Adolescence: The Important Meaning of the Sandwich Explained
The third episode of Adolescence Netflix is one of the most important in the series. It is a tense and dramatic chapter, but also very revealing, as it shows the last session between Jamie Miller and psychologist Briony Ariston, who must assess Jamie’s understanding of the case and his mental state. Briony (played by Erin Doherty) begins the session lightly, trying to connect with Jamie, who, at this point, has been detained for the murder of Katie for several weeks, and gives her half a cheese and pickle sandwich that, according to what she says to Jamie, she prepared herself. Adolescence turned out to be one of the most relevant miniseries won so far in 2025 on Netflix, especially since the background of the plot was known, which captured the attention of the parents. That was one of the main objectives of its creator, Stephen Graham. Now, one of the scenes that went unnoticed by many viewers —when the psychologist interacted with Jamie Miller and handed him a sandwich— was explained by a psychoanalyst due to the powerful message it transmits.
It seems like a simple act of empathy, but we can’t forget that this is a session to evaluate Jamie, and everything that happens in that room is intentional, from the decision to arrive with a hot chocolate with marshmallows (to show Jamie who knows his preferences and listens to him), even questions and silences, and the fact of sharing his food. And yes, it is a simple sandwich, but, at the same time, it is not a simple sandwich. Every detail of Adolescence is well cared for and thought out, and this sandwich has many meanings.
Adolescence: The Important Meaning of the Sandwich Explained
By the time we get to episode 3 of Adolescence we already know that Jamie Miller stabbed his schoolmate to death, we also know that he is in prison, that he was exposed to the ideology of Incel and that he suffered bullying, and that he has done several sessions with psychologists. Briony is the second psychologist to evaluate him, and while asking questions, she tries to keep the child calm and open. Briony not only knows the type of drink Jamie (played by Owen Cooper) prefers but shows consideration when arriving with half a sandwich wrapped in transparent plastic and cut in a triangle.
Jamie asks if the sandwich has tomatoes and if she made it, and also mentions that her mom also makes sandwiches. Even though he accepts it, he just leaves it on the table, plays with him a little, and, at one point in the interview, gives him a small bite, this after he has a moment of fury in which he gets up from the table and it explodes.
But Why Does He Do It and What Does That Sandwich Really Mean?
Thus, the third episode of ‘Adolescence’ focuses on the Jamie’s session with psychologist Briony Ariston, superbly interpreted by the actress Erin Doherty, who is in charge of evaluating the behavior of the young person after being accused of the murder of a schoolmate, while keeping it in custody in a psychiatric center. At the start of her talk, the psychologist offers Jamie a sandwich and a hot chocolate with jelly clouds, which the young man accepts. While holding one talk full of emotional ups and downs, Jamie tries to intimidate the professional on several occasions, being aggressive and misunderstood, trying to play with his mind and emotions. So much so, that after the conversation of more than half an hour, Briony reveals to Jamie that this will be your last interview, something that sinks Jamie. And is that the young man asks the psychologist if he likes it as a person, something that deeply worries Briony.
However, the general public may have overlooked a subtle detail at the start of the talk between the two protagonists of the third episode of ‘Adolescence’ when Briony offers Jamie half a sandwich. While it may seem like a trivial detail, psychologist Dannielle Haig suggests that it has a role in youth behavior: “The sandwich medium, particularly the fact that contains something Jamie doesn’t like. It could be a way to test your answer”, says the real psychologist.
Psychologist Danielle Haig explained to the magazine Tyla that Briony gives Jamie the sandwich for an important reason, and that is that she wants to see how the boy reacts to this type of gesture. “The sandwich medium, especially the fact that it contains something Jamie doesn’t like, could be a way to test his answer. Do you reject it? Do you eat it for education? Do you comment? These reactions give us an idea of his personality. If you just tolerate it without complaint, you might suggest a history of helplessness and being used to things being done to him instead of him. If you flatly reject it, it could indicate a challenge or a need to exercise control in a situation where you have very little power. It’s a smart way to assess how Jamie sees himself about authority figures and whether he feels able to assert his own needs”, the expert said.
On the other hand, bringing hot chocolate is a gesture to try to make Jamie feel safe and comfortable. Haig says it’s kind of a maternal gesture, where Briony shows that she has listened to Jamie and that she knows what she likes, and that’s why she puts marshmallows on him. Now, considering that Briony knows that Jamie has been exposed to the manosphere and at Incel ideologies, it could also be an attempt to show Jamie that he is not a threat to him, and that he has power in this dynamic. Jamie explodes when he thinks Briony is trying to control the cop who was going to enter the room when he gets mad, so it makes sense that she came to the interview with a “peace offering”, to show Jamie who is not only listening to it, he is willing to give him what he wants (the hot chocolate) and try to please him (with a sandwich that made him think about what his mom is preparing).
