It speaks to the remarkable quality of Netflix’s new dramatic thriller, “Adolescence,” that even with my significant pre-release interest due to the talent involved (both in front and behind the camera), it still managed to not just exceed my expectations but thoroughly eclipse them.
“Adolescence” might just be the best original show Netflix has ever made. And I do not say that lightly. This emotionally devastating series about a family torn apart by a violent murder is of rare quality, and it’s an essential watch for every single Netflix subscriber.
The show arrives on Netflix on Thursday, March 13, and I cannot overstate how much you need to watch it. It might not attract the same level of frenzied fandom as the likes of “Stranger Things” or “Squid Game,” but this is a prestige drama that will bring Netflix deserved acclaim, and it won’t surprise me if it becomes a staple of best of 2025 lists.
At this point, you might be thinking the above is all hyperbole, but trust me, there’s a reason it currently holds a perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If all the praise above has you eager to learn more, let’s dive into everything you need to know about “Adolescence” on Netflix.
What is ‘Adolescence’ about?
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Presented in real-time, with each episode consisting of a single continuous shot, “Adolescence” opens on the morning that changes the lives of the seemingly ordinary Miller family forever.
Living in Northern England, the Miller household is upended when armed police storm into their home and arrest 13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper) on suspicion of murdering a female classmate and drag him to the local police station.
The father of the family, Eddie (Stephen Graham), and mother Manda (Christine Tremarco), are initially convinced there’s been some mistake but as the evidence behind the charges comes to light they are forced to face every parent’s very worst nightmare: Their child might be a killer.
‘Adolescence’ is an unmissable Netflix original
There’s so much I could praise about “Adolescence” that it’s a little hard to know where to begin. Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, and directed by Philip Barantini, creator of “Boiling Point,” this crime drama mimics the style of the 2021 movie by presenting each episode as one long take and this is not only technically impressive but pure genius.
Take the show’s intense opening, for example, every moment of drama is successfully wrung out of the sequence as you watch police crash through the Miller’s front door, charge up the stairs and storm straight into Jamie’s bedroom to arrest him. As a viewer, you are brought along for the ride and this serves to make every emotional beat really hit its mark.
This continues throughout the entire show. Moments later, when Jamie is being transported to the police station, you’re right there alongside him in the car as he fidgets and pleads his innocence to the cops. Another memorable scene in a later episode sees the authorities chase a fleeing suspected accomplice, and the single-take format adds serious intensity.
“Adolescence” is a four-part series, and impressively reinvents itself multiple times across that trim episode count.
The first installment focuses on Jamie’s arrest, the second sees detective Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) visit the local school for an insight into Jamie’s motivation, and the third is a bottle episode, played almost exclusively between two actors in a single room (one the brilliant Erin Doherty as a psychologist assessing Jamie).
The finale returns to the Miller family to see the impact on them 13 months later.
All the episodes are impressive, but the second does feel a tad sluggish. It’s a little too removed from the meat of the story to justify its 60-minute length. It’s the weakest chapter but still valuable to the overall picture. As for the other three episodes? Well, those are some of the greatest hours of television that not just Netflix, but any streaming service has produced.
In all the above praise, I’ve not even touched on the performances yet, and to neglect those would be a cardinal sin. Regular viewers of British TV will already know Stephen Graham is a world-class performer, but he absolutely floored me here. The show’s final moments are a pure masterclass in emotive acting, and Graham doesn’t leave a single dry eye in the house.
But the rest of the cast are no slouches either. Graham may be the show-stealing star (Eddie always draws your eyes when on screen) but Walters, Doherty and Tremarco are also similarly excellent, and we need to talk about young Owen Cooper in the central role of Jamie Miller.
Episode 3 offers his big moment in the spotlight — the episode revolves around him in a single room with Doherty’s therapist — and Cooper displays an ability beyond his years. Part sympathetic, part unnerving, Jamie is a deeply fascinating, but also seriously tragic, character, and Cooper portrays him perfectly. There’s not a bad performance in the bunch.
It’s important to note that “Adolescence” isn’t exactly an entertaining watch. This isn’t some twisting crime thriller, that will compel you to click “play next episode” due to a dramatic episode-ending cliffhanger. This is a sobering, harrowing and often rather brutal watch, but it’s also vital. It’s the type of show that will leave your heart aching and your eyes stinging.
While much of “Adolescence” is challenging and likely to leave you on the verge of tears, it does wisely offer a few hopeful moments. The final episode is particularly poignant in this regard, showing that even in the most testing of circumstances, people can be resilient and find comfort in each other. Ultimately, the Millers summon the strength to face a bleak world.
‘Adolescence’ reviews — critics adore this Netflix show
In case it wasn’t very clear, I adore “Adolescence” (I’ve already pitched it to just about everybody I know), and I’m certainly not the only one.
Ahead of its release on Netflix, some lucky critics were able to watch the show early (including yours truly). And right off the bat, “Adolescence” is earning serious critical acclaim.
As of writing, “Adolescence” holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This score comes from a small sample size of only nine reviews, so it may fluctuate as more critics offer their opinions, but I’ll be shocked if it drops more than a few points.
“’Adolescence’ isn’t just an entertaining series (though it is, in some warped way); it’s one of the most important series I’ve seen in a long time,” said Taylor Gates of Collider.
Meanwhile, Daniel Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter praised the cast noting the characters are played “exceptionally well” and said the series has “unsettling contemporary resonance.”
“This is not an easy watch… But in what ‘Adolescence’ has to say, and in how eloquently and audaciously it says it, it’s also among the very best things — and an early contender for the best thing — you will see on the small screen this year,” writes Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone.
Usually at this point in my write-ups, I offer a negative opinion, just to provide some balance but for now, that’s proving a struggle as “Adolescence” has been universally praised.
I’m sure that will change post-release (there’s always at least one contrarian critic), but all these early glowing reviews really do speak to what I’ve been saying. “Adolescence is special.
You must stream ‘Adolescence’ on Netflix
At this point, there’s really not much more I can say to encourage you to watch “Adolescence.” This Netflix original completely blew me away.
I was already eager to watch because of my love for Graham and Barantini’s previous collaboration (the aforementioned “Boiling Point” series, which spans a 2021 movie and a 2023 show) but even with my early hype and expectations, I was not prepared to watch something quite this good.
“Adolescence” is a truly vital watch. It’s heartbreaking, tragic and numbing in so many ways, but it’s also captivating, not for a moment will you want to take your eyes off the screen.
The single-shot structure brings you right into the thick of the drama and makes you feel like an active participant, and every single performance leaves a lasting impression. Few shows get this many elements spot on.
I know this is a Netflix show I’m going to thinking about and recommending for not just weeks or months but years to come. It would take something of practically unprecedented quality for me not to be championing it as the best Netflix show of 2025. That’s a bold statement considering it’s only March, but that’s the quality levels we’re talking about.
I cannot overstate how much I implore you to go stream “Adolescence,” but if you’re convinced the show isn’t for you, or you’re just not in the right headspace for such an emotional watch, here’s a rundown of everything new added to Netflix in March 2025 for more alternative picks.
Stream “Adolescence” on Netflix now
