Teen tragedy driven by toxic social media

RIVETING Netflix drama Adolescence made such an impact it was mentioned in Parliament. Shot in one continuous take, the four-part mini-series tells the story of Jamie, a 13-year-old plumber’s son, who is accused of murdering a female classmate with a kitchen knife.

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By addressing modern ills - like the poisonous influence of social media - the show is closer in spirit to BBC1's old Play For Today than TV’s usual pot-boilers.

As it unfolds, it also suggests that Jamie (impressive Owen Cooper) inherited his rage from his father Eddie (Stephen Graham on reliably terrific form).

Feral teenagers have been with us for decades, though. Could today’s youth crisis be different because boys no longer know how to be boys? We've stopped making dramas that emphasise traditional male values, like chivalry, self-reliance, sacrifice and courage.

Where is today’s mainstream equivalent of Ivanhoe, Richard Sharpe or Jack Regan? Masculinity has been twisted and demonised. Screen strong men tend to be toxic gangsters or hitmen - Phil Mitchell, John Wick etc. BBC1 even portrayed the wartime SAS as crooks. No wonder Reacher is Number 1 on Prime.

TV is more concerned with strong women.

Characters like Jane Tennison, Catherine Cawood and Mare Sheehan were convincing, Scott & Bailey less so. And now there's DI Liz Nyles who blunders her way through life like a female Frank Spencer on Protection. ITV's new police drama has corrupt cops, a killer crime boss and superior officers who aren't all trustworthy.

Essentially, it's Line Of Duty rehashed, except our heroes are in witness protection rather than anti-corruption.