Episode three honestly has so many layers

If you have, somehow, not binged the entirety of Adolescence yet – then I’m not sure what the hell you’ve been doing. It’s an instant hit, huge viewing figures for Netflix and a very impressive 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. The show sees Owen Cooper make his acting debut as 13 year old Jamie who gets arrested on suspicion of murdering a female classmate. Stephen Graham and Ashley Walters star as father and detective in Graham and Jack Thorne’s four episodes of true British drama greatness – directed in Philip Barantini’s distinct one shot take. Episode three has been a major talking point, mostly because it’s a gripping two hander between Owen Cooper’s Jamie and Erin Doherty’s child psychiatrist Briony. There is one moment in the Adolescence episode where Jamie gets offered half a sandwich, and now an expert has explained why this is so significant.

It might seem like a small moment, but everything matters – and the fact it’s only half has a lot of value.

‘Small actions tell you a great deal’

In the meeting between Briony and Jamie, the two in Adolescence on Netflix trade numerous lines about the refreshments. Briony makes Jamie hot chocolate with marshmallows (and/or sprinkles, both are discussed). Briony offers Jamie half of a cheese and pickle sandwich – a filling he isn’t particularly keen on.

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After people on Reddit were wondering what on earth the meaning of this was, and how because Jamie seemed to be up and down about his feelings and emotions regarding minor things – an expert spoke out.

Via Netflix

Psychologist Dannielle Haig spoke to Tyla and shed some expertise on what Briony might have been doing in these Adolescence moments when interviewing Jamie – with the sandwich and hot choc. “The half-sandwich, particularly the fact that it contains something Jamie dislikes, could be a way of testing his response,” she said. “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.” She also said if Jamie pushed the sandwich away, the act of defiance would be very telling. “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,” Haig added.

“Everything in a psychological assessment is deliberate; small actions can tell you a great deal about a person’s mindset, and this is no exception,” Haig continued. “The hot chocolate is a comforting, almost maternal offering. It’s something associated with warmth, safety, and childhood, a stark contrast to the harsh reality of Jamie’s situation.

“By giving it to him, the psychologist may be trying to create a sense of familiarity and ease, making it more likely that he will open up.”