Adolescence Faces Backlash: Jack Thorne Dismisses ‘Race-Swapping’ Criticism Amid Global Success
Jack Thorne addresses the backlash over “race-swapping” claims against Netflix's Adolescence, emphasizing that the show explores masculinity, not race.
Adolescence Series Poster(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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In the ruthless battlefield of today’s media landscape, no project, whether it’s a big-budget behemoth or indie darling, escapes the digital firestorm of criticism. The internet often behaves like a wild, untamed beast, ensuring that every release, no matter how beloved, is met with a barrage of praise and venom in equal measure.
And while most of the hate is just background noise, occasionally, lurking within the abyss of online discourse, there are darker undercurrents, more specifically dangerous ideologies masquerading as “opinions.”
The Meteoric Rise of Adolescence
Take Adolescence, Netflix’s latest British smash hit, a juggernaut of a series that has critics practically tripping over themselves to sing its praises. With a staggering 99% “certified fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a record-shattering rise to the top of the Barb Audiences’ weekly television ratings, it’s clear that this show has struck a chord.
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It’s even conquered global streaming charts, reigning supreme in 75 out of 93 available countries, everywhere except Japan, which stubbornly refused to place it in their top three.
Yet, amid this tidal wave of success, a whisper of absurdity attempts to sour the conversation. A certain vocal minority, armed with their predictable outrage, have decided to take issue with the series’ casting, making wild claims of “race-swapping.”
At the centre of the controversy lies the fact that the series has tried to make a political statement by casting a white protagonist in a story that, according to them, should reflect real-life cases involving Black youths.
Jack Thorne Shuts Down the Nonsense
Jack Thorne, the razor-sharp mind behind the series, isn’t having any of it. He shredded these accusations to pieces in an interview with The News Agents podcast, shutting down the nonsense with the blunt force of facts.
“Nothing is further from the truth,” Thorne said, adding, “there is no part of this that’s based on a true story, not one single part. It’s absurd to say that this [crime] is only committed by Black boys. It’s not true. And history shows a lot of cases of kids from all races committing these crimes.”
He then clarified, “We’re not making a point about race with this. We are making a point about masculinity. We’re trying to get inside a problem. We’re not saying this is one thing or another, we’re saying that this is about boys.”
“It is absurd to say that knife crime is only committed by black boys. It’s not true.”
Adolescence creator Jack Thorne responds to misconceptions that the show was based on a real story and Jamie was ‘race-swapped’.@maitlis | @jonsopelpic.twitter.com/qPgQd8Xh8R
Despite the internet’s penchant for turning even the most absurd theories into viral talking points, Adolescence continues its meteoric rise and is available to watch right now on Netflix.
When a 13 year old boy is accused of murder, a town is left asking – how could this happen?
