Louis Theroux's latest documentary, Inside The Manosphere, has sparked widespread concern among parents, drawing comparisons to the Netflix drama Adolescence. The 90-minute film, released on Netflix on Wednesday, explores the impact of online misogyny and toxic masculinity on young boys, featuring interviews with influencers such as Harrison Sullivan (HSTikkyTokky), Ed Matthews, Myron Gaines, Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy (Sneako), and Justin Waller.
Parents have taken to social media to express their fears. @ChristinaDempsey described it as 'one of the hardest watches,' while @simone_d12 said it made her worry about 'the type of world my little boy will grow up in.' Some viewers, like @JohnnyLaird, could not finish the documentary, stating, 'I couldn't cope with the universe he was exploring in this one.'
Theroux, a father of three boys aged 20, 18, and 11, was inspired to make the film after hearing about self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate from his children. He told the Mirror: 'These aren't figures on the margins – anyone who's got kids, and especially boys, will know that they are making inroads into the culture.'
The documentary highlights disturbing content young people consume online. A 2025 YouGov poll found that one in eight Gen Z men (aged 14-29) have a favourable view of Andrew Tate, while 77% of girls and young women aged 7-21 experienced online harm in the past year. Theroux noted, 'As a parent you hope that your influence will outweigh whatever they’re being fed online, but truthfully they probably spend more hours looking at their phones than they do talking to us.'
Viewers have compared the film to Adolescence, which received calls from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to be shown in schools. @user8462718 wrote: 'Hopefully this will have the same impact as Adolescence. It’s about time.'
