Netflix’s Adolescence, a raw crime drama, has become one of the most popular series of 2025.
The series, which has been praised as one of the finest TV series in recent time, getting impressive 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, shows Owen Cooper making his acting debut in the role of 13-year-old Jamie who is arrested on suspicion of murdering a classmate, Katie.
Episode three gave viewers a glimpse of Jamie’s mind when he was visited by a psychologist, Briony, played by Erin Doherty.
When she met him at the young offenders facility, she offered him a hot chocolate with marshmallows and a half sandwich with pickles, despite he saying he disliked pickles.
This detail, that seemed tiny, caught the attention of many, raising plenty of questions.
“I’m so stuck on the pickle sandwich! I know he was obviously losing his composure. But at the beginning he said he hated pickles. And then he loses his fake composure has a couple tantrums. Tries to intimidate and then just sits down and eats the pickle sandwich!” One person wrote on Reddit.
Another added: “Why did the psychologist on Adolescence make that disgusting cheese and pickle sandwich?”
It turns out it wasn’t just a random choice or pick of food but there was a reason behind it.
Speaking to Tyla, Psychologist Dannielle Haig explained that Briony was trying to test his personality from the way he would react to the gesture.
“The half-sandwich, particularly the fact that it contains something Jamie dislikes, could be a way of testing his response,” Dannielle tells Tyla.
“Does he push it away? Does he eat it to be polite, does he comment on it? These reactions provide insight into his personality. If he simply tolerates it without complaint, it may suggest a history of feeling powerless and being accustomed to having things done to him rather than for him.
“If he refuses it outright, it might indicate defiance or a need to exert control in a situation where he has very little power.”
“It’s a clever way of gauging how Jamie sees himself in relation to authority figures and whether he feels able to assert his own needs.”
She also addressed the hot chocolate with marshmallows, saying the psychologist tried to create a sense of ease and familiarity since this drink if often associated with “warmth, safety, and childhood, a stark contrast to the harsh reality of Jamie’s situation.”
Adolescence addresses relevant issues such as misogyny, ‘incels’, the online ‘manosphere’, and toxic masculinity.
Viewers praise it for both the portrayal and the treatment of these issues.
Stephen Graham, who plays Jamie’s father, created the series with director Philip Barantini and writer Jack Thorne after seeing two separate reports of young boys stabbing girls to death. During an appearance on BBC’s The One Show, he said, “I just thought, what’s going on in society where this kind of thing is becoming a regular occurrence?
“I just couldn’t fathom it. So I wanted to really have a look and try and shine a light on this particular thing.”
All episodes are streaming now on Netflix.
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