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Netflix's Adolescence includes devastating hidden detail in final song

18 March 2025, 14:56 | Updated: 19 March 2025, 11:36

Netflix's Adolescence's finale includes devastating hidden detail. Picture: Netflix

By Capital Buzz

Adolescence's director Philip Barantini has revealed heart-wrenching detail in the show's score.

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Netflix's Adolescence has taken the world by storm in a huge way. The harrowing story of a 13-year-old boy (Jamie) accused of murdering a girl (Katie) in his school was based off of real life instances that have given the UK time to pause and think about the knife crime and misogynistic rhetoric that is all too prevalent among young people nowadays.

In episode two of the limited series, detective Misha Frank (played by Faye Marsay) turns to her partner, detective Luke Bascombe (played by Ashley Walters) and says: "Do you know what I don't like about all this? Right the perpetrator always gets the front line.

"'A man r---- a women.' We've followed Jamie's brain around this entire case. Right? Katie isn't important. Jamie is. Everyone will remember Jamie, no one will remember her. That's what annoys me, that's what gets to me."

Now, the show's director Philip Barantini has revealed an important detail that honours Katie's presence throughout the show in a special way.

Read more: Who plays Jamie Miller in Adolescence? Owen Cooper never acted before starring in show

Owen Cooper never acted before starring in Adolescence. Picture: Netflix

While the actress who plays Katie, Emilia Holliday, has no lines in the show Barantini revealed her voice is on the score.

Explaining why he chose to end the show with an emotional rendition of Aurora’s 'Through the Eyes of a Child', Barantini said that, around the time co-writer Jack Throne sent him the script, he had heard it and "couldn’t stop thinking about it". Speaking to Netflix's Tudum, he said: "It’s just absolutely incredible.”

The song already holds an important emotional connection to the show as it's about the loss of a "childlike soul" but what's more is "the voice in the score is Katie’s voice,” Barantini has revealed.

Adolescence's Stephen Graham reveals the real life events that inspired the show

He said that once the team learned that Emilia could sing, they decided to have her perform the lead vocals for the final moments of the series.

The director added: "Katie is a part of the whole series. Her presence is always there."

Adolescence's final episode explores the ripple affect of Jamie's actions on his family as his parents struggle in their marriage, his dad's business is on the line and his sister's reputation at school is ruined.

The final scene sees Jamie's dad, Eddie (played by Stephen Graham), break down in tears on his son's bed as Emilia's beautiful vocals play over the top.