Why Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ Will Leave You Speechless After Just 4 Hours!

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Netflix has established a revered reputation for crafting deeply entertaining and thought-provoking original shows, with the streaming giant completely dominating the world of television with every new exciting project they release. The platform’s latest knockout that is taking audiences by storm is the poignant British crime drama Adolescence, a four-part miniseries that features the talents of a decorated ensemble cast led by Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, and Owen Cooper and follows a 13-year-old as he is arrested for the murder of a classmate.

Each episode was filmed in a single unbroken shot, brilliantly capturing the raw and devastating emotions the boy’s horrified family felt as he is arrested and subsequently interrogated, with the drama delving into a myriad of heavy subjects like cyberbullying and toxic masculinity. Adolescence premiered on Netflix on March 13, 2025, and has already garnered rave reviews from critics and audiences, with the series currently holding a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and becoming must-see viewing for streamers everywhere. Let’s take a closer look at why the drama deserves to be binge-watched this weekend.

‘Adolescence’ Is a Poignant and Deeply Haunting Crime Drama Miniseries

Illustrious television and film veteran Stephen Graham helped create, write, and produce the thought-provoking and profoundly powerful 2025 crime drama miniseries Adolescence, which depicts every parent’s most unfathomable nightmare and focuses on 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) as he is shockingly arrested for the murder of a classmate, leaving his parents and sister horrified after the authorities perform an early morning raid in their home. Jamie’s devastated father Eddie (Graham) stands vigilant by his son’s side as he is interrogated by detectives, with the drama chronicling the aftermath and impact of his world-shattering arrest.

The four-part crime drama was masterfully directed by Philip Barantini, who thoughtfully utilized a single unbroken shot known as a “oner” for each poignant episode, an intense and suspense-building storytelling method that he had previously used in the 2021 thriller Boiling Point (which also featured Graham). Every gut-wrenching installment was filmed in one continuous shot and follows Jamie as he is accused of brutally stabbing a female classmate, with Eddie struggling to grapple with the allegations being thrown at his son and the mounting evidence that is presented to them.

The harrowing miniseries not only explores the emotional trauma Jamie’s loved ones experience after his distressing arrest and subsequent proclamations of his innocence but also boldly tackles heavy concepts like toxic masculinity, cyberbullying, the societal impact of social media, and parental irresponsibility. Adolescence will take viewers on a chilling, dread-inducing journey as Jamie’s deeply buried pain, fragility, and troubling personal feelings and attitudes are examined in the fallout of the heinous crime and somber investigation.

‘Adolescence’ Takes a Raw Approach To Storytelling

Both critics and audiences are already raving about Adolescence upon its March 13, 2025, premiere on Netflix, with the poignant miniseries currently claiming the number one spot in the streamer’s Top Ten Shows list and attracting universal acclaim for its haunting storytelling, raw performances, and mesmerizing cinematography; it also holds a prestigious 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and fantastic 95% Popcornmeter from fans. Lead star Stephen Graham opened up about the heartrending premise of the show, telling Tudum ahead of its release:

“We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime, or about a kid whose mother is an alcoholic or whose father is a violent abuser. Instead, we wanted you to look at this family and think, ‘My God. This could be happening to us!’ And what’s happening here is an ordinary family’s worst nightmare.”

Graham also reflected on the decision to shoot the miniseries using the “oner” approach as an intimate alternative to traditional filming, calling the method the “marriage of both mediums” while acknowledging the extensive preparation work it took to get ready to shoot the tragic material. The gifted actor told The Hollywood Reporter that he and his fellow stars rehearsed closely with Barantini and revealed, “We went through every beat, through every moment, piece by piece by piece by piece. We dissected the script, which is beautifully written by Jack Thorne. And you just immerse yourself in that character.”

Both Graham and his co-writer Jack Thorne (Toxic Town, Enola Holmes) wanted to shine a light on the deadly knife crime epidemic plaguing the U.K. as well as explore the horrendous questions parents would be forced to ask themselves if their child was accused of committing a violent and brutal murder like Jaime was. The creative duo felt compelled to tell a realistic drama that examined the issue (amongst other troubling themes) head on, with Graham further saying, “One day, it just really hit my heart. I just thought: What’s happening? Why is this the case? What’s going on with our society as a whole, as a collective.”

Adolescence has been lauded as a true masterclass in storytelling and a deeply unnerving viewing experience for audiences, who will walk away from the eloquent miniseries feeling emotionally vulnerable and contemplative about life and society itself. In one of the countless rave reviews the crime drama has garnered since its phenomenal debut, Variety wrote of the moving original, “Gutting, raw and stunningly acted, Adolescence highlights how we’ve failed ourselves and will continually fail the generations coming behind us.” Stream Adolescence on Netflix.

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2025-03-17 00:15