Stephen Graham has explained why Jamie didn't feature in the last episode of Adolescence, despite the story centering around him.
The four-part crime drama, which follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) as he is arrested for the murder of a female classmate, was praised for its intense, one-take cinematography and gripping storytelling.
From the very first scene, the audience is thrown into chaos, as police raid Jamie’s home, dragging him from his bed and into a police car—while his distraught family watches on in horror.
By the final episode, Jamie has decided to plead guilty to the crime, leaving his father, Eddie (played by Graham), in a state of grief-stricken devastation.
Despite the series being about Jamie's crimes, the last episode doesn't feature the 13-year-old at all, bar one brief phone call where we only hear his voice.
This was a creative choice by the writers, and Graham has explained why to Netflix's Tudum.
Graham said the finale was always meant to explore the "ripple effect of this heinous act" and challenge any preconceived notions about Jamie’s parents.
"I wanted to eliminate the possibility of thinking Eddie is a violent man," Graham explained.
"Eddie is a hardworking father who goes to work early in the morning, comes back late at night, and puts food on the table. He brings in as much love as he can. He does the best he can."
Fellow screenwriter Jack Thorne echoed this, stating: "None of Jamie’s family members are to ‘blame’ for his actions, but Manda and Eddie tearfully take accountability for their parenting choices."
He added that the final scene helps audiences understand: "How Eddie allowed his son to become absent, what Eddie taught his son, and what he didn’t teach his son. You need to understand that for the whole family."
During the final take, director Philip Barantini and the Adolescence art department orchestrated a surprise: they secretly placed real family photos of Graham, his wife Hannah Walters, and their children inside Jamie’s wardrobe, along with a handwritten note that read: "We love you. We’re so proud of you."
Barantini knew the camera wouldn’t capture it—but he knew Graham would see it.
And the moment Graham glanced at the photos, his real emotions flooded through.
"If you watch the scene closely, he looks over to the right-hand side, and he spots the pictures and the notes. It broke him open," Barantini revealed.
"The other takes before that were very different. They were all still incredibly emotional. But that last take, which we used, was real, raw, and unexpected from him as well."
Graham later admitted: "They got me to the core. So the taps just opened up."