The truth about iconic 'Adolescence' scene makes the series even more brilliant

Actor Owen Cooper explains how the memorable moment - that is one of the highlights of the British series - was a complete accident. 

Parents around the globe have been sent on a roller coaster of emotions thanks to Netflix's new four-part series, Adolescence. 

The British blockbuster has started a global discussion around toxic masculinity, teen friendship groups, peer pressure, pressures placed on school systems, and perhaps even how parents are failing this young, digital generation. 

Each episode is shot in a single take and taking on the role of star Jamie Miller is actor Owen Cooper's first acting gig - both adding to the brilliance that is the gripping storyline. 

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Owen Cooper plays Jamie Miller in Netflix blockbuster 'Adolescence'. Image: Netflix

The iconic scene was completely improvised

Now, it has been revealed there's another behind-the-scenes secret that makes episode three even more chilling.

During a recent appearance on The One Show, actor Owen Cooper opened up about how, while draining, the one-take format resulted in the most iconic moment of the series.

In episode three, Jamie captivates the audience as he is quizzed by psychologist Briony Ariston (played by Erin Doherty). It's in this episode where we see Jamie give his shrink a cocky smile after she asks him if she is "boring" him following a yawn. 

"It was the second take of the day - we do two takes a day. I was tired, so a yawn came to me. Then Erin did an amazing line, she said, 'Am I boring you?'" Owen shares in the interview. 

"That took me back and made me smile because it wasn't in the script. I wasn't expecting that at all, but it was amazing."

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Owen says Jamie's cocky yawn and subsequent smile was completely improvised. Image: Netflix

Viewers can't get enough

Amazing indeed - and the moment was applauded by many watching. 

"Well episode three of Adolescence is going to be remembered as some of the best TV all year isn't it?" someone asked on X. "A nauseating, cleanly executed gut punch with some serious work by Erin Doherty and Owen Cooper."

And another agreed it was the entire episode that truly made the series.

"A verbal tennis match between a young boy accused of murder and the psychologist assessing him," they said. "Deeply unsettling, at times downright chilling, in its depiction of the mansophere and how insidiously it sinks its hooks into teen boys."

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What is Adolescence about? 

At its core, Adolescence tells the story of how one family’s world is ripped apart overnight. Thirteen-year-old Jamie Miller is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl from his school, and just like that, everything fractures. The Millers go from being an ordinary family juggling school runs, messy bedrooms, and teenage mood swings to the centre of a harrowing crime story.

The series is being hailed as the next Baby Reindeer by critics and an "absolute must-watch" by parenting experts. 

Aussie Psychologist and Parent Educator, Steve Biddulph, claimed that the series was a "moving" and "tragic" one that was "very much directed at the harm done by online misogyny getting into the heads of such young boys."

Fellow parenting expert, Maggie Dent, also agreed, taking the conversation further with a much-needed explanation on incels, thanks to the team at Safe On Social.

"If you've been watching Netflix’s Adolescence and are trying to grasp the weight of the term 'incel', you’re not alone. The word is often tied to news stories of violence and extremism, but there’s a much bigger conversation we need to have. One that isn’t driven by fear but by reality."

Originally published as The truth about iconic 'Adolescence' scene makes the series even more brilliant