murdered three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024. He was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison in January 2025. (via EW)

At its core, Adolescence is a chilling exploration of the violence unfolding among today’s youth. As Graham put it in Rolling Stone UK:

“They’d happened up and down the country, and my objective was merely to ask: ‘What’s going on? Why is this happening? Can we just have a look at it because this kind of thing didn’t happen when I was a young lad.’”

By tackling these difficult topics, Adolescence doesn’t just tell a story—it forces viewers to confront the alarming realities shaping the world today.

Adolescence is now streaming on Netflix.