Netflix viewers have spotted a hidden clue that may have revealed Jamie’s guilt in Adolescence before the plot even unfolded.
The four-part drama dropped on March 13 and has already skyrocketed to number one on the streaming service.
Adolescence follows Eddie (Stephen Graham), a father left reeling after his 13-year-old son Jamie (Owen Cooper) is arrested for allegedly stabbing his female classmate, Katie, to death.
Ashley Walters (Top Boy) appears as the lead detective, and Erin Doherty (A Thousand Blows) plays the child psychologist brought in to assess Jamie.
Critics and fans alike have praised the series as its shot in four single continuous takes and explores themes of knife crime against women, misogyny, the dangerous influence of the online manosphere, incel ideology, and the way teens use coded language -including emojis - to talk about violence.
But one eagle-eyed fan thinks they’ve found a brilliant visual clue in episode one that hints at Jamie’s guilt from the very beginning.
A TikTok user, who goes by the handle @kashi_ibbotson, posted a now-viral video highlighting the moment armed police arrest Jamie.
Watch the video below:In the video, Jamie is seen holding his hands out. Viewers then spotted a rip in the wallpaper behind him - one that strikingly resembled a knife blade.
For first-time watchers, the torn wallpaper may seem like nothing. But for those who’ve seen the final twist, it hits differently.
"This cannot have been an accident. The level of detail in this show made it a masterpiece," Ibbotson wrote in the caption.
She’s not alone in noticing it either as one person commented: "Every detail is immaculate in this program," while another added: "I kept looking at the tear on the wall. It bothered me, but I didn’t put that together! Brilliant!!!"
Someone else connected the subtle wallpaper tear to a powerful emotional moment later in the series, writing: “And the very last scene when the dad is on his bed is like the knife in his back.”
Many viewers have questioned whether the TV drama is based on a true story.
Graham, who is also a co-writer, revealed that the show was inspired by the 262 people who were stabbed to death in England and Wales between 2023 and 2024, and the devastating impact on their families.
"There was an incident where a young boy [allegedly] stabbed a girl. It shocked me," the 51-year-old told Tudum. "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?'" he added.
As a father himself, Graham wanted to ensure Adolescence didn’t just tell a crime story - it needed to feel real.
"We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime, or about a kid whose mother is an alcoholic or whose father is a violent abuser," he explained.
"Instead, we wanted you to look at this family and think, ‘My God. This could be happening to us!’ And what’s happening here is an ordinary family’s worst nightmare."